The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

What conclusions does the book reach regarding the nature of the Cold War? Is there any meaningful difference between the two sides?

Why does Liz maintain her connection with and affection for Leamas despite his harsh treatment of her? What does the early phase of their relationship say about their characters?

Multiple characters refer to Leamas as a proud man. Is this an admirable trait, a tragic flaw, or some of both?

Who do you think is responsible for making Leamas a wanted man in the West? Was this all part of Control’s plan, or did Mundt force his hand? Does it matter either way?

Leamas insists to anyone who asks that he has no higher calling. Do you agree that Leamas is a thoroughgoing cynic, or does he exhibit a set of beliefs that he is unwilling to admit?

Why does Liz accept the invitation to East Germany despite her suspicions? Since she has to accept for the plot to succeed, what about her character makes her a mark for the Circus and Mundt?

Liz insists that Fiedler is innocent, but he did accept the false intelligence of a British agent to try and condemn a superior. Is he exonerated because he was right, even if his specific facts were wrong, or does he bear some blame for letting his ambition make him susceptible to manipulation?

Liz and Leamas’s final conversation marks a rhetorical showdown between cynicism and idealism. What is the value, if any, in Liz’s idealism even though it seems helpless against the cynical forces shaping their lives?