Several of John Buchan's books have been featured and/or referenced in a variety of articles on here. I didn't expect to have anything more to say about him and his works, but I recently came across something that has inspired yet another Buchan-themed post.
I found some merchandise in the form of commemorative mugs; some of them have a picture inspired by Greenmantle, my favourite John Buchan story. This reminded me of the book and prompted me to look for a few more things to say about Buchan's exciting adventure story, or 'shocker' as he called it.
Mugs as Buchan memorabilia:
Greenmantle covers
The picture on the mug of the prophet Greenmantle in his turban reminded me that the cover art on some editions of the book is often of poor quality and doesn't do justice to the story. John Buchan deserves better!
Here are two examples of such covers:
This one is of slightly better quality:
From inside the book
The original Greenmantle article contains a number of quotations from the book; I wanted to highlight what I considered to be the best bits!
Greenmantle has also been quoted from in several other articles.
These words too deserve a mention:
“I told myself that, considering the difficulties, I had managed to find out a wonderful amount in a very few days. It only shows what a man can do with the slenderest evidence if he keeps chewing and chewing on it....”
This is very true. Holding the elements of a problem or situation in one's mind and going over them repeatedly often results in lightbulb moments and conceptual breakthroughs.
This may seem to be stating the obvious, but it makes a good point:
“You can’t have a crusade without a prophet.”
It is indeed essential to find the right leader for projects, operations and enterprises. They just won't work with the wrong person – or no one – publicly heading them.
I quoted this in the main Greenmantle article:
“'You see that map,’ and he pointed to a big one on the wall. ‘South Africa is coloured green. Not red for the English, or yellow for the Germans. Some day it will be yellow, but for a little it will be green — the colour of neutrals, of nothings, of boys and young ladies and chicken-hearts.’”
At the time, I had yet to produce the string of articles that feature the colour green; I just wanted to say that this was an insult to my favourite colour! I have since listed many positive examples of and associations for this colour to counteract the above negative view.
Greenmantle is the name given to Buchan's fictional religious leader, a prophet who wears a green robe. Green robes are also associated with The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, a Scottish Order of Chivalry.
The members wear green mantles, and one of the officers is known as Green Rod because he carries a green stick.
The Order's primary emblem is Scotland's national flower, the thistle.
By coincidence, there is a range of Buchan Stoneware Pottery that features the thistle.
An example of Buchan Thistleware:
Some other Greenmantles
I mentioned a landscaping and garden maintenance company called Greenmantle in an article about small synchronicities. Here are two more examples of commercial uses of the name:
The John Buchan Story
The John Buchan Story is the name of a museum in Peebles on the Scottish Border where John Buchan's life and works are celebrated.
They sell the mugs mentioned above.
It looks well worth a visit:
John Buchan's birthday
John Buchan was born on August 26th 1875; the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birthday is an appropriate time to publish this article.
John Buchan in his library:
