This is another entry in the "classics I never read" category. I resist the temptation to add the "Canadian" tag to it just because John Buchan went on later (much later) to become the Governor General of Canada. Nothing could be less connected to Canada than this early spy thriller. I found this ...
I originally came across The 39 Steps when it was listed in the BBC's The Big Read in 2003 as one of Britain's favourite books. Buchan's book came in 138th place. Having now read the book, I'd like to know how this book even made the list. Just HOW??? Sure this book (published in 1915) was one o...
We have had a season subscription to our local community theater group for as long as we've lived in Reading. Recently, they did an adaption of this novel of Buchan's, which was an early spy thriller, or something. Now that I have "mature" hearing, I didn't get a whole lot of the dialog. Much of it ...
“Sansho the Steward” by Mori Ogai This is a poignant short story about a brother and sister who are kidnapped and sold into slavery. There’s no way there could be a happy end for both of them. The Golden Slipper, and other problems for Violet Strange by Anna Katherine Green A fun detective nov...
3.5 stars. A short, old-fashioned spy thriller with a touch of humour, which reminded me of a video game or role playing game; the protagonist is very resourceful, the ending scene merits four stars, descriptions of characters and nature are really pleasing. I might actually want to see one of the ...
The Thirty-Nine Steps was written and is set in World War 1 era Europe, where conspiracies of worldwide war are at work. The story’s main character, Richard Hannay is leading a typical middle class life when he gets thrust in the middle of it all as a stranger shows up telling him of this conspiracy...
It's all true about melodrama and an impossible number of improbable coincidences. But there's one redeeming feature: this book is quite well-written as regards language, unlike most of the ordinary light reading.
I enjoyed this action-adventure light story. It wasn't thrilling by today's thriller standards, but I had fun with it. I enjoyed the Scotland setting, too.
I'd heard the title of this book (and accompanying movie) many times before, but didn't realize it was a spy thriller (I thought it was horror instead, perhaps due to the Alfred Hitchock movie connection?). It's definitely a fairly thrilling read for the most part -- the descriptions of the Scottis...
”I know what it is to feel lonely and helpless and to have the whole world against me, and those are things that no men or women ought to feel.” Richard Hanney in The 39 Steps. In the edition that I read Toby Buchan, grandson of John Buchan, wrote an introduction that was almost an apology. About ha...
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