John le Carré's meticulous research and attention to detail revealed in private papers

The private archive of John le Carré, the master of spy thrillers, will be displayed for the first time this autumn, offering insights into his meticulous research and attention to detail. The exhibition, titled John le Carré: Tradecraft, will be held at the Bodleian libraries at the University of Oxford starting in October. It will showcase thousands of papers from his archive, including copious notes on characters, sketches, and annotated manuscripts.

Le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell, donated his archive to his alma mater before his death in 2020. The exhibition will highlight his work as a writer who had experience as a spy, exploring his techniques of espionage and character development. It will also feature private letters and reveal his close collaboration with intelligence operators and dedication to exposing corruption.

The exhibition is co-curated by Prof Federico Varese and Dr Jessica Douthwaite, with the support of le Carré's family. Varese, an Oxford professor of criminology, emphasized le Carré's academic-like research approach, where he would conduct fieldwork and interviews before writing his novels.

According to the source: The Guardian.