Buchan, John. The Half-Hearted. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1900. First edition (or first U.S. edition, priority unclear, see below for details). Octavo, pp. [1-8] [1] 2-367 [368: printer's imprint] [369-370: blank]. Original terra-cotta decorative cloth, front and spine panels stamped in black and gray. A very good copy of a book that's hard to find in nice condition. #3101. $100. Blanchard A12, noting, "Priority between the American and English editions cannot be conclusively established ." Both were published in September of 1900. This was the first of the nineteen novels that the author later came to call his "shockers": adventure tales set in far-flung parts of the world -- but not omitting cozy British, especially Scottish, scenes; featuring a recurring cast of idealized heroes such as Sandy Arbuthnot, Richard Hannay and Edward Leithen; long on action and landscape painting but sketchy on rounded characterization; firm in their endorsement of cultural values then well-established but now on the endangered-species list. In Clubland Heroes, Richard Usborne's impressionistic survey of Buchan's "shockers" (along with those of Dornford Yates and Sapper, other schoolboy favorites of the period), he singles out the present title as "among the three most interesting of the nineteen. It is in some ways more revealing of the Buchan 'decent-fellow' ethic than any other till the last, Sick Heart River." (p. 83) Twelve years elapsed between the publication of The Half-Hearted and Buchan's next effort at shaping his 'shocker' formula, The Thirty-Nine Steps. The present title is set mostly in the Northern Punjab and has its hero (an early version of Sandy Arbuthnot) dying nobly to save British India from a Russian invasion. Seller Inventory # 3101

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Half-Hearted

Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin, Boston and New York

Publication Date: 1900

Binding: Hardback

Condition: Very Good

Edition: First Edition.

Store Description

When I began my bookselling business in 1996 I called it "Eldritch Books" because that adjective at least partly covered the type of material I offered (and because its similarity to my own surname seemed so -- eldritch). "Ghost stories" would be another handy, if somewhat reductive, term. Most of it is fiction from the 19th and early 20th century with a strong emphasis on the fantastic. Since the most familiar and relevant genre terms in use today -- "science fiction," "fantasy," "supernatural," "horror" -- were not so much in use when these books were first published, pegging them that way can be anachronistic. But that should give you the general idea. I don't have much in the way of American pulp (either in magazine or specialty press book form) but otherwise my interests range widely from high-brow to middle-brow to low-brow to amateur/eccentric. You're more likely to find rare and obscure works here than high spots. (Or at least they're obscure now, whatever their status was when first published.) In 2001 I went to work for L. W. Currey as cataloguer and general assistant. Since 2014 I've been back working on my own. I have exhibited at convention fairs (such as WFC and Readercon) in the past. I began collecting and studying antiquarian fantasy around 1980. Some of my essays have appeared in genre publications such as NYRSF, Wormwood and F&SF. I tend to carefully research my inventory and write extensive notes. (If another dealer wishes to make use of any of these notes, I'd appreciate the courtesy of putting such excerpts in quotes and giving proper attribution to me. That's what I do when I quote from any of my reference works.) I will be gradually listing my inventory on ABE over the coming years. I hope you find something of interest.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
NY, U.S.A.

Terms of Sale:

Contact information:
Robert Eldridge
P. O. Box 293
Elizabethtown NY 12932
USA.
Tel: 518-873-9966.
Email: rfx51@charter.net.

Shipping and handling:
I ship only by U.S. Postal Service. All shipments are packed carefully and mailed with insurance and (for domestic shipments) tracking information. Except where specified for extra large items, rates are: Domestic (within USA) Media Mail: $5. Domestic Priority: $10. International First Class (must be under 4 lbs.): $25. International Global Priority (...

More Information

Shipping Terms:

Payment Methods
accepted by seller

Check Money Order Bank/Wire Transfer

Add to Wants