John Buchan wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps while he was sick in bed with a duodenal ulcer, an illness that followed him throughout his life and never disappeared. It was later written by Buchan's son William that the name of the book came from the fact that the author's daughter was counting the stairs at St. Cuby, a private nursing home on Cliff Promenade in Broadstairs, where Buchan was recuperating at the time. This novel was his first "shocker," as he called it-a story combining personal and political dramas. It marked ...
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John Buchan wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps while he was sick in bed with a duodenal ulcer, an illness that followed him throughout his life and never disappeared. It was later written by Buchan's son William that the name of the book came from the fact that the author's daughter was counting the stairs at St. Cuby, a private nursing home on Cliff Promenade in Broadstairs, where Buchan was recuperating at the time. This novel was his first "shocker," as he called it-a story combining personal and political dramas. It marked a turning point in Buchan's literary career and introduced his adventuring hero, Richard Hannay. He described a "shocker" as an adventure where the events in the story are unlikely, and the reader can only just believe that they happened. After a brief legal career, Buchan simultaneously began his writing career and his political and diplomatic careers, serving as a private secretary to the administrators of various colonies in southern Africa. He eventually wrote propaganda for the British war effort during the First World War. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1927. Still, he spent most of his time on his writing career, notably The Thirty-Nine Steps and other adventure fiction.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
I was delighted to find a first edition, second printing copy of 39 steps at such a great price and in such good condition. It starts to make up for the disappointment of the copy of Greenmantle that I got through you which was very poor - I thought much worse than the description had led me to expect.
These 2 books are the invention of the spy thriller, and anyone not familiar with them should try this bit of history.
ghmus7
Dec 2, 2007
One of the Greatest of Suspense novels
If Buchan had written only this book, and possibly one other, such as "The Three Hostages" he would live in literary fame. As it is, he wrote dozens of books, as well as experiencing a very sucessful career in canadian politics. This book is a riviting accout of a life and death chase. In typical style, Buchan spares no excitment from the reader, and his vivid and wide-ranging imagination is put to good use. The dialect of the 'local color' add to the reaslism and pleasure of the book. Surley one of the Greatest of Suspense novels, at least Hitchcock thought so!
