He wrote a twenty-four volume history of the war, which was later abridged.Īlongside his busy public life, Buchan wrote superb action novels, including the spy-catching adventures of Richard Hannay, whose exploits are described in The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr. During the first world war, he was Director of Information in the British government. On returning to Britain, Buchan built a successful career in publishing with Nelsons and Reuters. His love for South Africa is a recurring theme in his fiction. After a brief career in law he went to South Africa in 1902 where he contributed to the reconstruction of the country following the Boer War. At the time of his death he was Governor-General of Canada.īuchan was educated at Glasgow and Oxford Universities.

John Buchan (1st Baron Tweedsmuir) was a Scottish 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. But, the most famous of his books were the adventure and spy thrillers and it is for these that he is now best remembered. His 100 works include nearly thirty novels, seven collections of short stories and biographies. John Buchan (1875-1940) was a Scottish novelist and historian and also served as Canada's Governor General.

Richard Hannay is a character created by Scottish novelist John Buchan, based on Edmund Ironside, from Edinburgh, a spy during the Second Boer War. Bullivant proposes that Hannay investigate the rumours, following a clue left on a slip of paper with the words ''Kasredin'', ''cancer'' and ''v.I'' written by Bullivant's son a spy, who was recently killed in the region. Bullivant briefs Hannay on the political situation in the Middle East, suggesting that the Germans and their Turkish allies are plotting to create a Muslim uprising, that will throw the Middle East, India and North Africa into turmoil. Sir Walter Bullivant, a senior intelligence officer, summons Hannay to the Foreign Office. The book opens in November 1915, with Hannay and his friend Sandy convalescing from wounds received at the Battle of Loos. Once there, he and his friends must thwart the Germans' plans to use religion in winning the war. Major-General Sir Richard Hannay is called in to investigate rumours of an uprising in Constantinople.

Greenmantle by john buchan