The Constant Gardener

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British diplomat Justin Quayle, complacent raiser of freesias and doting husband of the stunning, much younger Tessa, has tended his own garden in Nairobi too long. Tessa is Justin's opposite, a fiery reformer, "that rarest thing, a lawyer who believes in justice," whose campaigns have earned her a nickname: "the Princess Diana of the African poor." But now Tessa has turned up naked, raped, and dead on a mysterious visit to remote Lake Turkana in Kenya. Her traveling companion (and lover?), the handsome Congolese-Belgian doctor Arnold Bluhm, has vanished. So has Quayle's complacency.

Tessa had been compiling data against a multinational drug company that uses helpless Africans as guinea pigs to test a tuberculosis remedy with unfortunately fatal side effects. Her report was destroyed by her husband's superiors; was she? It's all somehow connected to the sinister British firm House of ThreeBees, whose ad boasts that it's "buzzy for the health of Africa!" John le Carré symbolically associates ThreeBees with an ominous buzz in the Nairobi morgue: "Over [the corpses], in a swaying, muddy mist, hung the flies, snoring on a single note."

The home office tries to take Quayle in out of the cold. He cleverly eludes their clammy embrace, turns spy, and takes off on a global chase to avenge Tessa and solve her murder. Le Carré has lost none of his gift for setting vivid scenes in far-flung places expertly described: London, Germany, Saskatchewan, Kenya. His sprinting thriller prose remains in great shape. And thanks to his 16 years in the British Foreign Office, his merciless send-up of its cutthroat intrigues and petty self-delusions is unbelievably good--or rather, believably so. This is global do-gooder satire on a literary par with Doris Lessing's The Summer Before the Dark.

But you want to know if The Constant Gardener is as good as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Very nearly. Africa's nightmare is more complex than the cold war chess match, and the world pharmaceutical circus is tougher to dramatize than the old spy-versus-spy-versus-spymaster game. Still, le Carré can write a smart, melancholy page-turner, and his moral outrage (the real subject of his books) burns as brightly as ever. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

Frightening, heartbreaking, and exquisitely calibrated, John le Carré's new novel opens with the gruesome murder of the young and beautiful Tessa Quayle near northern Kenya's Lake Turkana, the birthplace of mankind. Her putative African lover and traveling companion, a doctor with one of the aid agencies, has vanished from the scene of the crime. Tessa's much older husband, Justin, a career diplomat at the British High Commission in Nairobi, sets out on a personal odyssey in pursuit of the killers and their motive.

A master chronicler of the deceptions and betrayals of ordinary people caught in political conflict, le Carré portrays, in The Constant Gardener, the dark side of unbridled capitalism. His eighteenth novel is also the profoundly moving story of a man whom tragedy elevates. Justin Quayle, amateur gardener and ineffectual bureaucrat, seemingly oblivious to his wife's cause, discovers his own resources and the extraordinary courage of the woman he barely had time to love.

The Constant Gardener is a magnificent exploration of the new world order by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time.

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Featuring his strongest heroine since "The Russia House", le Carre's "The Constant Gardener" combines the international suspense of his Cold War thrillers with the exotic romanticism of "The Little Drummer Girl". This is a masterful novel by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time.

Customer Reviews:

slow read.......2007-06-15

this was one of those books that i had to force myself to finish for the sake of finishing. despite its wordiness, i never got a good picture of what was going on, the characters, their connections. maybe its a british thing?

Get a friend to rip off the cover before you read.......2007-04-27

I generally don't expect modern thrillers to be examples of great writing. I don't know why. Maybe I have figured that the stories are enough and they will just be entertaining. With LeCarre, I was wrong.

LeCarre is an amazingly good writer. The Constant Gardener is drama, well beyond "thrill". Over 560 pages and still I could hardly put it down.

I have only one complaint and warning. With writing like this--imagistic, attention to detail of language and culture--I cannot imagine why anyone would want to see it as a movie, or even be forced to see a photo from the movie, such as the one on the cover here. So hopefully you'll be lucky like me to reach this web page only after you've read the book, from an older copy that's light blue with three bees on the cover.

If you have to buy the new edition, have a friend do it and rip off the front cover first ...

A treasure of a book.......2007-04-02

I'm a sucker for good writing. If Karl Marx had written the Communist Manifesto as beautifully, as wittily, as elegantly, as John Le Carré writes, I'm sure I'd be a die-hard card-carrying member of the Party. And Mr. Le Carré really does it superbly in this book. The technique alone is dazzling and you spend a large part of your time admiring how he pulls it off, the felicitous choice of form and language, the admirable characterisation, the marvellous, witty dialogue. There's much more to telling a good story than simply having a good story. To give it life beyond mere words on a page requires talent. Mr. Le Carré has it in spades. The only criticism I can make is that it runs out of steam a little towards the end, but this is a trifling flaw compared to all the other good things in the book.

The story? It is indeed a good one. With the Cold War over and George Smiley pensioned off, Mr. Le Carré has very successfully turned his attention to an intersection (better still, a collision) of two of the world's ills, Africa and Big Pharma. Big Pharma is merely a manifestation of modern capitalism (where's my Manifesto?), that is, greedy bordering on rapacious - there are few medicines for tropical diseases, because there's no money in them. We're soooo sorry for Africa, we'll look at it when we've finished improving shareholder value, perhaps toss it a crumb or two. A cure for AIDS (if such a thing be possible) will be discovered accidentally by someone researching a "lifestyle" drug. I can only hope that Big Pharma doesn't improve shareholder value in the way depicted in this story. Buy this book. Now.

A Constant Chore.......2007-02-12

I'd been hearing about the wonderful writing of John Le Carre for quite some time, so I picked up The Constant Gardener for a fun read . . . and it was anything but. And while I don't know if this is typical of the LeCarre spy novels, I certainly hope not.

The plot is basically a single man versus international conspiracy. It's a plot that would normally catch my attention early and have my sympathy from the start. Further, it's a commentary on the abuses of power wrought by corporations (in this case, Pharmaceutical) that are more powerful than governments. Again, a device that immediately evokes common interests with me, an unabashed liberal. Unfortunately that's where the book and I part ways.

Justin, the minor diplomat in Nairobi is thrown into an unfortunate series of discoveries when questioning the circumstances of his wife's rape and murder. Tessa differed from Justin in that she was engaged in pursuing change in the world as a human rights activist, while he was content to follow orders, but say and believe the right things sans effort. This, I believe is the theme of the work, that culpability lies mostly with inaction and that movements can overcome abuses of power. Good theme, but . . .

The execution was poor. Pages and pages devoted to characterization fell short when actions didn't meet the set-up. As well, Justin's investigation took him around the world to look at a paper trail, not the most interesting tools of the thriller game. But we, as well as the character, examined the words and trail meticulously to the point where it became a joke how quickly the volume would put me to sleep. Justin is such a luddite that we, as the reader, are forced to learn about computers, emails, and the myriad electronic communication pathways along with the protagonist . . . LeCarre would have been well-suited to find a heartless editor, because the plot that does exist is not much more substantial than what a novella would handle nicely. Bureaucracy can be handled in a paragraph where the author wants the reader as frustrated as his bureaucrat protagonist, an interesting irony done uninterestingly.

This isn't to say that LeCarre is a poor writer - his sentence construction is strong and his mastery of the craft evident. I'm going to try another of his novels just because I believe this was an aberration caused by an author with an axe to grind and no right way to do it.

Another problem was that he telegraphed the plot. The only one stupid enough not to see who was behind the murder and conspiracy was Justin himself. While this can work, showing the reader what the protagonist can't see (see Fight Club), in this case it's just painful to have to slough through the machinations of bumbling intrigue with a dull and plodding man.

In summary, I didn't care about characters and I lost interest in the plot and the theme seemed contrived. I can't recommend it.

- CV Rick

Axe to Grind - Short on Fact.......2006-12-13

Through the book I felt that the author was not able to grab me with the emotional intensity that he was going for. I never could quite buy into the whole "The Big Pharma's Are All Bad." I did really like the end of the book. I felt a real connection and love between him and his wife, even though she had passed away. The author also let's us know what is going to happen: he will be killed also. Then he lets the protagonist Jason discover it for himself. When he is closest to his wife, at the place she was killed, and closest to her cause.

Le Carre points an accusing finger at the US in his book and end notes, but provides little detail to support his accusations. In fact, BIg Pharma is multinational. Some of the largest like Bayer are German. These are the companies that helped gas the Jews. Looking for an atrocity? Why not let us write about documented proven suffering without writing books about fictional conspiracy theories, which by his own admission at the end of the book do not exist. I feel he has an axe to grind with these people.

My Opinion: Big Pharma gets a bad rap. I think I owe my life to a monoclonal antibody called rituxan:

Rituxan® (Rituximab) is a unique therapy that works by selectively depleting CD20+ B-cells. B-cells, and their role in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Rheumatoid Arthritis, have been an area of intensive research by scientists around the world, and at Genentech and Biogen Idec. Rituxan affects your immune system by selectively targeting CD20+ B-cells shown to play an important role in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Side effects? Oh it had side effects all right. It cured my knee problems (which I assume to be arthritis) at the same time it cured my cancer. The old treatment? Well CHOP Chemotherapy which I also got killed my memory and without the synergistic effect of Rituxan I would probably have relapsed by now.

I just think Big Business gets a bad rap in general from the liberal communist crowd and it is just not that way. You have to take the good and the bad with all systems. What would LeCarre have us put in place? A system where the Government does all the research? No Thanks. My belief is I would be dead. Since I believe it, it's true. I'll take my chances with Big Pharma. Meanwhile the weak minded soak up LeCarre's stories like they are fact, then point the finger at the multinationals, when it is all taken so grossly out of proportion. So in telling well crafted lies which he terms fiction, LeCarre makes his living and in his way bilks the reader and does a disservice to the patient's suffering. That's one way of looking at it anyway. What system does he propose? Communism? No thanks we have been there and done that haven't we?

Don't get me wrong I liked the book and really want to see the movie. It brought out the tragic beauty of Africa and the beauty of the depth of some of the relationships. But I think there was a large dose of propaganda thrown in to boot.

The Constant Gardener: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Shooting Script)

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The Constant Gardener: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Shooting Script)
Jeffrey Caine
Manufacturer: Newmarket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 155704712X

Book Description

The official screenplay book tie-in to the highly acclaimed international thriller from bestselling novelist John le Carré and Academy Award®-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God), starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.

Two-time Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz head the cast of the romantic thriller The Constant Gardener, adapted by Jeffrey Caine from the novel of the same name by John le Carré and filmed on location in Berlin, London and Nairobi and numerous other parts of Kenya.

In a remote area of Northern Kenya, the region's most dedicated activist, the brilliant and passionate Tessa Quayle (Rachel Weisz), has been found brutally murdered. Haunted by remorse and jarred by rumors of his wife's infidelities, mild-mannered British diplomat and Tessa's widower, Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes), surprises himself by plunging headlong into a dangerous odyssey. His eyes are soon opened to a vast conspiracy at once deadly and commonplace, one that has claimed innocent lives—and is about to put his own at risk.

The Newmarket Shooting Script book includes the complete screenplay, a color photo section, and notes on the production of the film, with contributions from Oscar®-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) and his international filmmaking team. 20 color photos.

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THE CONSTANT GARDENER
John LeCarre
Manufacturer: Scribners
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GTSS0O

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The Constant Gardener
John le Carre
Manufacturer: Hodder & Stoughton Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0340837098

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The Constant Gardener
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Manufacturer: Hodder & Stoughton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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4 Books: The Constant Gardner, The Secret Pilgrim, Absolute Friends, The Night Manager (Unboxed Set of Suspense Books)

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4 Books: The Constant Gardner, The Secret Pilgrim, Absolute Friends, The Night Manager (Unboxed Set of Suspense Books)
John Le Carre , and John LeCarre
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WEAR98

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4 Books: The Constant Gardner, The Secret Pilgrim, Absolute Friends, The Night Manager (Unboxed Set of Suspense Books), in either Hard or Softcover, (See Seller Condition Comments), Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.

5 Titles By John Le Carre : Our Game The Tailor of Panama Single and Single The Constant Gardener Absolute Friends

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5 Titles By John Le Carre : Our Game The Tailor of Panama Single and Single The Constant Gardener Absolute Friends
John Le Carre
Manufacturer: Various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MXR8YQ

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5 Titles By John Le Carre : Our Game The Tailor of Panama Single and Single The Constant Gardener Absolute Friends. Five mmpb books.

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Constant Gardener

Manufacturer: SCEPTRE (HODD)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GM3ESC

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The Constant Gardener
John Le Carre
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NWNM3W

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The Constant Gardener
John Le Carre
Manufacturer: Coronet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0733614558

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For Now, Forever

Anna—Daniel's wife of forty years—relives her remarkable courtship, when meddlesome matchmaking patriarch and self-made millionaire Daniel MacGregor faced his biggest challenge: to convince the love of his life to marry him! Here at last is the story of how Daniel wooed and won the fiercely independent Anna Whitfield and launched his formidable dynasty.

In From the Cold

In this story about an eighteenth-century MacGregor, we learn that battling the British couldn't prepare Minuteman Ian MacGregor for the fight he's got on his hands to win the heart of Irish spitfire Allanna Flynn.

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2007-09-21

I enjoyed reading the book. I could not find this book at any book store. I wanted to read the entire series. Thanks to Amazon I was able to.

ALICE M. ALLEN.......2007-05-09

AS USUAL ONE OF HER BEST ! SHE IS ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS AROUND. WHETHER SHE IS WRITING AS NORA ROBERTS OR JD. ROBB. I ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE LATEST BOOKS, OR ONE I MAY HAVE MISSED. YEARS AGO.

Early roots of the MacGregor Series.......2002-10-31

This book relates the story of Daniel and Anna and shows how they met and formed an immediate love/hate connection. Both fiercely independent, they each wanted their own way in life more than they wanted each other. Anna was a woman ahead of her time, studying to be a doctor against the wishes of her parents and the norms of society. Daniel was a consummate businessman, who had begun to build a business empire which would only grow in the future. Anna wanted a career and Daniel wanted her to be his non-working wife. How they worked out their differences is the crux of this first story. The second story tells of Daniel's ancestor, Ian, who had a history as a rebel in his native Scotland and who brought that rebellious spirit to America where he continued to fight the British. The first story is longer and does a better job of developing the characters, while the second one is almost too short to tell the story properly. For The MacGregor Family fans, however, this book fills in some information about the history of the family.

Lots of MacGregor Lore.......2002-10-23

While not as captivating as some of the other books in Nora Roberts' fabulous MacGregor series, this book is important because it provides some history into the MacGregor clan, and lets us see the irrascible patriarch Daniel MacGregor as a young man courting "his Anna."

Tall and imposing with a bright red beard, young Daniel MacGregor is already a prominent businessman-about-town when he meets Anna at a soiree. He takes one look at her, and in the way of many MacGregors to come, he knows she is the one for him. But Anna is no easy catch. At a time when women were expected to be quiet and acquiescent, Anna is attending medical school, one of the few of her gender to do so. And she had no time for the brash, very outspoken, often embarrassing Daniel MacGregor. Or so she thinks. Anna and Daniel's courtship changes them both. He learns to be more humble. She learns to be more giving. And so a great dynasty is born.

The second story harkens back to a stalwart and brave MacGregor ancestor, Ian, who is fighting for the survival of his beloved Scotland against England in the bloody Culloden wars. This segment is written in the way of all good historical romances, with plenty of adventure thrown in. The battle scenes are particularly good, and we learn just what drove Ian and his beloved bride Serena to America, where the MacGregor clan took permanent root. Along the way, there is plenty of danger for Ian, Serena, their newborn child, and all their family. A good, dashing romance.

I would characterize this story as the weakest in the MacGregor series, but very important to those afficionadoes, like me, who want every single tidbit of information about the clan that Roberts is willing to provide.

The first story was good, the second wasn't.......2002-03-25

I thought that Daniel and Anna's story was great. I really enjoyed going back to when women weren't allowed to do anything and how Anna showed them wrong. I was a bit confused on the second story because I thought that Daniel was a full-blooded Scot. Did his ancestors move back to Ireland? Confusing and a little too short to bring out the characters. The Alan and Serena stories were my favorite and I enjoyed hearing about Daniel's grandchildren.

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MACGREGORS: DANIEL - IAN

Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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4 Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian

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4 Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian
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Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

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4 massmarket paperback Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian

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The complete MacGregor series: Rebellion; Daniel~Ian; Serena~Caine; Alan~Grant; Robert~Cybil; The MacGregor Brides and The MacGregor Grooms. (The MacGregors)

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The complete MacGregor series: Rebellion; Daniel~Ian; Serena~Caine; Alan~Grant; Robert~Cybil; The MacGregor Brides and The MacGregor Grooms. (The MacGregors)
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Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UEXAX0

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The complete MacGregor series. Rebellion; For Now, Forever; In From The Cold; Playing The Odds; Tempting Fate; All The Possibilities; One Man's Art; The Winning Hand; The Perfect Neighbor; The MacGregor Brides - Laura, Gwen and Julia; The MacGregor Grooms - D.C., Duncan and Ian.

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