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John Buchan

Scottish author and politician (1875-1940) · United Kingdom · Writers · Died at 64

John Buchan is read about 390 times a day, in 39 languages.

Counted to 17 September 2026, not since.

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A spy novelist who became a spy handler, then viceroy. Buchan wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps and a hundred other books while climbing from Scottish barrister to wartime intelligence chief to Canada's Governor General - the rare thriller writer whose day job actually involved state secrets.

PoliticiansJournalistJournalismPoliticsFictionLiteratureScreenwritingPoetry

A life in dates

1940Died11 February 19401937“We can pay our debts to the past by putting the future in debt to ourselves.”In their words12 May 1937Address to the people of Canada on the coronation of George VI (12 May 1937)

Honorary Doctorate at the Laval UniversityAward1928James Tait Black Memorial PrizeAward1918Officer of the Order of the Crown of ItalyAward1912“The robe of flesh wears thin, and with the years God shines through all things.”In their words"The Wise Years", The Moon Endureth (1912)

1906“The Simple Life is the last refuge of complicated and restless souls.”In their wordsCh. I, p. 22

“The secret of life is to find out what one really wants.”In their wordsCh. II, p. 43

“Young girls passed me with romance still in their eyes, and others, a little older, with the romance dead.”In their wordsCh. V, p. 145.

“It was a very happy time, but like all happy times it had no landmarks.”In their wordsCh. X, p. 268

1875Born26 August 1875

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Lord tweedsmuiirLord tweedsmuiirBlue plaque for John Buchan - geograph.org.uk - 334515Blue plaque for John Buchan - geograph.org.uk - 334515Btweedsmuir2Btweedsmuir2Canada's Governor General pays tribute to America's Unknown Soldier. Washington, D.C., March 31. Leaving the White House early today Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor General of Canada, journeyed to LCCN2016871456Canada's Governor General pays tribute to America's Unknown Soldier. Washington, D.C., March 31. Leaving the White House early today Lord Tweedsmuir, Governor General of Canada, journeyed to LCCN2016871456Canadian Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir places a wreath on the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice - Arlington National Cemetery - 1937-03-31Canadian Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir places a wreath on the Canadian Cross of Sacrifice - Arlington National Cemetery - 1937-03-31Friends and Family and Trips. Tweedsmuir BAnQ P48S1P00865Friends and Family and Trips. Tweedsmuir BAnQ P48S1P00865Friends and Family and Trips. Tweedsmuir BAnQ P48S1P00884Friends and Family and Trips. Tweedsmuir BAnQ P48S1P00884Governor General at Canadian Cross. Washington, D.C., March 31. Canada's Governor General, Lord Tweedsmuir, placing a wreath on the Canadian cross in Arlington National Cemetery today. The LCCN2016871457Governor General at Canadian Cross. Washington, D.C., March 31. Canada's Governor General, Lord Tweedsmuir, placing a wreath on the Canadian cross in Arlington National Cemetery today. The LCCN2016871457

In their own words 10

,
John Buchan
,
10 statements, newest first

  1. We can pay our debts to the past by putting the future in debt to ourselves.

    May 12, 1937, Address to the people of Canada on the coronation of George VI (12 May 1937), Own words

  2. The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.

    1930, Montrose and Leadership (1930), p 24; republished in Men and Deeds (1977), Own words

  3. The robe of flesh wears thin, and with the years God shines through all things.

    1912, "The Wise Years", The Moon Endureth (1912), Own words

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Awards

Honorary Doctorate at the Laval University1937
James Tait Black Memorial Prize1928
Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy1918
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Companion of Honour
King George VI Coronation Medal
Newdigate Prize
Person of National Historic Significance

Family

John Buchan

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About this person

Born in Scotland in 1875, Buchan published his first novel at twenty and kept writing through law school at Glasgow and Oxford. He practiced as a barrister, then served as private secretary to Lord Milner in South Africa during the Boer War's final stretch. Back in England by 1903, he juggled the Bar and journalism before joining Thomas Nelson and Sons publishers in 1907. The First World War pulled him into intelligence: Director of Information in 1917, then Head of Intelligence at the new Ministry of Information. He entered Parliament in 1927 for the Combined Scottish Universities. In 1935, King George V appointed him Governor General of Canada, raising him to the peerage as Baron Tweedsmuir. He spent five years strengthening Canadian sovereignty before his death in 1940, receiving a state funeral in Ottawa before his ashes crossed back to Britain.

Country
United Kingdom
Category
Writers
Type
Writer / Author
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1875 to 1940 · aged 64

In common with John

Peggy AshcroftAlso in The 39 Steps (1935)John LaurieAlso in The 39 Steps (1935)Harry LauderAlso in Huntingtower (1927)Walter SummersAlso in The Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands (1927)Robert DonatAlso in The 39 Steps (1935)Michael BalconAlso in The 39 Steps (1935)

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