LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 9

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK.

"The Kangaroo Marines." In "The Kangaroo Marines" (Cassell and Co.,'per AVhitcomW and Tombs), Captain R. W. Campbell, author of that inimitably funny book, ."Private Spud Tamson," gives us a series of wellwritten, and, in places, extremely humorous studies of soldiers and soldiering at the Dardanelles. In his preface the author tells us ho is not an Australasian, but a Scot. He has, however, lived in Australia and New Zealandhe was at one time on tho staff of the "New Zealand flerald"—and ho knew the national service organisations of the two countries before tho war, just as he has known the Australasian soldiers at the war—at the Dardanelles. He has, he tolls us, met "these warring Bohemians" of whose exploits he writes so entertainingly, on the scene of their, gallant deeds, and now 1 endeavours to show them as they are, to praise their gallantry, to amuse us with tales of the humorous side o ftho campaign, winding, as he says, "the cloak of fiction round temperamental things as well as, around some glorious facts." His stories and sketches may here and there be a trifle highly coloured,,. but they make uncommonly -good reading. In the chaptcr entitled "A Brave New Zealander," the author gives lis a vigorous .sketch of an enterprise of exceptional daring and danger, carried out, by a young New Zealand soldier, with tact, gallantry, and attended by signal success. There is a plentiful' admixture of slang in these stories, and soniptimes the. attempt at ■ strictly Australasian oolouring may not be so successful as •the author max think it ia,- .Caotain .<

I Campbell draws a distinction between the New Zealand' soldier and his Australian comrade. "The Australian," he says, "resembles the Irishmandaring, desperate, and frequently reckless; the Now Zealander resembles the Scot—equally daring, equally determined, but more canny and cautious. In brief, the New Zealander is more ready to weigh the issues and count the cost. Both types are necessary in war; both are extremely useful." (N.Z. price, Is. 6d.). On Land and Sea at the Dardanelles. "On Land and Sea at the Dardanelles" is the title of a handsomely produced volume just published by Messrs. "William Collins and Co., London. The author, Sir. F. C. Bridges, provides his readers with a vigorously-told, exciting, not to say, in places, very sensational story of the adventures on the now famous Gallipoli Peninsula of a young English soldier, Ken Carrington, and his churn, Dave Burney, a young Australian. The former is the son of a British naval officer who had been. for a time in the service of the Turkish Admiralty, in the days when British officers were in high favour in such positions; but who after buying land ill Turkey and settling down, as lie thought to work a coal seam on his property, had been arrested as a spy, through the machinations of a rascally German, had been taken to Constantinople, and never been heard "of afterwards," I must not give away the ingenious plot of -the story, the chief feature in which is ,the series of astonishing adventures, gallant ■ achievements,, and hair-breadth escapes, which fall to the' lot of the two youthful heroes. 1 Suffice it to . say that the principal engagements on the Peninsula are described, and are utilised as a basis for a story which should make strong appeal to New Zealand and Australian readers, and which many, adults also will find very interesting. A special and important feature of the. book is its wealth of illustrations. In addition to a number of full-page plates, reproduced from photographs, of scenes on the Peninsula, the landing of troops, trench scenes, illustrations of the warships, etc., the volume contains a large number of well-drawn and effective black and white drawings from the facile and vigorous pen of Mr. Albert Morrow. Hie ■ book should soon be very popular with New Zealand readers, and is admirably ' suitable as a gift book for boys. Miscellaneous,., 1 "How Can, I Save," by Mrs. Alfred Braga (Hodder and Stoughton, per S;. W. Mackay), is a handy little volume, in which advice—most of it very sensible, and some of it applicable as much to New Zealand -is to British domestic economy—-is given upon such subjects is expenditure in the kitchen, on household requirements generally, in- the nursery, on dress, entertainments, and,amusements, and various other objects. A specially useful feature of the book, the author of which has written along series of other works;. ', on domestic sconomy, is the 'simple recipes which ire given for the preparation of tasty but inexpensive dishes. (N.Z. price, Ls. 6d.) . f. The Lothian''Book ' Publishing J Com)any, Ltd.. has published a handy little edition of ; Shakespeare's "Twelfth \ T ight,' or What.You Will," edited by ; fr. It. S. Wallace, M.A., Professor ofinglish Language, and Literature in. he University of Melbourne. Professor iVallace provides some very helpful lotes, ana an excellent glossary is also i useful feature. For secondary school md_ university work this, is an ideal edition of the play. (Price 2s. V Stray Leaves, • A review of Mr. F. ineresting -book,' "Old Whanganui," is mavoidably held over. I am" indebted to a correspondent, 'C.M.R.," for pointing out that "Tiib 3owmen," in' which thb much'-discuss-id "Angels of Mons" were'introduced, pas not written by Mr.'Harold Bdfftie, lb, by.a slip"of the.peri, was stated in ast week's '-notes',, but' by Mr. Arthui Hachen. "The title'" of' Mr.' Begbie's look was "On tho.Side of the Angels." My old friend, HenryEawson, ought o be very proud of the highly eulogisic review of his last -book of verse 'My Army, 0. My Army," which aptears in the-'"Times" Literary Supplenent (January 27), The "Times' feiewer says he has met with nothing mite like Mr. Lawson's verses, which, le adds, "express the common sense of he plain man as well as his faith and tope. They keep their eye. on the bject, they will appeal to people whom he loftier pitchy of poetry may jpavo 'naffected... . . . His is a convincng, authentic voice." Those who have ot yet read Eawson's verse should lake'a point of doing so. I should have Jilted to have given my eaders some extended study of • the 'orks of the late Henry James, the amous ■ American novelist, whose eath was reported last week. In some f his later books his style may have een too involved for many readers, ut some of. his,earlier novels well deerve to live. He was a brother of Villiam James, of Pragmatism fame, nd had resided in_ IJngland for many ears. Last year, it hi ay be rememberd,._!he became a naturalised British übject._ Some of James's earlier, and, s I think, his best, stories, have recently been republished in a jiandy and asteful format, by Sidgwick and Jackbut not a few of the older genration of bookmen will no doubt posess these tales' in the delightful little ditions published, some years go _ now, by David Douglas, f Edinburgh. James wrote some exellotit books of travel sketches, as well s fiction. I. specially recall in this onnection his "Italian Hours," and 'A Little Tour in France," The oldest English literary journal, Thei Athenaeum," so long published t threepence, but the price of which .'as raised about a year ago to sixence, has now .been converted into a lonthly. To some extent, no doubt, his is-a result of the war, but a conribiiting factor lias been, I expect, tho reatly increased sale of the • "Times jiterary Supplement'," at one time nly purchasable with the "Times" itelf, but now issued as a separate pubication. At its price of a penny, tho 'Times Literary Supplement" is at lice the cheapest and best literary Diinial in the world. Fewer books were published in Great Sritain in 1915 than in any year since SOB. According ( to an analysis, printd ill "Tile Publishers' Circular," tho irgest shrinkages, wore in fiction (a fall f 419), technology, and science. On he other hand, there wore largo inreases in both history and geography. Mcthuens are publishing a study of lilaire Belloc and his work at 2s. 6d. let. Tho authors, too gentlemen whoso lames are not familiar to me, commit hemselves, I notice, to the extraordinry statement that Belloc is "the best "'iter of English prose since Drydon"! Tr. Belloc is a- clever and nstonishngl.v versatile writer, but eulogies such s that above quoted are surely somewhat extravagant. Supplies of "These Twain," the conluding volume of Mr. Arnold Bennett's anions "Five Towns Trilogy," of rhieb "Clayhangor" and "Hilda Lessrays" were the two first volumes, are pe.stel N.eiy Zeslaad y.erg ShoitlYj