This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ The Watcher By The Threshold John Buchan George H. Doran, 1918 Fiction in English; Scottish fiction
Edited and introduced by Andrew Lownie. ‘The short story is the real form’ John Buchan This is the first ever complete collection of all Buchan’s shorter Scottish fiction. Set largely in his beloved Borders, these stories and novellas show the full range and depth of Buchan’s writing. Featuring shepherds, poachers, gamekeepers and drovers, they are worlds away from the tales of aristocratic adventure with which he is so often associated. Shot through with characters and places he returned to in his full-length fiction, the Buchan that emerges from this collection is a very different and much more complex writer than he is often held to be. ‘John Buchan was the first to realise the enormous dramatic value of adventure in familiar surroundings happening to unadventurous men.’ Graham Greene
The Watcher by the Threshold, and other tales is a collection of early novellas and stories, most with supernatural elements, by the Scottish author John Buchan. When first published in the UK in 1902 the collection included five stories, mainly set in the Scottish Borders. The collection was republished for the US market in 1918 under the title The Watcher by the Threshold, with four of the original stories and four new ones. The book's epigraph is a quotation said to be an "Extract from the writings of Donisarius of Padua, circa 1310." It contrasts active travellers who "tarry in the outer courts, speeding the days joyfully with dance and song" with those who remain near to home and who "are found watching by the threshold" night and day, "ever anxious and ill at ease that they may see something of the Shadows which come and go." On the collection's first publication, The Bookman noted that Buchan's intention is not a cheerful one for it is the "back-world of Scotland" that he describes, a land of old terrors, ancient cruelties and inhuman paganism. The reviewer thought it a book to shudder over, but one through which runs veins of real beauty. Writing in 1975, David Daniell noted that the collection contains much material that Buchan will later return to in greater depth: "The Outgoing of the Tide" points to Witch Wood, and "The Watcher by the Threshold" and "No Man's Land" point to The Dancing Floor. "No Man's Land" Daniell considered to be a fascinating novella in which the author develops the sense of desolate threat felt in the remote Scottish hills, using the idea of the survival of a group of Picts as one more illustration of the ancient texture of the landscape. The novella predatesThe Lost World (1912) and Daniell considered it to surpass Conan Doyle and even H. G. Wells in its analysis of the hero's psychology. Buchan's biographer Andrew Lownie noted the development in "Fountainblue" of several of Buchan's themes: the power of a place extending over a long period, the thin line of civilization, and the existence within individuals of hidden depths of character. (wikipedia.org)
The Best Short Stories of 1918, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story encapsulates a pivotal moment in literary history, celebrating a diversity of narrative forms and thematic explorations. This anthology brings together a pantheon of voices that showcase the vibrancy and complexity of early 20th-century American literature. From the intricate psychological narratives of Sinclair Lewis to the lyrical prose of Wilbur Daniel Steele, the collection traverses the realms of realism, early modernism, and the nascent phases of experimental storytelling, making it an invaluable reflection of the literary zeitgeist. Each story stands as a beacon of the creativity and transition within American letters, capturing the socio-political and cultural undercurrents of its time. The contributing authors, heralded for their own unique contributions to literature, bring forth a collective heritage that spans various facets of American life and letters. Their backgrounds, ranging from journalism and literary criticism to fiction writing, offer a rich mosaic of perspectives that are emblematic of the periods literary and cultural movements. The anthology, therefore, not only serves as a showcase of individual mastery but also as a cohesive study of the interplay between historical context and literary innovation. To the discerning reader, The Best Short Stories of 1918, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story represents an unparalleled journey through the landscape of early 20th-century American fiction. It offers not just a literary exploration but a historical immersion, inviting readers to engage with each narrative as a dialogue among diverse yet interconnected voices. This collection not only educates but enriches, urging readers to appreciate the depth and breadth of the art of storytelling as practiced in a pivotal era of American literature. It is an essential anthology for those wishing to delve deeper into the evolution of short stories and their profound impact on the trajectory of American literary tradition.
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