Thirty-nine Steps

Product Description

John Buchan wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps while he was seriously ill at the beginning of the First World War. In it he introduces his most famous hero Richard Hannay who despite claiming to be an 'ordinary fellow' is caught up in the dramatic race against a plot to devastate the British war effort. Hannay is hunted across the Scottish moors by police & spy-ring alike & must outwit his intelligent & pitiless enemy in the corridors of Whitehall & finally at the site of the mysterious thirty-nine steps. The best-known of Buchan's thrillers The Thirty-Nine Steps has been continuously in print since first publication & has been filmed three times most notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1935. In this the only critical edition Christopher Harvie's introduction interweaves the writing of the tale with the equally fascinating story of how John Buchan publisher & lawyer came in from the cold & via The Thirty-Nine Steps ended the war as spy-master & propaganda chief. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more.