And then everyone asked George Smiley about his wife.

Just finished John LeCarre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Superbly atmospheric and paranoid, it captures the mindset I imagine intelligence operatives must have quite clearly, and builds slowly to a very chilly finish. Some period-appropriate misogyny set my teeth on edge, and I'm not sure if it was the characters or the author indulging in it. Likewise, not sure if the book was casual and open-minded about homosexuality, or whether it used it as an indication of severe character flaws. I am inclined to think the former, but readers' mileage probably varies.

 

Details of tradecraft, whether accurate or not, were exquisite. If you suspect you're being followed, watch the shoes of people around you – they're the least likely to be swapped out in a costume change. Want to know if your mail is being read? Print off your own advertising circulars in innocuous envelopes, and send them from the same offsite mailbox every day, addressed to you and a neighbor. Check your neighbor's mail before they do. If they get the circular before you do; someone is holding your mail. If you both get it at the same time, you're clear.

 

The casualness with which all the perspective characters regard extreme flights of paranoia – and the degree to which the narrative reinforces and justifies them – are what make this book such an immersive and gripping read.

Shut Piehole Quickly Rapscallion!

Subject line quoted from here.

And today, I think, it's time for a link salad with almost no politics or current events.  Instead, we have:

LINKS THAT AMUSE ME

Greek Philosophy Updated: New Categories of Love.

A take on the origin of life on Earth that explains everything.  And some thoughts on Christian behavior.

There's an insult generator that relies solely on quotes from Martin Luther.  Martin Luther was an angry, angry man.

I always thought that Sofa King was a joke, not a brand name!

Hey, who wants to use streaming video of frog noises to play the Imperial March?  This works disturbingly well.

Cracked.com thinks deep thoughts about Harry Potter.  Also, Feminist Harry Potter.

A website lobbying for Christian pornography.  And another where you can shop for sex toys in a pious way.

How To Deal With Writers.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Possibly via murder.  Seriously, if you only click on one link here... go click on the Martin Luther insult generator.  But if you click on two, click on this one!  It's cute and hilaristurbing.

Wil Wheaton has a web TV show where he plays games with people, including Grant Imahara from Mythbusters.  Count me in!

Dragons and strong-willed ladies interacting is always interesting.  celebros , get clicking on this link right now!

Benedict Cumberbatch: he looks like an otter.

Baby Monkey.

Hot dogs and science.