Pilgrim's way

an essay in recollection

de John Buchan

Published as "Pilgrim's Way" in the US, but originally titled "Memory Hold the Door" when first published in the UK, is a memoir written by John Buchan, 1875-1940, who died prior to publication. Buchan lived an extremely varied and accomplished life, born in Scotland and starting out as the son of a Presbyterian minister. Educated in local schools in the Scottish borders, he first enrolled at the University of Glasgow and then came down to Oxford University. Too poor to eat in hall, he was able, during his two years at Oxford, to earn substantial income through his published writings. Buchan was trained as a barrister but went to South Africa as a part of the post-Boer War British effort to establish a new government. He subsequently became a partner in a publishing house, produced more than fifty novels, biographies and histories, served in World War One as Director of Information and produced a very fine history of the War. He served in Parliament as representative of the Scottish Universities, became the Crown's representative to the Church of Scotland, and, in 1935, was appointed Governor-General of Canada. He was ennobled as Baron Tweedsmuir of Elsfield. John Buchan's fame rests primarily on his novels of adventure, the most famous being "The Thirty-Nine Steps". This memoir is filled with the man's love of life and humanity. It is a delightful read and a fascinating history of the period of turmoil in Britain during the first four decades of the 20th century.