Sick Heart River

Written by John Buchan

Narrated by Peter Joyce

Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War Sir Edward Leithen is told that he has but one year left to live. He relinquishes his law practice and resigns from public office in order to make peace with himself and achieve a reconciliation with his Maker. However, he also wants to die standing, not creep into the ‘bleak bag’s end of life’ This will involve one last physical challenge. An old friend, John Blenkiron, comes to him with a request: to find a young Canadian banker called Galliard, a man who, suffering from a personal crisis, has disappeared into the wilds of north-west Canada. This task stretches Leithen and his gallant companions to the limits of their endurance and ends with him having to make a heartrending choice. An indigenous tribe of Indians has gone into decline and need his help to save their race but the invigorating air of the region has begun to cure his condition. Should he restore hope amongst the natives at the risk of his own life or return to England and enjoy an unexpected reprieve?This was Buchan’s last novel, written when he himself was suffering from a terminal illness. More literary and introspective than his other adventure stories it has been acknowledged by some critics to be his best. Listeners will certainly be made aware of the immensity of the author’s heart and his sense of duty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Assembled Stories
• Release date: Sep 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781860153778

John Buchan

John Buchan was a Scottish diplomat, barrister, journalist, historian, poet and novelist. He published nearly 30 novels and seven collections of short stories. He was born in Perth, an eldest son, and studied at Glasgow and Oxford. In 1901 he became a barrister of the Middle Temple and a private secretary to the High Commissioner for South Africa. In 1907 he married Susan Charlotte Grosvenor and they subsequently had four children. After spells as a war correspondent, Lloyd George's Director of Information and Conservative MP, Buchan moved to Canada in 1935. He served as Governor General there until his death in 1940. Hew Strachan is Chichele Professor of the History of War at the University of Oxford; his research interests include military history from the 18th century to date, including contemporary strategic studies, but with particular interest in the First World War and in the history of the British Army.