Ep 53. Heroin in the Heartland, Le Carre

In season 49 episode 53 of 60 Minutes, the first segment is titled "Heroin in the Heartland." The segment investigates the rise of heroin addiction and overdose deaths in Ohio due to the easy availability of cheap heroin.

Correspondent Bill Whitaker visits a small town in Ohio where the people have been hit hard by the heroin epidemic. He speaks with a father who lost his son to an overdose and a woman who is a recovering addict. Whitaker also interviews a police officer who patrols the area and deals with drug-related crimes on a daily basis.

The segment shows how drug dealers are taking advantage of the high demand for heroin by mixing it with more potent and dangerous substances such as fentanyl. Whitaker travels to China to investigate how fentanyl is being produced and smuggled into the United States.

The second segment of the episode is titled "Le Carre." It is an interview with the British novelist David Cornwell, known to the world as John Le Carre. Correspondent Holly Williams sits down with Le Carre to discuss his life and work.

Le Carre is one of the most famous writers of spy fiction in the world. He has written numerous best-selling novels, including "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Williams speaks with Le Carre about his upbringing, his time working for the British Intelligence Service, and how his experiences inspired his writing.

Throughout the interview, Le Carre offers insights into his writing process and discusses how his work reflects his experiences in the intelligence community. Williams also asks Le Carre about his thoughts on the current state of world politics and his hopes for the future.

Overall, season 49 episode 53 of 60 Minutes offers a powerful look at two very different topics: the devastating effects of heroin addiction on small town America and the life and work of one of the world's most acclaimed writers of spy fiction.