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I'm looking for a good Cold-War era spy novel. I want espionage, dead drops, men smoking cigarettes in trenchcoats, double crosses, meeting in cold European cities, the whole she-bang. I know the names of some spy writers(Le Carre, for instance), but I'd like to have a good book to start with. Thanks.
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I strongly second "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" mentioned previously. It's a great introduction to Le Carre and was his breakthrough book.
I't's been a long while since I read it but I'm pretty sure it has "espionage, dead drops, men smoking cigarettes in trenchcoats, double crosses, meeting in cold European cities, the whole she-bang". It sort of freaks me out to think that most of my opponents in poker weren't even in kindergarten when the Berlin Wall came down.
If anyone mentions books by Robert Ludlum I'll argue against it. Le Carre writes on a much higher and satisfying level.
~ Rick
PS Naturally, if you like TSWCIFTC then read the LeCarre trilogy starting with "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy".
PPS The
wike entry on Le Carre does a good job.