le Carré, John (1986) ‘A Perfect Spy’, UK signed first edition

John le Carré (1986) ‘A Perfect Spy‘, UK first edition, first printing, published by Hodder & Stoughton. Signed by the author John le Carré (real name David Cornwell) on the title page as shown.

Condition: near fine. No previous owner’s scribbles of any sorts, no bookplates, no stamps. Clean throughout. The page block is slightly sagging, an inevitable common occurance as the page block pulls down when the books sits on the shelf upright. Gilding on the spine is NOT rubbed. Dust jacket is NOT price clipped. A very nice copy hard to find in better condition.

‘A Perfect Spy’ is perhaps le Carré’s best book. Part autobiographical the author works in themes like the relationship with his father and own experience of working for the British intelligence service. Although le Carré will perhaps be best remembered for his George Smiley books  and especially for the Spy Trilogy (‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy;’ ‘The Honorouble Schoolboy’ and ‘Smiley’s People’) ‘A Perfect Spy’ is his most accomplished book. Writers like Philip Roth remarked that it is the best book in English written since 1945.