I’m re-reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John le Carre) at the moment to prepare for the new film starring Gary Oldman as George Smiley. It’s a wonderful perspective on the the British secret service, far more realistic than Spooks on TV, which I like as well. Le Carre went off the rails a bit in later years I reckon, but his early Smiley books are fabulous.

Book Club last month was Rites of Passage by William Golding. I hated it. Dreadful book. All of the characters were appalling, the story went nowhere and not much happened, the language sodden and there was a 75-page diary entry in the middle which was way too long. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the meeting to give the blokes the benefit of my views. Most of them liked it apparently!