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58th out of 100 books
—
5 voters
The Four Adventures of Richard Hannay (Richard Hannay #1-4)
by
John Buchan
The Thirty-Nine Steps: "A bored, well-to-do Englishman, Richard Hannay, returns home to England after growing up in South Africa. Drifting between his club and the sights of London, he is drawn into the confidences of a secret agent in the thick of espionage. The agent is murdered in Hannay's apartment and Richard finds himself on the run from Scotland Yard and the cult of...more
Paperback, 688 pages
Published
July 16th 2010
by David R. Godine Publisher
(first published 1919)
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An oddity about my edition of this Richard Hannay omnibus--rescued by a brave friend from the 25 cent pile of a public library sale: the type face gets progressively smaller from one novel to the next. Either a holdover from each book’s original print edition or someone’s idea of fairness, trying to give each of the 350-or-so-page novels equal weight. The fairness idea suits me best, as I think that ultimately none outdoes the others in the tradition of spy novel. The 39 Steps is a fast-paced my...more
See my review to "Prester John" for more info on the author, John Buchan.
This review also includes "The Island of Sheep" which is the 5th book to the Richard Hannay series.
John Buchan is a master of the short adventure novel. These books a total delight from beginning to end, in fact, you don't want them to end. Number 3, "Mr Standfast" is particularly good, powerful, in fact.
Richard Hannay is a mining engineer who spent a lot of time in South Africa. If I remember right, In "The Thirty-Nine S...more
This review also includes "The Island of Sheep" which is the 5th book to the Richard Hannay series.
John Buchan is a master of the short adventure novel. These books a total delight from beginning to end, in fact, you don't want them to end. Number 3, "Mr Standfast" is particularly good, powerful, in fact.
Richard Hannay is a mining engineer who spent a lot of time in South Africa. If I remember right, In "The Thirty-Nine S...more
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After hearing that Masterpiece Theater was remaking the classic Hitchcock "The 39 Steps," I thought I should pick up the book that inspired it all. I was not disappointed. It's fun to know that this book is credited with being the first spy novel. And although it was written almost 100 years ago, it didn't come off as old fashioned or outadted. It was also really short and easy to read -- I found myself thinking that I would love to have my son read it someday. (Oh, interesting to note that both...more
Important to bear in mind that these stories were published almost 100 years ago. And told from the POV of a a white, upper-class, Englishman. That said, they are terrific boys-adventure stories, a little dull for the modern reader, since there is absolutely NO character development, but tons of hearty outdoor chasing about, and also much mystification as to who the bad guys really are and what they might do next. I liked 'The 39 Steps' best, because it seems about the right length. Second choic...more
The beginning of the thriller genre. _The 39 Steps_ is the most famous, though the best of the novels here is _The Four Hostages_. And despite the attempts of the scholar who wrote the introduction to downplay Buchan's imperialism and racism.... phrases like "nigger band," and general discourse about how childish non-white societies are ARE both racist and imperialist. Yes, historical context explains a lot, but it doesn't really excuse anything, especially by the 1920s, when the last of these b...more
I love spy fiction. I love early 20th Century fiction. So the Richard Hannay novels of John Buchan were a no brainer. The Thirty-Nine Steps is the most well-known, and justifiably so, but Greenmantle is his masterpiece. If you like Tom Clancy, if you can't get enough John Le Carre, run out and read these novels because John Buchan started it all.
A departure from my genres of choice (spy novel vs chick lit or historical romance) ... again, prompted by curiosity about omissions made or liberties taken by last year's BBC adaptation of the first adventure (The 39 Steps).
And partly because it is a departure and partly because it was published "before my time" - I had a difficult time "absorbing" it. So much so, that I only got through "The Thirty-Nine Steps" (which the TV adaptation did not seem to retain too much of?) and "Greenmantle" befo...more
And partly because it is a departure and partly because it was published "before my time" - I had a difficult time "absorbing" it. So much so, that I only got through "The Thirty-Nine Steps" (which the TV adaptation did not seem to retain too much of?) and "Greenmantle" befo...more
The first two novellas (The Thirty-Nine Steps and Greenmantle) lay out the pattern for a century-long series of spy/persecution stories. They do so with such a blistering lack of any self-awareness on the part of Buchan himself, much less his hero Hannay, that they leave us breathless. The appearance of Woman at the heart of the Greenmantle plot staggers every one of the boys playing their boy games. Even the author seems baffled and deeply troubled in her presence. Pure comedy. As Greenmantle s...more
I read Greenmantle, but my edition is a really spiffy cloth cover, Stodder and Houghton, 1963, I think from Britain.
An interesting read--for the stories and to better understand the context of the early 20th century and its attitudes.
I've only read Thirty-Nine Steps and Greenmantle, but I know the others would be great too.
Good stuff. This whole set is great.
I was introduced to this author by some friends in the late 90's. I have read and re-read them every since. They are great historical fiction tales, and are easy to read yet will challenge your vocabulary. One of my favorite words from John Buchan is "aquascutum." There is a reference in the back for anyone curious to understand.
Don't let that daunt you....it's nothing compared to reading Hawthorne. These are hard to lay down.
Don't let that daunt you....it's nothing compared to reading Hawthorne. These are hard to lay down.
I enjoyed "The Thirty-Nine Steps". "Greenmantle" felt like a bit of a chore to get into.
Just the first few for now, but reading this on Pynchon's recommendation...
The 39 Steps was great and fun, pretty interesting that it isn't anything like the film. Hitchcock had some fun with that!
The 39 Steps was great and fun, pretty interesting that it isn't anything like the film. Hitchcock had some fun with that!
John Buchan was one of the first to write in the spy novel genre. These are old fashioned but still entertaining.
The very best of John Buchan.
Classic read. Despite its age, its just as thrilling today as it was nearly 100 years old.
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John Buchan (1st Baron Tweedsmuir) was a British novelist and public servant who combined a successful career as an author of thrillers, historical novels, histories and biographies with a parallel career in public life. At the time of his death he was Governor-General of Canada.
Buchan was born in Scotland and educated at Glasgow and Oxford Universities. After a brief career in law he went to Sou...more
More about John Buchan...
Buchan was born in Scotland and educated at Glasgow and Oxford Universities. After a brief career in law he went to Sou...more
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