Buchan, John: - John Buchan (1st Baron Tweedsmuir) was a Scottish author, historian, and Unionist politician who lived from 26 August 1875 to 11 February 1940. Buchan was chosen by King George V to succeed the Earl of Bessborough as Governor General of Canada in 1935. He held the position until his passing in 1940. He blended his successful writing career as a thriller, historical fiction, historian, and biographer with a concurrent career in public service. He was Canada's governor general at the time of his death.Buchan received his education at Oxford and Glasgow Universities. He had a brief legal career before moving to South Africa in 1902, where he helped in the nation's post-Boer War reconstruction. In his writing, he frequently returns to his love of South Africa. Buchan served as the British Government's Director of Information during World War One. He produced a 24 book history of the conflict, which was eventually abridged. He also produced several excellent action books, such as Richard Hannay's spy-catching exploits. Dickson McCunn and Edward Leithen are two further notable characters developed by Buchan.