Shelf Control #1 | The 39 Steps by John Buchan

Another day, another meme! And since my ratio of owned books to read books is freakishly out of control, this seems like another perfect fit for To Read or Not to Read?

Shelf Control

hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available, and in most cases, sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers.

The 39 Steps by John Buchan

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Richard Hannay’s boredom with London society is soon relieved when the resourceful engineer from South Africa is caught up in a web of secret codes, spies, and murder on the eve of WWI. When a neighbor is killed in his flat, Richard, suspected, decodes the journal, runs to the wilds of his native Scotland in disguises and local dialects, evades Germans and officials.

How I got it:
Bought the series in e-book
  
When I got it:
February, maybe March

Why I want to read it:
A British spy/intrigue novel, first published in 1915. It was adapted into a play, a Hitchcock film, and, most recently, a miniseries on BBC (which is really, really good).

I discovered this because a local theater house put on a production of the play. It was hilarious. First of all, they had about 50 roles being played by four actors and a minimal amount of props. (The bi-plane they made out of a trunk and two ladders was phenomenal, but the slow-motion fight scene atop the train was even better.) So while both the play and the original Hitchcock film are more thriller/comedies, the recent adaptation from BBC was a straight up thriller; much more what I expected the Hitchcock version to be like.

Therefore, I was left with the question of: What kind of story was it originally?

All of these different versions were explored with a friend of mine, so it seemed only fitting we each pick up copies of the book (the entire series, actually) and experience it together.

I just haven't read the book yet. :P

This is the next read on my list -I've already promised, since I was supposed to have it read back in Feb/March- so I'll certainly let all ya'll know!

What book do you own that you need to finally just read already?