"Longstanding fans of le Carré and those unfamiliar with his books will be equally excited by this original exhibition of his writing methods," said co-curators of the exhibition Professor Federico Varese and Dr Jessica Douthwaite. "Le Carré’s researcher’s spirit, commitment to understanding real-world problems, meticulous attention to detail and working relationships will be uncovered in an engaging and colourful review of his life and career."
Nick Harkaway, author and son of John le Carré, added: "Oxford took my father in when he was desperate to escape his own father’s malign influence and kept his place when he couldn’t afford it. The Bodleian was his refuge then and his choice for his archive now. It feels like a homecoming."
The archive of John le Carré is now fully catalogued and available to readers at the Weston Library. The catalogue can be accessed online.
Archive of John le Carré to go on Display for First Time
Notes for The Little Drummer Girl, 1980
John le Carré: Tradecraft is a new exhibition opening in October 2025 at the Bodleian Libraries which will explore the legacy of the writer otherwise known as David Cornwell.
Containing over 1,200 boxes of material held at the Bodleian Libraries, the le Carré archive spans Cornwell’s entire life and career, from his time as a student at Lincoln College, Oxford, to drafts penned in his final weeks. The archive and the exhibition give an insight into the working methods of the writer who shaped the modern spy novel. The term ‘tradecraft’ was used by Cornwell to describe the techniques of espionage.
Co-curated by le Carré’s collaborator and friend Professor Federico Varese and Dr Jessica Douthwaite with the support of the le Carré family, John le Carré: Tradecraft will feature research, drafts, and corrections for his novels, non-fiction, and adaptations, as well as personal correspondence. On display will be annotated manuscripts of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener, and The Little Drummer Girl as well as previously unseen family photographs, original sketches and watercolour paintings, plus letters to fans and friends.
Other highlights of the exhibition which runs October 1 – April 6, 2026 , at the Weston Library in Oxford will include:
- a handwritten note showing his discomfort with public speculation about his spying career before his professional history was revealed
- an exploration of le Carré’s battle to expose corrupt politics and global power structures from the extra-judicial tactics of the war on terror to unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry
- items revealing the author's relationships with friends and family, especially the influence of his second wife Jane who typed everything le Carré handwrote, as well as annotating drafts, copyediting and typesetting each book
- Alec Guinness’s letter to le Carré towards the start of their 20 year correspondence questioning his suitability to play George Smiley in the first television adaptation of a le Carré novel
