The tv series of this John le Carre book is based on one of his later books and as Wikipedia puts it, a book "which chronicles the boyhood moral education of Magnus Pym and how it leads to his becoming a spy, is the author's most autobiographical espionage novel, reflecting the boy's very close relationship with his conman father.[31] Biographer LynnDianne Beene describes the novelist's own father, Ronnie Cornwell, as "an epic con man of little education, immense charm, extravagant tastes, but no social values"
Particularly in the first 2 episodes you can see how the boy's life experience is going to equip him with necessary tools for espionage work. It's quite fascinating really as well as being entertaining.
I seem to remember now having seen it when it first came out. The ABC was a joint producer with the BBC, so that is where I would have seen it back about 1987 and it always stuck in my head. This must be my third viewing, it's a great piece of work.
