Action Buchan, John: Richard Hannay Omnibus. v5. 4 Feb 2011

[HarryT]

This is an omnibus edition of all John Buchan's books featuring the British secret agent "Richard Hannay". The first of these, "The Thirty-Nine Steps" will, doubtless, be familiar to many people through the famous Hitchcock movie adaptation, but I suspect that the remaining books in the series may be less familiar to some.

The books are:


The Thirty-Nine Steps

John Buchan wrote "The Thirty-Nine Steps" while he was seriously ill at the beginning of World War I. 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 and a pitiless enemy in the corridors of Whitehall and, finally, at the site of the mysterious 39 steps. The best-known of Buchan's thrillers, this novel has been continuously in print since first publication and has been filmed three times.


Greenmantle

This novel continues the story of Richard Hannay, taking him from convalescence following the Battle of Loos, back to London for a vital meeting at the Foreign Office, and thence on a top-secret mission across war-torn German-occupied Europe.


Mr. Standfast

In Mr Standfast (1919), the third of the novels featuring Richard Hannay, we meet again Pieter Pienaar and John S. Blenkiron. It is 1917 and Hannay is brought out of the battlefield to perform the desperate task of tracking down and destroying a network of German spies. Hannay's opponent is Morton Ivery, the bland master of disguise, who seeks to outwit Hannay as he and his agents are pursued through England, Scotland, France, and Switzerland.

For its pace and suspense, its changes of scene, and thrilling descriptions of the last great battles against the Germans, Mr Standfast offers everything that has made its author so enduringly popular.


The Three Hostages

At the end of World War I, Richard Hannay has retired to the Cotswolds. There, news comes to him of three kidnappings and a plot of political and financial magnitude. Hannay abandons his idyll to counter the threat and his adventures lead to an encounter with his most formidable enemy.


The Courts of the Morning

Although not a Richard Hannay story as such (he narrates the introduction to the story), this is a wonderful story of revolution in a (fictitious) South American country, and features the cast of characters from the earlier Richard Hannay books - Archie, Sandy, Blenkiron, and the rest. It also forms an important "back story" for the final book in the omnibus, "The Island of Sheep".


The Island of Sheep

The Island of Sheep (1936) is John Buchan's last thriller, featuring the return of Richard Hannay, the hero of The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr Standfast and The Three Hostages, from a comfortable retirement. Hannay redeems his promise to protect the son of an old acquaintance from a sinister conspiracy, and the action moves rapidly from England through the Scottish Borders to the Island of Sheep in the remote Norlands, where Hannay and his friends turn at last to confront their enemy. Memorable for its vivid evocations of place, the novel constitutes a complex reflection upon its own position at the end of Buchan's career and at the end of a modern Scottish tradition of adventure romances.

Enjoy!


EDIT: 15 Jan 08

Improved the formatting and recreated the book. Uploaded v2.

EDIT: 30 Dec 08

Added "The Courts of the Morning" to the omnibus. Uploaded v3.

EDIT: 1 Jan 09

Thoroughly proofed and corrected "The Thirty-Nine Steps", which was in a very poor state. Reformatted "Greenmantle" and "Mr. Standfast" to correct a problem with paragraph breaks. Uploaded v4.

EDIT: 4 Feb 11

Thoroughly proofed all the books in the omnibus against printed editions. Most were in a reasonable state, but "The Courts of the Morning" required extensive work to correct it. I'd now regard this as pretty much a finished product - if you find any remaining errors, please let me know. Uploaded v5.


Previous download count: 943

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[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is an omnibus edition of John Buchan's five books featuring the British secret agent "Richard Hannay". The first of these, "The Thirty-Nine Steps" will, doubtless, be familiar to many people through the famous Hitchcock movie adaptation, but I suspect that the remaining books in the series may be less familiar to some.

Harry, thanks much for this.

But alas, the Table of Contents doesn't work (at least on my device). Only the first book is selectable.

If you can revisit this when you have a moment, it would be a boon.
______
Dennis

[HarryT]

Will do - leave it with me.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Will do - leave it with me.

Thank you!
______
Dennis

[Sparrow]

Is 'The Island of Sheep' out of copyright internationally?

According to http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu...?id=olbp35161:
"The title you have selected (The Island of Sheep) is a post-1922 publication by an author who died more than 50 years ago. Such titles are in the public domain in many countries, particularly those outside the US and Europe. However, this title most likely remains copyrighted under United States law, where works copyrighted in 1923 or later can remain under copyright for up to 95 years after publication."

The book isn't on the PG site; but is on PG Australia.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Is 'The Island of Sheep' out of copyright internationally?

According to http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu...?id=olbp35161:
"The title you have selected (The Island of Sheep) is a post-1922 publication by an author who died more than 50 years ago. Such titles are in the public domain in many countries, particularly those outside the US and Europe. However, this title most likely remains copyrighted under United States law, where works copyrighted in 1923 or later can remain under copyright for up to 95 years after publication."

The book isn't on the PG site; but is on PG Australia.

Yes. So?

My concern wouldn't be whether it was technically still under copyright in the US. It's whether anyone would care one way or the other that it was. Offhand, I'd say not. I don't believe any of Buchan's books are in print over here, and I can't see anyone getting upset that MobileRead has an anthology electronic edition including it.

UPenn is being ultra-cautious because they are a major university, highly visible, and they have to be. They feel they are required to put up that prominent warning notice, but I'd be quite surprised if they expected anyone in the US interested in Buchan's work to obey it.
______
Dennis

[HarryT]

As always, one should check whether or not it's in copyright or not where you live. It is out of copyright in Canada (where the MR server is) and hence can be perfectly legally hosted there.

[HarryT]

Improved the formatting and recreated the book. Now a proper MobiPocket book with library information, etc. Uploaded v2.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by HarryT

As always, one should check whether or not it's in copyright or not where you live. It is out of copyright in Canada (where the MR server is) and hence can be perfectly legally hosted there.

Seems it'd be illegal to download to the UK for another couple of years

http://www.johnbuchansociety.co.uk/theman.html
"Buchan came out of copyright briefly when British copyright law decreed a 50-year limit, and for a few glorious years you couldn't move in a British bookshop without tripping over a Buchan novel. But nothing stands still in law, and Buchan is now back in copyright, until 2010."

[HarryT]

That's correct; John Buchan died in 1940 and hence this book will enter the public domain in "life + 70" countries on 1st Jan 2011. If this concerns you, you should not download it.

[HarryT]

Added "The Courts of the Morning" to the omnibus. Uploaded v3.

[mtravellerh]

Most excellent!

[HarryT]

Proof-reading "The Thirty-Nine Steps" now. It's in a pretty shocking state!

[HarryT]

Thoroughly proofed and corrected "The Thirty-Nine Steps", which was in a very poor state. Reformatted "Greenmantle" and "Mr. Standfast" to correct a problem with paragraph breaks. Uploaded v4.

[Polyglot27]

Thanks for the work Harry. Also for the complete works of Sir Rider Haggard. I got my Cybook on Christmas Eve so I could reread "She" and "Ayesha". Unfortunately I did not realise that you had a better version with the Greek text. These are books which I read during my teens half a century ago. It's great that I can read them again. I noticed that you uploaded these texts only recently. Looks I got my e-book reader at the right time.