Author: whatcathyreadnext

Buchan of the Month: Introducing The Courts of the Morning by John Buchan #ReadJB2019

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The Courts of the Morning is the eighth book in my John Buchan reading project, Buchan of the Month 2019. You can find out more about the project and my reading list for 2019 here. What follows is a (spoiler-free) introduction to The Courts of the Morning.   I will be publishing my review of the book later in the month.

The Courts of the Morning was published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton on 12th September 1929.  In the United States, it was published a month earlier by Houghton Mifflin.

Richard Hannay, hero of The Thirty-Nine Steps, (by this time, Sir Richard Hannay) makes only a brief appearance in the book by way of the prologue. The job of leading character is passed to Sandy Arbuthnot, although he is joined by various other characters from previous Hannay adventures.

The Courts of the Morning is set in a fictitious South American republic, Olifa, and involves disputes over mineral rights, insurrection, kidnapping and the kind of guerrilla warfare utilised by T. E. Lawrence (a personal friend of Buchan’s) against the Arabs. In fact, the original title of the book was to be Far Arabia and Buchan’s first biographer, Janet Adam Smith, notes that the enthusiasm which drove the book was military.

The book features an example of what have been termed Buchan’s ‘charmer villains’ – the scheming and ruthless Castor. Another unsavoury character in the book will turn up again in the last Richard Hannay novel, The Island of Sheep (1936) which is November’s Buchan of the Month.

Janet Adam Smith reports that combined sales for the Hodder & Stoughton edition (1929) and Nelson edition (1932) of The Courts of the Morning totalled 96,000 copies by 1960.

Sources:

Janet Adam Smith, John Buchan: A Biography (OUP, 1985 [1965])
Kenneth Hillier and Michael Ross, The First Editions of John Buchan: A Collector’s Illustrated Biography (Avonworld, 2008)
Kate Macdonald, John Buchan: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction (McFarland, 2009)

buchan of the month 2019

My Five Favourite July Reads

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My 5 Favourite July Reads

I read nine books in July, including one over 550 pages which counts as long for me. It was difficult to decide on my five favourite as I enjoyed nearly all of them equally. However, you can find the results of my deliberations below. The link from the book title takes you to my review.

You can keep up to date with all my reading in 2019 here with links to my reviews.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

hudson's killFirst up it’s a historical crime mystery set in early 19th century New York, Hudson’s Kill by Paddy Hirsch.

The follow-up to The Devil’s Half Mile, Hudson’s Kill reunites the two leading characters from the first book.

I loved the fast-moving and intricate plot, the fantastic period atmosphere and great cast of characters.

In My Life SignedNext we move from fiction to non-fiction and In My Life: A Music Memoir by Alan Johnson. The fourth in his series of memoirs, as the title suggests, it focuses on pieces of music (one for each year) that evoke particular memories of his life at the time. I found it immensely readable, honest, warm and witty. You can read my review of Alan talking about the book at last year’s Henley Literary Festival here.

The Secret Life of Alfred NightingaleBack to fiction and The Secret Life of Alfred Nightingale by Rebecca Stonehill, a historical novel that starts on a musical note being set on Eel Pie Island in the 1950s where many famous rock bands played.

The book then moves to the Greek island of Crete, including events on the island during WW2. I described it as ‘an insightful coming-of-age story and a powerful exploration of the horror, heartbreak and lasting impact of war’.

The Dinner ListMy next choice is The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle. What if you were asked to name five people, living or dead, with whom you’d like to have dinner. And what if that dinner was to actually happen? This is the book’s intriguing premise.

I described it as ‘a romantic, heart-warming story about love, loss, friendship, the possibility of second chances and the gift of forgiveness’. It would make a great beach read.

Motive XMy final choice is a complete contrast. Motive X by Stefan Ahnhem is a dark and complex thriller involving the hunt for a serial killer.

The fourth in the series featuring Swedish police investigator, Fabian Risk, it picks up from events at the end of the previous book.

What were your favourite books from last month’s reading?