It's part of a writer's profession, as it's part of a spy's profession, to prey on the community to which he's attached, to take away information - often in secret - and to translate that into intelligence for his masters, whether it's his readership or his spy masters. And I think that both professions are perhaps rather lonely.

There will be no war, but in the pursuit of principle no stone will be left standing.

After all, if you make your enemy look like a fool, you lose the justification for engaging him.

People who've had very unhappy childhoods are pretty good at inventing themselves. If nobody invents you for yourself, nothing is left but to invent yourself for others.

The pharmaceutical corporations are engaged in the systematic corruption of the medical profession, country by country

A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.

Treason is very much a matter of habit, Smiley decided.