Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Sep 2006
192 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Bruno's African upbringing, and fluency in numerous African languages, has made him a top interpreter in London, useful to businesses, hospitals, diplomats - and spies. Working for Anderson of British Intelligence in a clandestine facility, Salvo (as he's known) translates intercepted phone calls, bugged recordings, snatched voice mail messages. When Anderson sends him to a mysterious island to interpret during a secret conference between Central African warlords, Bruno thinks he is helping Britain bring peace to a bloody corner of the world. But then he hears something he should not have....
"Starred review. Especially impressive is the character of Salvo, who's a far cry from the author's typical protagonist but is just as plausible." - PW.
"The opening half of this novel is a bit static--the dynamics of multilingual interpretation are difficult to convey in print--but the power of the human drama takes hold toward the end." - Booklist.
"Another fine work of intrigue from a skilled interpreter of all things topical." - Kirkus.
This information about The Mission Song was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Author photograph by Simone Casetta
John Le Carré is the pen name of David Cornwell. Cornwell was born in Poole, Dorset (in the South-West of England) in 1931. His father, Ronnie, made and lost his fortune a number of times due to elaborate confidence tricks and schemes which landed him in prison on at least one occasion. This, according to Cornwell, was one of the factors that led to his fascination with secrets. His father was also the inspiration for the lead character in The Honourable Schoolboy (1977).
Cornwell's mother left home when he was five or six years old - he did not see her again until he was 21.
He attended Sherborne School - a British boarding school, but was unhappy and dropped out at the age of 16. For a little under a year (in 1948-1949) he studied German at the University of Berne in Switzerland; ...
... Full Biography
Link to John le Carre's Website
Name Pronunciation
John le Carre: luh KAR-AY
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