The Secret Pilgrim - SIGNED by the Author

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1991. First edition, first printing. Published by Hodder and Stoughton in London, 1991. This is a very near fine copy. The dust wrapper has some very minor bumping at the spine tips and some light surface scratches. It has not been price clipped and shows the original £14.95 net price. The boards are tight at the hinges and free from notable chips and marks. The text blocks are bright and white throughout. The author's signature is flat signed in black ink to the full title page. Overall, this is a very near fine copy, marred only by the slight bumping present. An episodic novel set within the frame narrative of an informal dinner talk given at the spy-training school in Sarratt by George Smiley. As Smiley talks, the first-person narrator, whom readers know only as "Ned", recalls his own experiences in a long career in the service. The various episodes are triggered by comments from Smiley, which send Ned into tangential memories. The individual stories together create a portrait of Ned himself, moving from the start of his career at the beginning of the novel to his retirement in the final chapter. Several of the episodes are recognisable anecdotes or urban legends from the British intelligence community.