The Thirty-Nine Steps: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox book

[[File:the39steps_9818.jpg|frame]]

| title = The Thirty-Nine Steps

| original title =

| image = ThirtyNineSteps.jpg

| caption = First edition cover

| author = John Buchan

| central theme =

| elevator pitch =

| genre = Thriller

| franchise = Richard Hannay

| followed by = Greenmantle

| publication date = 1915

| source page exists =

| wiki URL =

| wiki name =

}}

What are the thirty-nine steps? A question that almost every adaptation answers differently.

John Buchan was one of the world's first spy novelists, and did a similar job for the genre as [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] did for fantasy. ''The Thirty-Nine Steps'' is his most famous work, written in the run-up to [[World War I]]. It was a huge popular success and owed much to its 1903 predecessor, Erskine Childers' ''The Riddle Of The Sands'', and the adventure stories of [[H. Rider Haggard]]. Buchan began his writing career as a journalist, but enlisted at the start of the First World War, working away from the front lines producing propaganda for the War Office. His experiences of the war, interwoven with a strong sense of national pride, a love of Africa and a belief in the strength of the British character, are themes in many of his novels.

[[John Buchan]] was one of the world's first spy novelists, and did a similar job for the genre as [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] did for fantasy. '''''The Thirty-Nine Steps''''' is his most famous work, written in the run-up to [[World War I]]. It was a huge popular success and owed much to its 1903 predecessor, Erskine Childers' ''The Riddle Of The Sands'', and the adventure stories of [[H. Rider Haggard]]. Buchan began his writing career as a journalist, but enlisted at the start of the First World War, working away from the front lines producing propaganda for the War Office. His experiences of the war, interwoven with a strong sense of national pride, a love of Africa and a belief in the strength of the British character, are themes in many of his novels.

Unfortunately in later years he has not enjoyed similar popularity, though according to [[The Other Wiki]] his works have been seeing a resurgence in more recent times.

Unfortunately in later years he has not enjoyed similar popularity, though according to [[The Other Wiki]] his works have been seeing a resurgence in more recent times.{{when}}

Adapted four times for film, once for TV, once for the stage, and at least once for radio.

(NB: The book is '''''The Thirty-Nine Steps'''''. The 1978 film is ''[[The Thirty Nine Steps]]'', without a hyphen. The other adaptations are ''[[The 39 Steps]]''.)

<big>'''The original novel'''</big><br/>

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In this original version, the 39 steps are {{spoiler|steps down to the sea which identify a villa along a stretch of the Kent coast where the final confrontation with the German agents takes place}}.

<big>'''The sequels'''</big~~><br/~~>

<big>'''The sequels'''</big>

* ''Greenmantle'': Hannay and four friends make their way through wartime Europe to Turkey, searching for the truth behind the rumours of a German secret weapon that could throw the entire Muslim world into the war on the Germans' side. Sometimes considered to be one of the best books Buchan ever wrote; Hitchcock wanted to film it for years but never got around to it.

* ''[[Greenmantle]]'': Hannay and four friends make their way through wartime Europe to Turkey, searching for the truth behind the rumours of a German secret weapon that could throw the entire Muslim world into the war on the Germans' side. Sometimes considered to be one of the best books Buchan ever wrote; Hitchcock wanted to film it for years but never got around to it.

* ''Mr Standfast'': An old enemy reappears and in the last pivotal days of [[World War I]] on the Western Front, Hannay wages a battle of wits. ''Finally'' introduces a [[Love Interest]] (she's worth the wait).

* ''[[Mr Standfast]]'': An old enemy reappears and in the last pivotal days of [[World War I]] on the Western Front, Hannay wages a battle of wits. ''Finally'' introduces a [[Love Interest]] (she's worth the wait).

* ''The Three Hostages'': With [[World War I]] over, Sir Richard and Lady Hannay are enjoying a quiet life in the country, but when three young people are kidnapped and a mind-controlling genius starts [[Criminal Mind Games|leaving cryptic clues behind]], the pair of former spy-hunters have to go back to work.

* ''[[The Three Hostages]]'': With [[World War I]] over, Sir Richard and Lady Hannay are enjoying a quiet life in the country, but when three young people are kidnapped and a mind-controlling genius starts [[Criminal Mind Games|leaving cryptic clues behind]], the pair of former spy-hunters have to go back to work.

* ''The Island of Sheep'': Set roughly fourteen years after ''The Three Hostages''. Hannay and his son Peter John Hannay have to protect an old friend from fortune-hunters.

* ''[[The Island of Sheep]]'': Set roughly fourteen years after ''The Three Hostages''. Hannay and his son Peter John Hannay have to protect an old friend from fortune-hunters.

[[File:the39steps_9818.jpg|frame|Promotional image for [[The 39 Steps (1935 film)|the Hitchcock film]].]]

Film adaptations of the book include [[The 39 Steps (1935 film)|''The 39 Steps'' (1935 film)]], directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]]; [[The 39 Steps (1959 film)|''The 39 Steps'' (1959 film)]], directed by [[Ralph Thomas]]; [[The Thirty Nine Steps (1978 film)|''The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978 film)]], directed by [[Don Sharp]]; and [[The 39 Steps (2008 film)|''The 39 Steps'' (2008 film)]], directed by [[James Hawes]]. There have alos been fifteen radio adaptations of the novel, six readings of the novel over the radio, a [[The 39 Steps (play)|theatrical verson]], and a video game.

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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

[[Category:Literature]]

[[Category:Literature of the 1910s]]

[[Category:Adventure Literature]]