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adamrshields's review against another edition
4.0
Short Review: Occasionally fascinating. Sometimes boring. I think for most people, I would recommend reading more of his novels. But if you have read a number of his novels then you may enjoy reading this. There are a number of stories about where a character or scene or book was inspired by. And the end about his father was really good. But some of the rest was just okay.
Most of the time I was actively engaged as I was reading. But I would put it down and then not be super interested in picking it back up again.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-pigeon-tunnel/
Most of the time I was actively engaged as I was reading. But I would put it down and then not be super interested in picking it back up again.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-pigeon-tunnel/
bibliomaniac2021's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
worky's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating insght into the le Carre world. A crooked father. Friend to Alec Guiness. The stories are a bit disjointed and skip around.
augustoalvapas's review against another edition
5.0
John le Carre autor de novelas sumamente excitosas, conocido en prácticamente todo el mundo. Pero no conocemos al hombre detrás, no conocemos a David Cornwall y eso es lo que trata Volar en Círculos. Aquí David cuenta su historia o más bien nos cuenta lo que nos quiere contar. Lo hace con un gusto y humor que se transmite en la escritura. David se presenta asimismo como un hombre fuera de lugar en prácticamente todos los escenarios. Una obra autobiografica excelente que nos ayuda a entender al hombre detrás del espía.
esessa's review against another edition
5.0
This was so fun! I listened to the audiobook and it was great to hear him tell his own tales. What a storyteller he is!
johnhsmith's review against another edition
4.0
Delight of a book. Now I can re-read his works with some insight to inspiration for characters and plot.
krep___'s review
5.0
Full disclosure: huge le Carré fan. After having read just about all of his novels (some more than once) over the last 30 years, this memoir is especially enjoyable. It provides the back stories to many of them. I figured that, as he's pretty old, maybe he sensed his end might not be too far off and wanted to make sure he got this stuff down before it was too late. But then he follows up with another novel after this. There goes that theory. Anyway, the stories from his own life about the people he's known that led him to write his novels are as emotional and interesting as the fictional versions. How this book would play for a reader unfamiliar with le Carré's work is hard for me to say. I'd certainly recommend reading all the fiction first and save this for last.
mubeenirfan's review against another edition
3.0
Reason of picking up any memoir is through the author's name and whatever you know about that author. Strangely, this was not the case for me here. I knew virtually nothing about John le Carre. I did not even know that it was a pseudonym for David Cornwell. I only knew one fact that John le Carre wrote a book called 'The Night Manager' and Tom Hiddleston acted brilliantly in a British tv series by that name.
David Cornwell was a spy when he was young and when it was much more fashionable than it is now. He is also a proper English man (Eton & Oxford) and his father was a con artist who served jail time in various countries but kept working towards one final catch which never happened.
The memoirs are divided into small bite sized chapters where David Cornwell introduces the reader to the background of his books & characters in addition to very colourful anecdotes from his life. This book is witty in classic English sense and you smile through majority of the book but there is melancholy too as expected of an ageing writer who has lead a long active life and is now reflecting on various stories from his past.
A good quick read, suitable for someone looking for a light read. I might have given it higher ratings had I known about the stories & books he has written in order to be able to relate well (The Spy who came in from the cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener etc.) but the fault is entirely mine.
David Cornwell was a spy when he was young and when it was much more fashionable than it is now. He is also a proper English man (Eton & Oxford) and his father was a con artist who served jail time in various countries but kept working towards one final catch which never happened.
The memoirs are divided into small bite sized chapters where David Cornwell introduces the reader to the background of his books & characters in addition to very colourful anecdotes from his life. This book is witty in classic English sense and you smile through majority of the book but there is melancholy too as expected of an ageing writer who has lead a long active life and is now reflecting on various stories from his past.
A good quick read, suitable for someone looking for a light read. I might have given it higher ratings had I known about the stories & books he has written in order to be able to relate well (The Spy who came in from the cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener etc.) but the fault is entirely mine.
lilreaderbug's review against another edition
4.0
Only 4 stars because, like other reviewers, I'm comparing this autobiography to Le Carre's novels. Le Carre talks about inspiration for some of his novels and his life. I enjoyed how he didn't just write some boring, chronological book but instead wrote snippets of his life to paint a picture of himself. I recommend to any Le Carre fan.