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66Years of Reading: International Espionage, Intrigue, and Political Fiction

In the 1960s, when I was about 12, spies were IT. Movies, TV series, and books were everywhere, and I was hooked. I have remained hooked ever since, and over the years my interest has broadened to include a more generalized fascination with international intrigue and political fiction. Here are the best ( and a few of the not-so-good) novels I have enjoyed, ever since I found the first Man From U.N.C.L.E. Paperback on the revolving rack at our local drugstore all those years ago.
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Nostromo (Conrad - Penguin Classics))
Nostromo
1
Conrad - Penguin Classics)
The Secret Agent (Joseph Conrad)
The Secret Agent
2
Joseph Conrad
Under Western Eyes (Joseph Conrad)
Under Western Eyes
3
Joseph Conrad
Darkness at Noon (Arthur Koestler)
Darkness at Noon
4
Arthur Koestler
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovtich (Alexander Solzhenitsyn)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovtich
5
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
The First Circle (Solzhenitsyn)
The First Circle
6
Solzhenitsyn
The Dark Frontier (Eric Ambler)
The Dark Frontier
7
Eric Ambler
Background to Danger (Ambler)
Background to Danger
8
Ambler
Cause for Alarm (Ambler)
Cause for Alarm
9
Ambler
Epitaph for a Spy (Ambler)
Epitaph for a Spy
10
Ambler
A Coffin for Dimitrios (Ambler)
A Coffin for Dimitrios
11
Ambler
Journey Into Fear (Ambler)
Journey Into Fear
12
Ambler
Judgement on Deltchev (Ambler)
Judgement on Deltchev
13
Ambler
The Schirmer Inheritance (Ambler)
The Schirmer Inheritance
14
Ambler
State of Siege (Ambler)
State of Siege
15
Ambler
Passage of Arms (Ambler)
Passage of Arms
16
Ambler
The Light of Day (Ambler)
The Light of Day
17
Ambler
A Kind of Anger (Eric Ambler)
A Kind of Anger
18
Eric Ambler
Dirty Story (Ambler)
Dirty Story
19
Ambler
The Intercom Conspiracy (Eric Ambler)
The Intercom Conspiracy
20
Eric Ambler
The Levanter (Eric Ambler)
The Levanter
21
Eric Ambler
Dr. Frigo (Ambler)
Dr. Frigo
22
Ambler
The Siege of the Villa Lipp (Ambler)
The Siege of the Villa Lipp
23
Ambler
The Care of Time (Eric Ambler)
The Care of Time
24
Eric Ambler
Orient Express (Graham Greene)
Orient Express
25
Graham Greene
The Confidential Agent (Graham Greene)
The Confidential Agent
26
Graham Greene
The Ministry of Fear
The Ministry of Fear
27
The Third Man (Greene)
The Third Man
28
Greene
The Quiet American (Greene)
The Quiet American
29
Greene
The Comedians (Greene)
The Comedians
30
Greene
Our Man in Havana (Greene)
Our Man in Havana
31
Greene
The Human Factor (Graham Greene)
The Human Factor
32
Graham Greene
The Honorary Consul (Graham Greene)
The Honorary Consul
33
Graham Greene
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (John Le Carré)
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
34
John Le Carré
The Looking Glass War (Le Carre)
The Looking Glass War
35
Le Carre
A Small Town in Germany (John Le Carre)
A Small Town in Germany
36
John Le Carre
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (John Le Carré)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
37
John Le Carré
The Honourable Schoolboy (John Le Carré)
The Honourable Schoolboy
38
John Le Carré
Smiley's People (John Le Carré)
Smiley's People
39
John Le Carré
The Little Drummer Girl
The Little Drummer Girl
40
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