Talk:Len Deighton/Archive 1

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Surely "An expensive place to die" is a "Harry Palmer" Novel also, as I've seen a Michael Caine interview in which he say's he regrets not having made that book into a movie. Regards Steve


 * Please provide a link to this quote if possible, as it is considered that, although featuring another unnamed spy writing in the first person, aEPtD is actually a different spy to Harry Palmer. However, possibly either the book could have been adapted into featuring Harry Palmer just because Michael Caine would be starring in it, or Caine would be playing this 'different' spy.
 * Or maybe Michael Caine just read the book wrong, and thought it was Harry Palmer, when it isn't. The Yeti 12:49, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

The nameless character, known in the film adaptations as "Harry Palmer", who is from Burnley, works for WOO(C)P, and whose boss is Dawlish and secretary/girlfriend is Jean, only appears in the first four novels--the others are about a different nameless spy working for a different intelligence branch. Grackle 18:39, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

I think it's a little more complex than that. In one of the subsequent "nameless spy" novels, Dawlish (the "boss" of WOOC(P)) in all but the first of the earlier novels) reappears at a party (I regret that I do not have the books handy for reference purposes); so while it's clear that the hero is working for someone else, it seems to be the same hero. [Note that it's WOOC(P); we know from a remark of Ross's that the "P" stands for Provisional, and it's reasonable to assume that WO stands for "War Office."] 70.196.144.109 18:27, 24 November 2006 (UTC) EJBleendreeble


 * I seem to recall that WOOC(P) stood for War Office Overseas Committee (Political) but I could be wrong.  SmokeyTheCat    •TALK•  11:49, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

I don't recall that WOOC(P) ever having its meaning spelled out. As for Dawlish, he shows up at a dinner party in 'Spy Story.'  He also shows up in 'Yesterday's Spy,'  though by then apparently WOOC(P) had become merely 'the Department.' Toddrk (talk) 23:23, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

"Fighter" (1977) and "The Battle of Britain" (1980)
What is the difference between these two books (the first of which I possess, the second of which I do not)? The text seems to confuse them.
 * Cast your gaze down a few paragraphs. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 19:55, 15 December 2007 (UTC)

A minor correction
I have renamed the 'Harry Palmer' novels as 'Unnamed Hero' as one of the conceits of these stories was that hero was never named. 'Harry Palmer' was invented for the inferior films. I have also added 'An Expensive Place To Die' to this list as it was one of them.  SmokeyTheCat   •TALK•  11:46, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

While 'An Expensive Place to Die' indeed features an unnamed protagonist,  it is far from clear that he is indeed the same one as from the previous four novels. One of the factors arguing against this is the 'packet' included in the first printings imply that this agent has been already in place for some considerable time.

Arguably, 'Spy Story' could be the same character as the first four especially as 'Pat Armstrong' personally knows both Dawlish and Stok. Also, 'Catch a Falling Spy'  has an unnamed spy working under Colonel Schlegel introduced in 'Spy Story.'  Finally,  'Yesterday's Spy,'  also has a protagonist who was known in Nice during WWII as 'Charles' working for Schlegel and Dawlish. Sadly, none of this is at all conclusive. Toddrk (talk) 23:13, 2 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm unconvinced that "Pat Armstrong" is the same bloke as the protagonist from the first four books as I reckon he's too young to have been in the Army in WW2. More plausible are the protagonists of "An Expensive Place To Die" and "Yesterday's Spy" being the same person because France. "Twinkle Twinkle Little Spy"?  Could be "Pat Armstrong" again.  Or not. Mr Larrington (talk) 02:49, 26 July 2016 (UTC)

A query
Did Deighton really write two books one called 'Fighter - the true story of the Battle of Britain' and one simply called 'Battle of Britain' only three years apart? This seems unlikely. Can anyone clarify please?  SmokeyTheCat   •TALK•  11:46, 6 November 2007 (UTC)


 * Battle of Britain was co-written by Max Hastings. Here's the reprint I have, here's a first edition. As I understand it, the book is a retread of Fighter, but with many more pictures and cut-away diagrams - an early go at multi-media. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 19:54, 15 December 2007 (UTC)


 * I've since got hold of a first edition of Fighter (back cover blurb by Albert Speer!), and they're definitely two different books; Battle of Britain has an entirely different text, although some of the photographs are the same. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 18:51, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

"Most famous" for The Ipcress File?
Given the quantity and variety of his published work, is it really correct to say at the very outset that he is perhaps most famous for "The Ipcress File"? 76.230.152.236 (talk) 14:57, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

Deighton as a Historian
I understand he is an amateur historian? How are his books regarded by academics? Does he speak German? Drutt (talk) 21:04, 1 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Given that he gets paid for his work I suppose that would make him a professional historian.  SmokeyTheCat    •TALK•  08:08, 12 September 2008 (UTC)

Pronunciation
How is Deighton pronounced: Dayton, Deeton, Defton or Dieton ? MW9123 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.87.224.97 (talk) 07:43, 2 June 2010 (UTC)

Are you sure it's Deeton? According to some Internet sources, it's pronounced like Dayton.

Sly-ah (talk) 15:28, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

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