The Spy StoryWhy has the spy story become such a popular form of entertainment in our time? In this fascinating account of the genre's evolution, John G. Cawelti and Bruce A. Rosenberg explore the social, political, and artistic sources of the spy story's wide appeal. They show how, in a time of bewildering political and corporate organization, the spy story has become increasingly relevant, the secret agent hero expressing the feelings of divided and ambiguous loyalties with which many individuals face the modern world. In addition to a general history of the genre, Cawelti and Rosenberg present in-depth analyses of the work of certain writers who have given the spy story its shape, among them John Buchan, Eric Ambler, Graham Greene, Ian Fleming, and John le Carré. The Spy Story also includes an extensive appendix, featuring a literary and historical bibliography of espionage and clandestinity, a list of the best spy novels and films, a catalog of major spy writers and their heroes, and a selection of novels on espionage themes written by major twentieth-century authors and public figures. Written in a lively style that reflects the authors' enthusiasm for this intriguing form, The Spy Story will be read with pleasure by devotees of the genre as well as students of popular culture. |
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Contents
A Brief | 34 |
The Forms of the Spy Novel | 55 |
John Buchan | 79 |
Eric Ambler | 101 |
Ian Fleming | 125 |
The Complex Vision | 156 |
Recent Espionage | 187 |
the Spy Story | 219 |
Common terms and phrases
able action activities adventure agency Ambler American background basic become beginning British Buchan Carré century characters clandestine Cold commitment complex conspiracy contemporary continually Control cultural dangerous death detective double early effective enemy English escape espionage evil fantasy fascination fear feelings fiction figure finally Fleming Fleming's forces formula genre German give Greene Hannay hero heroic human important individual innocent intelligence interest involved James Bond John Karla kind later le Carré Leamas lives major means mission moral murder narrative officer once operation organization pattern play plot political popular protagonist Quiller reader recent Richard role Russian Sax Rohmer secret agent Secret Service seems sense side Smiley social society spies spy novel spy story structure successful theme things thriller tradition turn usually Various villain writers York
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Spy Story |
| Authors | John G. Cawelti, Bruce A. Rosenberg |
| Contributor | Bruce A. Rosenberg |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press, 1987 |
| ISBN | 0226098680, 9780226098685 |
| Length | 259 pages |
| Subjects | › › Literary Criticism / American / General Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Literary Criticism / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |