JOHN LE CARRE, AUTHOR OF COLD WAR SPY THRILLERS, DIES AT 89

John le Carré, whose exquisitely nuanced, intricately plotted Cold War thrillers elevated the spy novel to high art, has died at 89, the New York Times reported late on Sunday, December 13, 2020 (Monday, December 14, 2020 in Manila).

He presented both Western and Soviet spies as morally compromised cogs in a rotten system full of treachery, betrayal and personal tragedy. Before Mr. le Carré published his bestselling 1963 novel “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,” which Graham Green called “the best spy story I have ever read,” the fictional model for the modern British spy was Ian Fleming’s James Bond — suave, urbane, devoted to queen and country.

Amir Vera and Dan Wright of CNN said the best-selling British espionage writer David Cornwell, known to the world as John le Carré, died Saturday at 89, according to his literary agent. Le Carré's family said that he died from pneumonia. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and four sons. “I represented David for almost 15 years. I have lost a mentor, an inspiration and most importantly, a friend," said Jonny Geller, CEO of literary agency The Curtis Brown Group. "We will not see his like again."

Described by Geller as the "undisputed Giant of English literature," le Carré wrote 26 books that have been published in over 50 countries and 40 languages, according to his official website. Le Carré was born in 1931 and attended the universities of Bern and Oxford. He also served briefly in British Intelligence during the Cold War. His most famous works spanned some six decades and included "The Spy Who Came In Form the Cold," which was published in 1963 and made le Carré "the most famous spy writer in the world," Geller said.