There are a few books I read every year. "A Perfect Spy" by John Le Carre, is one I read frequently, although not every year. It normally doesn't take too long. But this time I noted some of the golden moments of the book. [Spoiler alert].

The book explores the motivations of espionage. What drives individuals to risk so much for their country? What moves them to pass information on to others? Betrayal is one thing I have experienced. It wasn't a life or death matter, I didn't get thrown in jail. But I know about betrayal.

That's not why I read the book. The strong theme of genuine friendship and the motivations of Magnus Pym really speak to me. Even the posing and posturing seem familiar:

"The art of it was to forget everything except the ground you stood on and the face you spoke from at that moment."

I also project, how does this character fit into the shape of my life? Dad worked for 22 years in defence. Not once was he allowed to tell me what it was he did. He still can't. This prompts my friends to call him a spy. Many of them tell me he is the scariest person they know. I reckon he is just determined. But he may have been a spy for all I know. When I was much older I uncovered the small arms cache at home. And at 57 he can still run 10kms in under an hour.

"Smiley's People" by Le Carre is much more comprehensive from the spycraft perspective. But walking through the life of Magnus is more intimate, we can see more weakness, more vunerability. It sparks more empathy:

"He swore his love to every girl he met, he was so anxious to overcome what he assumed would be their poor opinion of him."