The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories From My Life

In this assortment of memories from a master storyteller, le Carré reminisces about his posting as a young British intelligence officer in post-WWII Germany, his time in Gorbachev’s Russia, and research trips for his novels. People, places, times, dates, and events are jumbled together in no particular order, but manage, overall, to fit together and form an engaging and often insightful narrative. Le Carré proves a natural raconteur of his own work. His reading is smooth, conversational, and totally absorbing. He speaks easily of meeting with presidents, prime ministers, rebel fighters, and a variety of other people from around the world, giving most expertly rendered vocal characterizations that are as enjoyable for the listener as they are unexpected. Whether le Carré is describing being under fire from the Khmer Rouge, remembering his stint as a spy with MI5, or recounting the time he smoked dope in an opium den, his storytelling makes for fascinating listening. [em]A Viking hardcover. (Sept.) [/em]