The Spy Who Came In From the Cold

Having just finished rereading John Le Carre's The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, I am reminded of the chilling reach of governments who pursue national interests, regardless of the costs to society or individuals. The novel's protagonist (Alex Leamas) finds that he and others are sacrificed as pawns in an elaborate chess match between Britain and the Soviet Union. Yes, the Cold War is now over, and the Berlin Wall has disappeared, but people like Leamas are still involved in the same kind of very deadly game, and that is a sobering realization.