BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 97, 18 January 1919, Page 11

BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

(Bγ Liber.)

BOOKS OF THE DAY

"A Gallipoli Diary."

"A Gallipoli Diary," by Major Jolm Graham Gillam, D.S.O. (George Allen and Unwin), is.a book which all Now Zealanders, who aro so specially iuterosted in tho Gallipoli campaign, should certainly make a point of reading. It is too often, I fear, assumed that the soldiers from this country and fioni Australia practically monopolised, tho..lighting and hard work generally that was done in connection with the Gnllipoli campaign. How erroneous is such a view is made clear by a perusal of Major G'illam's excellent book. It deals with the splendid, work done by the officers and men of the 29th Division, the naine-of which must ever ■bo honourably connected with that of Gallipoli. The author is an officer in the Army Service Corps, and in his preface-emphasises tho great importance and value of the work done in wartime by this , branch/ of 'the' service: Ho says:...-." :

I have now «>en the A.S.C. at -work in England, Egypt, Franco, and Flanderß, ae well; as at Oallipoli, and the- result is always the same.' Tommy ie hungry. three • timee a day without dißtinction or place, and three timos a day, aa regularly as the- suu rises and eels, food is forthcoming for him, food in abundance and without queues or meat cards. The A.S.C. must, never fail, and. it never docs fail, for ' it's' organisation ' is one of tho. most brilliant the Army knom But few, other than thoso in the AjS.O. itself, or en the staff -ol armies, can appreciate its. vastness and its infallibility. To do so one ■ should•■■■watch- the supply fihipe dodging the enemy's Bubraarines and s-nivinp at the bases, the.Btfnply-.hangars at the base supply- -depots'..rcocir-ihg and disgorging tho supplies to the pncU-traine, the arrival of the trains at tho regulating stations 'iu -the, lines of communication, whence they 'are- dispatched to the railheads just behind-the line, the staff of the-deputy directors ofr-Bjlpplics and transport of armioa at work,' following carefully the movements of • formations'.and the rise and fall of strengths, to enenro that not only alinll sufficient food arrive regularly oach- day at thO' railheads, but that there Shall be r.o surplus to choker the railheads. For it ie .Hardly less iniportant thai thereshoiild not be too much than that there should bo too little.

Of the special difficulties'', attending I the supply: of;;food, ammunition, and stores generally to tlie British Expeditionary Force.;'.engaged, in the Gallipoli campaign,) Major. Gillam lias much to' .say in his'diaryi; ..-Biit, the; diary is no n'.sro daily recor'il of : the author'sown : work. It;is;'a detailed ariJ singularly. -fascinating'narrative o'f tho. progress of the greatv'sti'uggle which.T.topk place :on■ the 'bo ; ache;s,-; , .0.a tlio hills,' , and in tlie-' gullies •'of that Peninsula upon whoso soil so many thousands of gallant Britons, both of the Homeland nnd tho overseas, have left their bones. Major-Gillam makes no pretence, lie Mis us,..to; .any literary pretensions. He is, ho 'i-sh.vs-, "ro John Masefiold," ■ and does not seek : to compete with his betters. His solo object lias been, he says to record flie personal impressions, feelings,:.and doings from .day to-day of one supply officer to .a division whoso gallantry that 'campaign' well earned for it the epithet "Immortal."; The narrative is often dramatic in its.interest, often, alas, as was to bo expected, terribly pathetic, but evcii war has its lighter side, and the goodhumoured patience, eheeriness, and love of fun'for which the British soldier is famous are frequently, and eutertainiiigly"'reflated'.' A' specially attractive' feature of -tlie" book-" is its" wealth of illustrations. These include reproductions of photopraphs of every possible phase of the daily life of the troops, ( views of various important strategiral points, etc. ; The book is one which well doFirves a place in evory New Zealand collection- of war literature, espeeiallv that deal in.'' with a cnmp.iign of ■such special /unci undving interest to the people. of:the Dnmmiou as was the struggle"'on,-the Callipoli T'eusinula., "Russia in Travail." -Of- books on Russia, well written and .posses-sing originality both in choice of subject .'and. literary style, one- cannot have, 100 many iusc now, when every: one is striving after some reasonable comprehension of the great forces which—for final good or evil, who sliall.r.sayfchave :.heenv.iiucliainetl in tlie great country which lies as a buffer, or perhaps 1 should say connecting link, ''twist .Western • JOuropo and tho Orient. Miss Olive Galbraith'e "Russia in Travail"'.(John Murray, pec Whitcombe and Tombs) is assured--ly iio' negligible' ailditioiV. to the everaugilieii'iing biilk. of -latter-day literature dealing with' Russia." '.The author, an-A'-merican'lady, found "herself in 'Peking at the outbreak qf. war, and immediately set off for Petrograd. Her pictures of travel, through ..Manchuria and across Siberia are exceptionally bright and picturesque." Life in wartime at Petrograd is vividly-described, and then come'the records of' a trip up the Volga, of sojourns at Moscow, at Nijni Novgorod, and iiijlhc lieartof a Russian ..rural, djstrict. The author's ! ety]e .'.-is . but never lnerely". sketchy! ,-Blie goes-dt?ep down below.,the eui'face, and- is.-'singularly succQssfnl: in bringing- her readers into dose .-touch-.'with, the spirit, .'the eoul of a people. Like-■ Maurice 'Baring, •-SteplieiuGraham,: and others who havo wiitteii!<)U''.K.nssia, she has'-'au intense iulmifixtibn '.for' - the"'-; '■' loiig-suffering pationce,' tlie deep-based if- mystical religious -feeling,- the beautiful family affection of tho -Russian peasant. In a description of hospital work in Pot-rpgradj;.Mjp:fia!br.iiitJr-alludes. to the touciiiiig , simplicity and goodness of hearfc:.of the moujik..soldiers:[.

■ Tnrgency spoke truly when he said that the ; Eussian "never.fumbles in his.pocltet for a, word, but plucks it underneath-his heart."- Hero is a. scntonce from: a letter which I havo happened to como upon; written'by; .VasmU 'Vassilovitch to one. of the.-'"little ; mothers"; at. .the ..hospital:— "GreetinßS ■ from Vassili Tassilovitch, dear little mother.'Sl.avri Bogul Glory be lo God' that yon-are well.'-God keen you in health", lriatusha, dear little mother. And nitty God keep in health all tho kind .Americans.'■■ who have token our bloody wounds'upon their hgarts, who gathered us into a clean white.nest as God's little birdie ■ gathers' : - her young under her wings.. Gosnode Tobye; Ood be with you." Imaßino thie from- Tommy Atkins!

As to'the immensity,' tlio complexity of-.-ftho Kuesin.li problem, ;tbe educated llussian is himself- fully.-"aware. Here is ,a passage from a.*-.-c.nalyeis of his country by one of the author's' Russian friends: '" •'■..• "... , -.' ■[~' ■

Hussia—tho old and weary tho melancholy, ' but bo yoiirig "that' eh'e seems hut half-shaped from the blacli-eai'th'. "-Russia— baring a new .world of dclicato psytlioloeical apd spiritual tricks;, '"but dart, medieval and barbaric Russia . innately democratic and '.Individualistic), but ruled by despotism., conceit, even •to humility, but. with a' tidal assurance of her own destiny. Hussia—quickly fUming.-un lu her emotions; but dyiiisj clown' agai.'j- to apathy, llussin —tlio ■■tender lbvor 'of the despised and rojected of mou;- bill, shdt tllvough with Oricintal cruelty.- Russia--the '•' tdigiouß. ■lluseia—• tho..: unmoral. ....'Kuesia-euporb,: ■'fatal, my'Btcrioua. "-.l?u«Bia— also \ gentle, -monotonous. .-llusslsi—wUh a bowlidoKillK, multitudinous variety; but asunuhilled.ns the aandii'of tj)« Ma.''- , . 1 -. • ■-. ~ ..-■

■■ Miss Gaibrnith is insistent ,upun tho paralysing grip , , of German bureaucracy upon Russia ;in the !pro-wnr period.'aud the clmptor lii which, elm tells of the treaoliery of, aids, certain Russian officers, explains how heavy was the nation's handicap in the war. As to coming rcvohttioti' sho does no

Give a man a pipt fit-, can smoke, „ " Give a man a booh he can read; And his home is bright with'a. calm delight Though the room be poor indeed.

t-James Thomsoh.

'more than merely hint. • Her book is not so much concerned with Russia s political institutions'as with the son! of the people. :It is a book which js full of good things, and the introduction of a personal and romantic interest adds rather than' detracts from its' general charm. (Price 95.) Mary Australian Poet. •■Front tho pen that gave us that delightful'little p6em- "Married and so much other verso wh.ch reflects tho working' of a feminine heart attuned, to every chord , of tfomanly, and especially maternal,' sediment comes a new volume of verse, ''The Passionate Heart: Poeins by .."Mary, Mmore . (Sydney; -Angus and Robertson ; A\c - higton, S.and WMlackay). lo all lovers of simple, sincere, graceful y eloquent poetry I can heartily commend • these new- poems . of ",J rs .GilmorQ 6. There is here no trace of that theatricality; no striving atter the exotic in form, no- laboured' morbidity such as Jthat to- which, alas, too many Australian, writers.of. verso have accustomed us. Mrs. Gilmore sings maml.v or homely scenes and .humble life. nor ve-rse is ever' imbued with' a spirit ot tenderest sympathy, ivitlr. thoso who strive and suffer. -She preaches a rrospel of courage and hope, never ignoring the sorrows and woes ot We, hut recognising that the darkest cloud may have some, sudden touch of'silver and that the gloomiest horizon is often the speediest to clear. The homely sentiment .which-rang eo .true i» iUrs. Gilniore's famous poem, "Mam d, and through so'much of'her earlier, verse, hen; again finds lyrical expression ae, for example, in the little poem entitled "To You":—i • ■ ■ ■

TViilkiri' down the roadway, ■Me aVonp-o' you: • •My-hand in , your hand, Like we'used to , do.

Moonlight or sunlight, :• • ■ Step '11 Step, US. two; Harp strings wasn't in.it,. Livin', through 'n through. ■ Little" touchin'B closer, ' ''■ Knocks. .'»!■'• bumps, 'nV- starts; . All the hot blood racin' . ■ • Through our enscr hearts. . Hands so warm together, tfoiiKiios'hiilf aliy. of talk: . Didn't scorn to matter ; •'. When wo usid to walk/. Now, I'd give the world ,-' And everything afloat Just for the road agam, - .-, And the. breath o£ your coat! The pathetic complaint of JJie woman who, yearning for wifedom and maternity, fails'to find ia mate; is voiced in soinc poignantly striking lines, entitled "The Mourning Vine": —' . There is a garden on the hill, . And there ji vineyard tilled; . . But I—l' bo into the dnrk Ungathercil, unfulfilled. : ... Ah! why .bo. I. like .this- ' \ .. A candle-flame, a. .breath •Unsncnding and unspent, . .". ' Into the halls of Death?. ' Nothing, to shpw. I lived! -.. Nothing to show I was! I an unfruitful vine? 0, gpds, who give! whciiaa The earth was glad in ihe eun Or scattered far the moon Iler silvor shower, and stars Flung to night's deeyer noon. The splintered, ray that pierced The pulsing void; and blood And sap creative ran Through flesh and tire and wood. Was I forgotten?. No! ... ■.■■■. . And yet unto'the wreath . . And veil of Death I eo. . Unwifcd, uninothering .;.:.. Ail for the. breasts that yearned-lo ache . That have no memories to take ■ Into that .loiicly house. '••... '-.- .'Tlißi House of Death. . Mrs. Gilinoro's patriotic verse, verso of the war period, does credit alike to her heart and her poetical, genius. 'Che bitter, cry,.a cry of sorrow mingled■with pride most just and noble, ifl reflected in the two fine poems headed "These bellowing Men" and "Memorial." From the former I take the •two final stanzas: . Young were their eyes and. young 'their . ■.' hearts. '.■■.'. I "Young were thoir sudden lianils; Their feet were swift upon the street As wind on desert sands. The desert eandH lie over tlienVQ, early Koiie -to sleep! '■ ■ Call up thy tears : where ' tho darkness hears; . . Call u>> Ihy loars and weep. Call up thy. -tears! . ■' '/ ■' ■ Yet ishalt thou smile 'remembering them, And pride give, comfort to ■ the after ■■• years • i-. •■ •' .. - ■ But,, oh,-they were so young, fib ; youiig! Khiiic 6un upon them'rtheri! they lie. And .storm aiidvwinter pads them by." And Darkness, pleading to--the earth'for ■ .light, ; :■■: ■■;■ . ' . • ' ' Ijean. over- them, as mothers might,' Lean-over 'them,'-ami say Good night! Good : night! : ■ . ■ ■ I Dead nvo tlicyoung, the'splendid young.

■ Some of. the-poems are tributes to the beauties of Sydney,'others describe rural scenes, and the rough, free life of the busli. Whatever its theme, Mrs. Ciilmoro's i - erse is always so true and wholesome' in. sentiment' and purpose that it is.to. bo. hoped-that , her New- Zealand, nu'djenco may be perceptibly increased by her latest work. •(Price, 6s.> -.' .: ~-;■.

Stray Leaves, ; ... ■• Frank . Swiniierton, 'ivliose clever story ."iVocturno" ...ivas s.iich a. sticcess, has; a : new'story out with .'Methuciis, "Slidps: and-Houses,." which: is being ; warmly prpUed by.ide'leading Engnsn reviews.. '.' v . ... '. . .'. .'Die. ne ; \v Kipling (prose) book is entitled "The-Eyes of Asia." It marks a temporary reversion to Kipling's earlier manner, setting forth the linp'rcs.sions of a native Indian soldier on the AVcstern frout. Also, we are to have a now book of Kipling' vorse, including the war'poems; indeed, everything in verse that"the author, has written since the collection entitled "Songs from Books" was published. By the way, apropos- to Kipling, many of his New Zealand. admirers niay'not : be-aware, as "Liber" was'hot until the other day, that Macmillan's publish a complete index to tho collected works, including the verse. The little booklet is issued at tlio modest price of sixpence, iuid- will be found 'most useful in giving' the exact place of each of tho scores of tales, sketches, ahd'poems which Kipling has given us. The very latest yam about that wonderful American writer, Anibroso fiicrce, whose works are now being issued, I nm glad to. seo; by a. Now York firm in a handy-sized edition at a.fairly reasonable price, is that lje was on board the ill-fated B.iiMsh warship Hampshire when - she was sunk. Previous to this it had boon supposed that Bierce, who disappeared from San l'Van(•isco rather suddenly in Ifll-i, had been killed in Mexico, where, so tho story went, he,, wan serving with the "Carranza troops. I notice that a leading KiiKlish weekly seems only just to have heard "of. Bierce's •. ivimlerfui • stories—and at-his best, in the mysterious and macubrn', he is nearly as as.good, to my mind, as Edgar Allan J'pi!—and actually . iiiisigines they are quito recent productions. As u matter of,fact Bierce's best-known book, a collection of stories mainly of the American Civil War, entitle:! "In the Midst of Life," was sol'l, in a sliillinj; edition, in England quite thirty years ago. Bierce wns for a time a contributor to "Eun," and wrote ronie grotesquo stories, under the nom-de-plume

of "Dod,. Grilc," which were jepublished by tho lrito John Caniden Hotten. In his day Hotten- published quite a number of hooks of American humour, including Artemus AVarfl's skctclies and the works of that now half-forgot-ten Yankee humorist, '.'Orpheus 0. Kerr," who was one of-''he'many husbands of the • much-married Adali Isaacs Menken, Siviiiburiio's- "Dolores," .and the author of some remarkable, poems, entitled "In felicia," which won a warm appreciation from Charles Dickens. ..-.■■

Any librarian will toll .von that anything and everything tliat appears in print about .Napoleon.-has ■always ' a .special mid deep interest for a big section of the reading public—of course, I mean readers of solid literature, not mero novel gourmands. Every year that passes, by witnesses a substantial addition to the already portentous bulk of Napoleonic literature, and'even , during the period of the great war—a greater war than even Napoleon ever dreamed of—there have been several new books on this most remarkable figure , in history. The very latest is an historical romance bv the late Professor J. A. Cramb, who, just before ■the war, wrote that notable book, ''Germany and England." The title of tho novel is "Sclionbrunn, a Romance of Napoleon." In 1809 Napoleon was at the very zenith of his power. " Professor Cramb's- romance deals -with., but three days of Napoleon's .career, but it is evidently a work of great power. Borthier, llapp, Duroc, and Savai-y- are amongst the subsidiary figures*'.ami.the.attemptp.l assassination of the Emperor, by Fredcrhk Staps, the soli of a Protestant minister at Naumberg, is introduced. "The. Times'' review (a column), is., on the whole, very : laudatory: 1 am gla I to seo that ■ "Tho Tints' , .reviewer pays a high compliment to a novelist whose Miu'litary novels 1 devoured in my youth, and can dill read with pleasure. I refer to Charles Lever. "The Times" says: "Few writers, if nnjvliavo given us a better idea of the external-sensation nyduced by the, Emperor than Chni'ics Lover." I must really .lip into "Toni Burkn of.'OurV , and "Charles O'Ma]ley" once again 'after- this, 't lfiiiy be some time' before 'Professor Ciamb's. romance roaches the New Zealand bookshops.' It should have a large sale. . ... .. .-'-■.--