John le Carre: Gary Oldman, Stephen King and more share tributes for 'literary giant'

The acclaimed British spy author has died from pneumonia aged 89

Evelyn Lau author image
Evelyn Lau
Dec 14, 2020

Fellow writers, actors and fans from around the world have paid tribute to acclaimed British spy author John le Carre, after he died from pneumonia aged 89.

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Spy author John le Carre dies of pneumonia, aged 89
Spy author John le Carre dies at home, aged 89
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Known for his novels Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and The Night Manager, le Carre was praised for bringing a degree of accuracy to his novels thanks to his former experience as a spy with British intelligence agency MI6. Many of his books were subsequently adapted for film and TV, winning him a new generation of admirers.

After the news of his death was revealed, many have taken social media to share their thoughts and express what le Carre's work meant to them. Here's a round up of some of the best tributes to the acclaimed author.

Gary Oldman

The actor, who starred in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but isn't on social media, released a statement, saying: "For me, John le Carre was many things. He was, of course, a very great author, the true 'owner' of the serious, adult, complicated, spy novel – he actually owned the genre … He was generous with his creativity and always a true gentleman."

Stephen King

American author Stephen King paid tribute by revealing that The Little Drummer Girl was "one of the best novels I've ever read", while calling le Carre a "literary giant and a humanitarian spirit":

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood said the novels involving his most enduring character, George Smiley, were “key to understanding the mid-20th century”:

Paulo Coelho

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho said: “John Le Carre, you were not only a great writer, but a visionary. Enjoy your new home”:

Stephen Fry

British writer and TV personality Stephen Fry wrote: “If there is a contemporary writer who’s given me richer pleasure, I can’t for the moment name them.”

Michael McKean

This is Spinal Tap actor Michael McKean said le Carre's life was "unparalleled":

Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers, host of NBC's Late Night With Seth Meyers, said that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was "the gold standard for espionage fiction":

Gary Shteyngart

Writer Gary Shteyngart called le Carre "one of the greatest and most influential writers of the 20th century, full stop":

Fans of le Carre's work also took to social media to write about how he touched their lives:

Many praised the legacy he leaves behind:

While others simply shared a look at their collection of his novels:

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