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sonialusiveira's review
Dnf at around 50%.
I’ve never came across this author and for the life of me can’t remember how this book ended up on my Libby shelf. Apparently I got the book after 10 weeks wait so I thought why not give it a try. I love the prologue and thought I’d enjoy this book, which for some parts I did and made me want to check out the author’s novels but alas, I was lost most of the time. I’d probably enjoy it far more if I was a fan of the author or know his other works that he referenced here.
I’ve never came across this author and for the life of me can’t remember how this book ended up on my Libby shelf. Apparently I got the book after 10 weeks wait so I thought why not give it a try. I love the prologue and thought I’d enjoy this book, which for some parts I did and made me want to check out the author’s novels but alas, I was lost most of the time. I’d probably enjoy it far more if I was a fan of the author or know his other works that he referenced here.
thisisstephenbetts's review
5.0
Probably only 5* for Le Carré completists, but I really enjoyed this. One to re-read.
hoboken's review
4.0
A kind of nonchronological memoir--lots of short chapters on the people and places le Carre met, saw, and used in his books and the films made from them. Having a professional grifter for a father and a stint in Her Majesty's secret service gave him a head start, and early on he decided not to write about places he didn't know firsthand, so the only thing to do was to go out and have the adventures and meet the people he turned into his long, gripping series of spy fiction. A charming, clear, entertaining first-person voice. A cast of hundreds at least from fake Mitteleuropean counts to MI6 operatives in the thick of the Cold War to Graham Greene and Alec Guinness. I haven't read The Spy Who Came in From the Cold for 50 years, but it's time to do it again. For my money, if you want to know what things were like between VE Day and the day the Berlin Wall came down, you can't do better than le Carre and the great Eric Ambler.
ckrupiej's review against another edition
4.0
"Estas são histórias verdadeiras, contadas de memória - ao que os leitores têm o direito de perguntar o que é a verdade e o que é a memória para um escritor de obras criativas naquilo a que poderiamos chamar o entardecer da sua vida,"
adamrshields's review
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/
worky's review
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!