Archive of John le Carré to go on display for the first time in major exhibition
John le Carré: Tradecraft
1 October 2025 – 6 April 2026
Weston Library, Bodleian Libraries, Oxford
The Bodleian Libraries are delighted to announce the exhibition John le Carré: Tradecraft, opening in October 2025, which will explore the enduring legacy of one of the greatest writers of the past century. The exhibition draws upon the vast archive of John le Carré, otherwise known as David Cornwell, held at the Bodleian Libraries, which will go on public display for the first time. Containing over 1,200 boxes of material, the 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 a unique insight into the working methods of the writer who shaped the modern spy novel.
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 provide a multifaceted portrait of the author's life and creative process. The exhibition will feature research, drafts, and corrections for his novels, non-fiction, and adaptations, as well as personal correspondence. Highlights include annotated manuscripts of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener, and The Little Drummer Girl; previously unseen family photographs; original sketches and watercolour paintings; and letters to fans and friends.
The exhibition’s title plays on the term ‘tradecraft’, which le Carré used to describe the techniques of espionage, but might also be applied to his own skilled craft as a writer and social commentator. Positioning le Carré first and foremost as a writer who worked briefly as a spy, rather than a spy who became a writer, the exhibition will provide unique insight into how he gathered information, plotted stories, and developed iconic characters such as George Smiley and Karla. His personality and humour is evident in the charming illustrations and personal papers on display. For example, a handwritten note shows his discomfort with public speculation about his spying career before his professional history was revealed: “Why do people want me to have views about spying? If I wrote about love, or cowboys, even sex, people would take it that this was my interest and therefore I made up stories about it.”
John le Carré: Tradecraft will unveil le Carré’s rigorous approach to research, which included international fieldwork and close collaboration with journalists, academics, intelligence operators, corporate whistle-blowers, and humanitarians. Armed only with a small notebook, he used interviews with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and professions to bring authenticity to his fiction. The exhibition will show le Carré’s dedication to exposing corrupt politics and global power structures - from the extra-judicial tactics of the war on terror to unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry. It will also explore the interplay between the personal and the political, with le Carré growing increasingly progressive and outspoken throughout his life.
The exhibition will contain items revealing le Carré’s relationships with friends and family. The vital influence of his second wife Jane who typed everything le Carré handwrote, as well as annotating drafts, copyediting and typesetting each book, is visible throughout. A particular highlight is Alec Guinness’ 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, Guinness wrote that he was “not really rotund and double-chinned”. Le Carré successfully convinced Guinness to accept the role, marking the first of many adaptations of the Smiley universe.
Professor Federico Varese and Dr Jessica Douthwaite, co-curators of the exhibition, say:
Longstanding fans of le Carré and those unfamiliar with his books will be equally excited by this original exhibition of his writing methods. Le Carré’s researcher’s spirit, commitment to understanding real-world problems, meticulous attention to detail and working relationships are uncovered in an engaging and colourful review of his life and career.
Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian and the Helen Hamlyn Director of the University Libraries, says:
The Bodleian is deeply honoured to hold the John le Carré/David Cornwell archive on behalf of the nation. He responded instantly to the suggestion that we might become the resting place of his papers, and we are delighted to be able to share some of its treasures with a broader public through this exhibition and the accompanying book. David was a great friend to the Bodleian and to the University of Oxford, and we are happy to be opening up his archive for study and appreciation.
Nick Harkaway, author and son of John le Carré, says:
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 exhibition is co-curated by Professor Federico Varese, Senior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, and Professor of Sociology at Sciences Po in Paris, and Dr Jessica Douthwaite, Modern British Historian and Curatorial Research Assistant at the Bodleian Libraries.
The accompanying book Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carré, edited by Federico Varese, will be released by Bodleian Library Publishing on 1 October. The collection of essays features first-hand accounts by members of “the John le Carré adopted family”, with fascinating and original insights into John le Carré’s working methods by the people who worked alongside him.
A series of public events will run alongside the exhibition.
The archive of John le Carré is now fully catalogued and available to readers at the Weston Library. The catalogue can be accessed online.
