BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2878, 16 September 1916, Page 6

BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

(By Libek.)

BOOKS OP THE DAY

Jin Excellent Reprint. : Tlio thanks of - section of tho reading public which cannot afford to buy highly-priced books is due to. Messrs. Cassell and Co. for tlie" pijblication of a wonderfully.cheap reprint ' of .Sir Frederick Treves's exception: nlly interesting, book, "Tho. Other Sidp i; >; : tof the Lantern," -in which' the' famous ■ British . Buigeon. 1 his . experi..cneos as a globe-trotter'. Originally Jiublished in book had a .very ■ largo sale, running into ma'ny editions; JThe new edition, ; issued at about a quarter of its ;' predecessors/ should greatly widqnihe .popularity of tliis ox-, i ,; ccllent bobk: Sir .Fredorick describes. ! ■ ■ a trip, via tho 'Suoi! 1 route,' to India, UnrinaJi,: Ceylon, the. Straits'.Settle-,-Jinents, China, and Japaii, wlienco.he . leturned to England by San Francisco . . kind New -.York.-.. Thero is no lack of v'books. on round-the-w'orld''trips,-am Sir: Si-i; :'' 'Frederick describes ibis - trip.?-as. <a' round ti'o world." 5 fThat this is far too an estimate will bo agrecd-by all 'who) -read the 1 book. i. If 'only ior : its singularly, pene- . trating . and delightfully-written dc-/.,;:-;;,*soriptions .of Indian life and characv .tors, and tlio chapters on Burmah and i . •'Japani tlie book ; Would be well worth |S - _'l)Uying. Tho ' originality. of.' the ail-, f/f.i.fi.tliofs-.point of. view,'.. his s;.'l ; Stylo, tho. freshness of his impressions, . and tho wisdom - of' so . many of his . . observations all combine to lift ' • tho - book' out /of- the- nick :. of globe-trotting records. . Well .Jiruited, neatly bound, aiid containing, •. moral. ttdmirablo'• illustrations,'this' ». now edition' of .Sir' Frederick- Tr'cy.cs's. . book can bo; waxiidy'commended to all who-have ii'ot'already read it. 1 (N.Z. fence, 3s. 6d.). :/Renew ropy. : per S. : "' land W. Mackay. - . i,.' /'A Year Ago."- .. . - ' Year -Ago" (London Edward . Arnold) is tho title given to a' second i.'.V instalment ;■ of; "Eyo; Witness's"' nar'rativo of the war) a Narrative: of- which' .* tho first section, I ', dealing with. tho . period September 6, 1914, to March, 1915, • ,was published earlier in. the year.. The ......soeir volumo, for which Lieut.-Colonel -■■■■■. : 33. D. Swinton, D.5.0., R.E.,. and- Captain tho Earl Porcy (for "Eyo Wit- >•- ••aess'f is a composite nom ,do plume) . are responsible, continues liho narrativo from March 30,. 1915; to. July 18, : . ,1915, ivhen tho series of descriptive accqunt/s were -discontinued by tho Press • -■■■ I3ureau. : Tho; fighting ■ which 'followed the bloody struggle atNeuvo Chapelle, .tho second battle .of: Ypres, and ; the fighting round Festubort are described ■ : - -in'detail, tlio remaining chapters ;be- ! ing devot«d,to a most interesting, and, fo the student of modem warfare, very valuablo account of the irork .r.ti tho. bases, th&'manngement of..tWsupplies j , aHd ordnanco dopai-tments, the postal, ;;y Wmount and veterinary -services,' 1 the ''feeding in" of tho reinforcements, and finally the administration . of'the nll-jniportant. medical service... A very ■:, ;, tiseful"'aiid' interesting contribution to the history of the war. (N.Z. price. 8s) < ballads of the Fleet. , :v preface to 'a- Tiow- and' rhcairer' -; ... feditiori of his vigorously-written arid fetalwartly patriotic .••'-'Ballads, rf, the' -I'loot" (Edward Sir Remiell v;: .Rodd remarks tbat "futuro ballads of. r: »•. '-'-the •■ Fleet will.. colebrato ,' .adyonturcs' : ;' ••; ' c ?cii. moiie d^perate 1 and .daring' achiev- • :*■/.' cd nnder conditions,very different from -those which obtained in .the days, of . Drake and Hawkins," and other great Elizabethans!.with .whose exploits Sir " .hr- lloimel's -ddaK' "But," ,"the,cliiv.alries.of the sea'arid :^'*<.'ia<i''tast : :o£.'. : high endmanco aro tho I same as "in the days of our fathers, : ;-,S;-i:and_ while the island race endures the *v T, spirit 1 of . Drake, wjio sleeps 'neath some great wave, will never <all ; . to i;!; them m vain."- 'ttTien first putlislied '-.v-'l-ri.,these splendid sea poems had a great vogue. In their now aiid cheaper form (N.Z. price; 3s. 6d.), • they should a[)peal to a new and equally , appreciative . ' public. - 1 | ; LIBER'S NOTE BOOK . Stray Leaves. if ' Two very popular';lady writers have /'■if passed away. One is Joan j Websiier (Mrs. Olen Ford Jl'Kinnoy), : whose pretty story, "Daddy Lphglegs," ■ won so many friends for'its author." Al'Kinneir's mother was a sister j of'the late Mark Twain. - The death of Miss ,S. - M'Nanghten is also'reported in English papers to hand this week. Miss M'Naugliten was the au'thor of those two delightfully humor,'T' :'' ous books, "Tlie Adventures of Chriatina M'Nab" and "A Lamo Dog's . • • . . ... : Miss Amber Reeves (Mrs. "White) : R |i lias just pnblislied a new' story, entitled "Helon in Love." ' English !; it it- criticisms; are not too favourable.. Tlio I'< . author is, a daughter of;.tho Hon.- W. ; (i. i\ -p. Reeves, formerly 'ifigli'. sioner-for New Zealand. ; ; Readers.' of French .should note the appearajice of some . specially good . items iu the last .list of Nelson's admirable reprints. Rohan's "Vio do Jesus," for a shilling, is wonderfully t <Jieap. Other titles are ; :—"Contes'du Midi," by Alphonso Daudet-; "Axel," by tho inystiicist poet, Villiers do. l'lslo Adams; "Pages Clioisies do J. K." j ' Huysmans"; and Bossuet's ".Oraisoiiß Funebres." A curious admixture of ' fiction and theology. If tlio Huys- ..... mans ■ selections aro well chosen they ,j." ■ ought to be interesting. - .. .• ■ ■ -I should' hardly havo thought that - John Gibson Lockhart's (Scott's soni in-law) -'''History of Napaleori. Bounaparte" - would find readers nowadys, but the Oxfocd Press syndieis evidently ' - think 'otheryiise, for they havo just issued a new two-philling edition. By • ' far the best all-round and most reli- ■ able "Life of Napoleon" is that by .. Dr.,Hollajid Rose, now obtainable in », single voluirie edition. •...- > Dr. Rose, by tlio way,, lias just pub'lished a volunie of historical essays erititled "Nationality as a'Factor in.Mod-' . era History.'' The author is Iteader in Modern History at Cambridge. At tho last meoting of the British Academy, Professor Fitzmaurice-Kclly • referred to the Cervantes tercentenary, nnd compared the great Spanish writer with Shakespeare. Ho pointed out that there are no fewer than 669 separate characters in_ "Don Quixote," which, ho said, is a picture _of Spanish society at that era- of incalculable ■ • -prico as an historical document, and a work of imagination that has in--spireff many imitations, from Addison's "S : ? Rogei do Coverloy" and Brooke's "Fool of Quality" to Don'.'Pickwick , and Sancho Weller. ' ;J -f| . —«. ' j 1- The Sinh Fein rebellion will lio doubt ; . '.V.' in timo bo responsiblo' for quito a • Knmbor of books dealing with that ' nnipidly conceived and, happily for i'England—mid Ireland—ill-fated enter- ■ ' priso. Tho 'first book oa'tho' subject

Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give. a mm a book he can read; ' . j * 'And his home is bright with a calrii delight Though the room he poor indeed. —James Thomson.

is '.'The Irish. Rebellion of 1916: 'A Brief History of the Revolt and Its Suppression." • Tho author is John F. Boyle.

The most important biography of tho season is "The Life arid Letters of Alfred Russell Wallace," the famous naturalist - and evolutionist. • Other new biographical works deal with Lord Ripon, who i was a prominent Glad-stonian,'and-at one time Viceroy ol India; Da;vid Gill, the.famous astrono- . mor; and. tho. famous scientist, Sir Henry Roscoc. ... .. A recent addition-;to Dent's cheap, useful Everyman's, Library is a selection from tlio essays of William Penn, ."Tho Peace of Europe," "Tho Frmta of SoHtudej" and other writings... The" editor,, Ernest Rhj's, has wisely'added Basso s "Life of, Penn" as an duction. Penn's "Fruits', of Solitude" was .a favourite 'book' ;'of..Robert- .Louis'.; Stovenson's. Ho discovered it during his period of poverty at San Francisco, and, wrote to Sidney Colvin and'other I English friends in wnrm praiso of "this precious little volume." . [:.. July 7, was tho centenary of } the [ death : of,' Richard Brinsleyi Sheridan,whoso.'"School for Scandal," "Tho Rivals;" and "The Critics" may .fairly bo considered classics of English, comedy.- Sheridan was also a distinguished parliamentarian, valuing consistency and honour more' than plaoe, which is more than can be said of certain of his political contemporaries. His somewhat pompous claim, "I hopo you know, Mr. Addington, that I have an mind,", was no empty boast. ■ ■ Professor/ Usher, the' Amerioali publicist, ,whoS9 "Pan-Germanism" was at one time a, widely discussed work, arid whose second volume, "Pan-Ame-ricanism;", was also' mucll read, has just published a new work, "The Challenge of the Future,-' a study in American foreign policy Ho is a vigorous opponent or tho (Actriiio i that tho United- States can be self-contained, isolated, from Europe. Incidentally he advocates an alliance, with Great Britain. , 'Fislier Unwin is publishing a - posthumous work of Thomas Macdonagh, tlie S.inn Fein rebel, who. was a poet and a lecturor at University CoUcge, Dubliri. The boob is entitled "Literature 'in ' Ireland: Studies , Irish - and :Anglo-Irish," and is dedicated to Dr. Sigerson' whoso daughter, Dora Sigorson, is. the wifo of " Clement Shorter, pf the. "Sphere." ' A volume of travel sketches, "TwiIjght in Italy," by D. H. Lawrence, author of "Sons and Lovers,"! "The White Peacock," and other novels, is exceptionally well reviewed in the English papers:. It is said to bo as good/ as the late G-eorgo Gissing's "By the lonian Sea." .• Were "Liber'' in : his teens—alas!how far distant in his case —he would seriously 'think of learning Russian. After the waf, Russia will be a lrago factor in the world's trade, and Englishmen,who can speak,and Russian- with' faoility - will'' bo inuch soughtafter. . Kegan Pauls are publishing a 'new pocket dictionary of. the English and .Russian languages which should be useful to students. A knowledge of Spanish is also a fine asset to finenterprising "young :man wlio' contemplates a commercial career. SOME RECENT FICTION the Human Boy arid the WarIt is a good many years ago since Mr. Eden Pbilpotts introduced _ us to his "Human Boy," who made his first appearance in the pages of Mr. Jerome K. Jerome's now defunct . magazine. '{The Idler." Since then Mr. Philpotts lias published a second instalment of -his'highly- humorous * sketches of boy, especially schoolboy, lifo, under the title "The Human Boy Again." A third instalment, "The Human; Boy and the War" (Methuen and Co.), is now before me. . There are thirteen separate stories or sketohes of life at Merivale, tlie scholastio establishment presided over by tho absent-minded but fussy Dr. -Dunstone, 'and my readers can confidently expect some capital amusement from each and every one of them. . Each story is told by a different boy, .in his own particular vernacular, and tho variety and .frankness of tho , opinions given on masters, lessons, and, fellow pupils is decidedly conducive to good entertainment. The sketch or episode, entitled "Tho Countryman of Kant," being the experiences of one- Jacob Wundt, a youthful Hun, who finds .liimself at Merivalo when ; tho war Weaks out, is specially amusing. Dr. Dunstone may, perhaps, suggest the Dr. •; Grimstone of MrJ Anstoy|s immortal' "Vice Versa," arid Millicent Dunstone and Dulcie Grimstone are closely; related, but that is no drawback to a book which is packed full of racy liumour and excellent entertainment generally. Adults and boys alike sliould vastly enjoy Mr. Pliilpots's latest excursion,into the comedy of school lifo. - ■' ' ' ' ' ' > ' The Valley of Cold. , Ono of tlie best stories of the Canadian North-Western wilds I have read for some time past is Mr. James Oliver Curwood's "Valley of Gold" (Cassells; pbr S. and W. Mackay). The. heroine is ; an English lady who comes to a riotous railway construction camp in search of a long-lost husband, an utter scamp, by the way, the hero being a rising young-novelist, who is "out West" in search of original and picturesque incident. The'lady is sorely persecuted by a ruffianly gambler and "bad man" generally, and additional trouble is caused by the discovery that tlie' long-missing husband is identical with one Culver Rann, the recognised head of a gang of sly grog-sellers, gold stealers, and murderers. In assisting the' woman ho has learned to love, the young author meets_ with some highly sensational experiences. Tho journey, .to tho mysterious "Valley of Gold," which, provides tho title tp tho story, and the strange happenings which thero befall tho hero and his' fellow-adventurer, a honest old Scots mirier,. are described in a very vigorous and convincing style. ■ Mr. Curwood's story is thoroughly'readable. The House in Watchman's Alley. Miss Sophie Cole's quaintly entitled novel, "The Houso in Watchman's Alley" (Mills and Boon; per Wiitcomho and Tombs) has all tho quietly humorous jind graceful touch which pleased readers of "Isabel in AVardour Street" so much. The sceno is laid in a tumble-down old house in a narrow alloy off Fleet Street, whero ctace has lived a myeterious recluse known as "Tho Alchemist," but' which is now tho homo of John Caspar, a journalist, and his family. • Tlio varying fortunes of tho family, largely affected by the war, afford, Miss Colo opportunities for pjcturiug. London lifo in its most hu-.j morous, and occasionally, pathetio aa-

pects. The Caspars, one and, all) are well worth making acquaintance with. "The Wings of the World."

The two chief actors in Mr. Talbot Mundy's vigorously written and thrilling story of German plotting in India, "The Winps of the World" (Cassell and Co.';; per S. and W. Mackay), are Ranjoot Singh, a,Rissaldor-Major in a Sikh regiment, and a native lady, Yasmini, who belongs to what Kipling has called "the oldest profession in the world." A third character of some promin&nca is a Britisn Colonel. Yasmini, despite lier profession, is a distinctly attiactivo character, with a. sense of humour which, for tlio Colonol, finds somewhat unpleasant exemplification • An honest Sikh soldier, who finds' liimself told 'off for detective work, which is very much out of his line, but who none the less plays a verjr able part.in the/unmasking and thwarting of a deep-laid Kim conspiracy, is an admirable creation. Tho local colour of. the story i 3 attractively picturesque. t

Love's Highway.,' ''Love's Highway" (Cassell.and Co. • per S. and W. Mackay) is a posthumous novel by' Justus Miles Forman, down in the Lusitania. The special feature of the story, the scene: of which are laid in Switzerland and Now York, is tho. clever contrasting of tho characters of-two twin sisters, one Alice, brought up by her mother, from whom, her father has separated, the other,' Diana, who; since her earlier 'teens; .lias . been .tho travelling <;ompanioh ',6f; lier' father. Alice is smallminded, jealous,- arid deplorably selfish. Diana; on the other hand, is a'frankly spoken,/ buoyant natured girl, who at once wins the; reader's affections.- An English lord is tlio suitor of both, of Alice' at first, and secondly, luckily for himself, of-the much finer natured sister.- Into the. details of the plot I need not goN Suffice.'it to, say that there is somo excellent comedy in the story, i ( which rfiakes capital-reading.