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. |
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 |
Motif and Type Index | 219 |
References | 247 |
Common terms and phrases
action adventure agency Alec Leamas amateur Ambler-Greene American Aseff assassination Background to Danger basic become betrayal Bond's bureaucracy clandestine world Cold Communist Confidential Agent conspiracy contemporary corruption cultural cycle of clandestinity death Deighton detective story Dimitrios disguise double agent Eric Ambler escape espionage espionage fiction evil fantasy fascination fear feelings film Fleming's formula genre George Smiley German Graham Greene Greene's Hannay's hero hero's heroic spy story Honourable Schoolboy human Ian Fleming important innocent intelligence involved James Bond John Buchan John le Carré Karla Looking Glass Looking Glass War loyalty major mission modern moral movie murder narrative operation organization pattern Phönix plot police political popular protagonist pseud reader Richard Hannay Rohmer role romance Russian Saridza secret agent Secret Service sense sexual Smiley's social society spies spy novel spy story spy's structure successful theme Thirty-Nine Steps tradition twentieth century Various characters villain writers Yesterday's Spy York