This exciting adventure story was first published
in book form in October 1915, soon after it had run as a serial in Blackwood’s
Magazine under the pseudonym H. de V. during July, August and September of that
year.
Surprisingly, the very first appearance of
The Thirty-Nine Steps was in the American magazine All-Story Weekly. It was
published in two instalments, in the June 5th and June 12th 1915 issues.
The Thirty-Nine Steps was an immediate and
great success.
John Buchan went on to write more books about
the adventures of Richard Hannay. Unlike some of these later stories, The
Thirty-Nine Steps does not contain much material that is directly relevant to
this blog; it may however have some subtle messages for us.
All the world’s a stage
Perhaps there is a message in what Richard
Hannay says about playing a part and how you have to think yourself into it.
You must convince yourself that you are it and stay in part all the time,
always behaving as if enemies were watching.
