The Karla Trilogy Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; The Honourable Schoolboy; Smiley s People - John le Carr 1974 - Hodder and Stoughton, London - First Editions A finely bound first edition set of John le Carre’s acclaimed espionage trilogy – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley’s People – featuring legendary master spy George Smiley pitted against his elusive Cold War rival, Karla.

As a secret service agent, Le Carre moved from MI5 to MI6, and was in Berlin when the wall was erected. His experiences inspired him to write a novel which became 'Call For The Dead'; 'When I first began writing, Ian Fleming was riding high and the picture of the spy was that of a character who could have affairs with women, drive a fast car, who used gadgetry and gimmickry to escape.' Le Carre's aim was to portray the intelligence world from a new view and he has earned a reputation for gritty, realistic, suspenseful spy novels based on a wide knowledge of international espionage or simply human behaviour. His famous recurring character, George Smiley, is an aging, diffident, shadow-like member of the British foreign service, and the antithesis of James Bond; this trilogy of Smiley books is the author's masterwork, a thrilling elegy for post-imperial Britain. 'Tinker Tailor...' was the basis for the Oscar-nominated 2011 film starring Gary Oldman.
  John le Carré is the nom de plume of David John Moore Cornwell (1931-2020), born in Poole, Dorset. He was a member of the British Foreign Service from 1959 to 1964, serving first as Second Secretary in the British Embassy in Bonn and subsequently as Political Consul in Hamburg.

References:
Penguin Books, web. John le Carre, web.

Three large octavo volumes (binding size 22.1x14.2cm), pp. [2] 349 [1][2]; [2] viii [6] 15-532 [2]; [2] 327 [1][2].
  Bound in three-quarter red morocco over matching cloth, with raised bands, gilt titles to spine, top edges gilt, and with the original dust-jacket for each volume bound in at rear. The set is housed in an elegant fleece-lined cloth slipcase with ribbon-pull.   Condition: Fine in fine bindings, and fine slipcase.   Ref: 111701   Price: HK$ 20,000