This book offers an introduction to the breadth and diversity of the literary and non-literary work of John Buchan (1875–1940). It stakes a claim for him as an engaged interpreter of twentieth-century modernity, and provides evaluative readings of his output. In addition to demonstrating how Buchan’s work complicates the reductive view of early twentieth-century literature as neatly cordoned-off into “low” and “high” forms of production, this book discusses his theories of empire and imperialism, his account of historiography, and his response to the First World War. In addition to his many roles as a journalist, propagandist, war reporter, editor, civil servant, and statesman, Buchan was a committed literary critic, philosopher, and writer of history. This book explores the many connections between his work and such modernists as Joseph Conrad, Ford Madox Ford, D. H. Lawrence, and Wyndham Lewis, and it situates Buchan as an intellectual figure who provided a distinctive set of readings of his modern times. Running throughout is a consideration of Buchan’s fascination with binaries, doubles, and duality, which his work variously upholds and investigates. It ends with a discussion of Buchan’s most famous work—The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915)—in relation to paranoia and pathology.

"Andrew Lownie's acclaimed biography - the first in over thirty years - reveals a character as complex and fascinating as any in his great quartet of thrillers starring master spy Richard Hannay. He succeeds in the daunting task of retelling Buchan's life in all its variety, breadth, and complexity. Based on exhaustive research and drawing on private papers previously unavailable to biographers, this is a compelling picture of Buchan's life, and a panoramic view of British political, social, and literary circles during the first half of the twentieth-century."--Jacket.

Prester John is an adventure thriller novel by the Scottish author John Buchan. Nineteen-year-old David Crawfurd travels from Scotland to South Africa to work as a storekeeper. On the voyage he encounters again John Laputa, the celebrated Zulu minister, of whom he has strange memories. In his remote store David finds himself with the key to a massive uprising, led by the minister, who has taken the title of the mythical priest-king, Prester John. David's courage and his understanding of this man take him to the heart of the uprising, a secret cave in the Rooirand. John Buchan wrote Prester John seven years after he himself returned from South Africa. It was his first to reach a wide readership across the world, and it established him as the writer of fast-paced adventures for which he is famous.

A sequel to 'Huntingtower' and 'Castle Gay', 'The House of the Four Winds' is set in Central Europe in the 1930's. Scottish grocer Dickson McCunn features in his most exciting role. Gorbals Die-hards, Jaikie and his pals, are now dabbling in politics. On his trek across Europe, Jaikie is warned to avoid Evallonia. It is in danger of being overthrown by the cruel Mastrovin. However Jaikie cannot resist taking a look and ends up being kidnapped twice. Moreover, he is not the only one needing to be rescued, and Evallonia's fate hangs in the balance until Dickson McCunn appears on the scene.

The fourth of the five Richard Hannay novels by John Buchan. Here we find our hero Richard Hannay living a quiet life in the countryside with a wife and young child but his past comes back to haunt him and he once more must face up to an arch-enemy.

"Who is John Macnab? Three prominent Scottish landowners receive a challenging note which tells them that he intends to poach from their estates without being caught, though if he is caught, he will donate money to a good cause. The reactions of the landowners provide conflicting evidence as to his identity, prompting speculation as to whether he is a gentleman or a tramp ...

The Gap in the Curtain John Buchan is remembered for his spy thrillers like "The 39 Steps" but he also wrote tales of the supernatural. Whether The Gap in the Curtain is a supernatural tale, or science fiction, or horror, is difficult to say. A brilliant but possibly slightly unbalanced scientist discovers a means of lifting the curtain for a moment and gaining a glimpse of the future. This discovery allows six guests in his country house to see, for a brief instant of time, a page from a newspaper from one year in the future. The book then follows the life of each of the six people up to that date a year in the future, and examines the way they deal with the knowledge they have gained. The trick to it is that what they each see is an isolated fact, taken out of context. It can enlighten, but it can just as easily mislead. They know one thing that is going to happen, but they don't know how and why it will happen. The knowledge turns out to be surprisingly dangerous.

First published in 1927 and set in the 17th century, this is a wonderful story of witchcraft in the forests of England.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The Island of Sheep" by John Buchan. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Sir Edward Leithen is given a year to live and decides to devote his last months to seeking out and restoring to health Galliard, a young Canadian banker, who is searching for the 'River of the Sick Heart'. Braving an Arctic winter, Leithen finds the banker and then his own health returns, yet only one of the men will return to civilization ....