BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 115, 8 February 1919, Page 11

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

— (By Liber.) .

BOOKS OF THE DAY

"Tales of a Shikari." .Quito apart from the fact that all the profits from Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Slec- ' Win's capital little honk, "Tales of a Shikari" .(Wliiteoiiibe mid Tombs), are tri go to tlii) fnnils of tho Bed' Cross and 1 St- John Ambulance Association, tho Colonel's well-written descriptions of big giuno sliootins; in India should enjoy a wido circulation. The author, who conies of a family long imd honourably eon-; nectod ivitli both military and civil administration in India, spent somo years in' Nepaul, ft native State famous ns a sporting district, and enjoyed special facilities for mulling first-hand neciuaint,ince. with every variety -of big game hunting. What-.is 'more, lie. possesses the gift, not -Riven to every / big game sportsman,- of being able tn describe his experiences in such a way as to make them most fascinating to readers wlioso acquaintance- with -timers.' elephants, wolves, and other wild "heashes is; ordinarily confined to menageries ami works on natural history. Since the lata James Inglis, one-time Minister of Education in New South Wales, wrote that excellent hook, "Tent Life in ligerland, no mow lively and genera y enterta-in!!-work' on, the subject than that of. Colonel Sleenmn's has como my way " is too common an error to believe that tiger hunting is universal in India, whereas, on the contrary, that king of game beasts is only, to bo found in a few . districts. Panthers, bears, :and wolves, a$ well as elophnnt-s and hger» figure in the Colonel's record ,of Jus prowess-anil that of his .comjmnionsww a .sliitei, .and there are some oorioiw snake stories. The r.nt.wi; tells not a lev ftorios, especially those in figure, wbieh, as lie v.uts >t. mny ere; It test the credihilitv of the reader That fact can he stranger than the most-ingeniously coniponnilcd fiction is s''own by the following extract from the Crenel's entertaining pages A licoi\ racinp /or the jungle waa bowled oVor bv a lucky s!wt, fired by a well-known general. As the 0 rn;<n<l it. ndmirifff ltß-ler.Ktll, his A.U.U. osiicfl if be might lito a shot- aU it to en-, onrn itR lietns rtead. The general con«"n T ted knowing the youngster aud then dropped down dead. on . shot on tho tiger was then found to bo that of tho subaltern! Astonishing as this ■was, it was explainable. When the general fired, the bullet. lißyt P''';" tho tiger _to spring against :v tre?.. -o .'''o™ another Occasion a. ~tittcr.; w n» »het. and while the sportsmen .wore ahmit it an argument arose arto it» lengin. One of the. party said, six feet, so if I lio down beside it. you will then see.liow much longer it i'The speaker then lay down beside tile t.irer, which .Biiddonly carao to life, and bolted away. Improbable as are many similar stonca. ; tlicy. ara perfectly true. ; > • ! . .

' Colonel Slocman's book should have a large sale.. Tt is full of gooil'storiw. end makes excellcnt rcading. A specially attractive feature'of the boot;is n series of well-drawn anil very effective illustration? bv the well-known New Zealand artist, Mr. W. A. Bowring. Thoy are masterlv in their draughtsmanship,-and liavo been exceptionally well reproduced. "My Life of Adventure." | Mr. A". G. Holes, the well-known i Australinn journalist, war corrcapowloufc, and author of a series of very popular boolts, of which ono M'Glusky, soldier of iortune, is the hero, has now written Jus autobiography,- under the title. My Lite (IV Adventure" (Hodder and Stoughton). An Australian, by birth, : and -as hrmly convinced ns is even- the redoubtable-Jlr.-William fl«Bhcs..ti»at Ahstralia is • preeminently tho fairest land on earth, ilr. Hales has wandered far over the world s surface, and has been, priyileged to wit. ness a loii}' series of strange ..end cuiioiis anil often very exciting happenings, coucerning which, nud the part ho lias played theroih, ho now writes with ml his customary, vigour and vivacity. He has. been journalist anil actor, protessionnl boxer and gold miner, special correspondent, novelist, : and war correspond-' ent, and seems to write with equul gusto and unfailing entrain upon , all his very varied experiences. Whether he tells us how he prospected for opals, or travelled with "Billy Wurmser's theatrical company ill the back-blocks of Australia; •how he acted ns sporting editor of tho , Sydney "Referee," of his experiences at Broken Hill - find in Western Australia, of his adventures as a war correspondent in -SouEli Africa and Manchuria and -Macedonia (in the first Balkau war), or discusses his later experiences in the --Latin Bopublics -.of ■ South- -America, as a lecturer in' England aiul Ahieriea; or tells, .of his more recent work as a wiir correspondent in Franco and Italy, his narraitive .always-ilows easily, and is eminently readable.' The pages of this entertainiug volume fairly bristle with well-told laneedotes,.-: .-Solno of his best stories deal .'with..tlie..fanious ..pugilistsJie Jias.knwn, 'aiidTin the" course" ' of 'the 'book' nre'descriptiojiri.. of., several, positively Homeric 'conibntiffnot'dtwaya-ynth professionals as heroes) which the author has been privileged to witness. It is a matter for regret that Jlr. Hales has been prevented by space'limitations from recounting his experiences in this country. . ■ I had hoped (he writes) to say some, ■thing-concerning-a country I love and a, people I honour in this book of ivy Itiioclii about life, but New Zealand is a land that needs a book, to itself, anil a passing mention is in a senio an insult. Only a little, spot, .but the,home of heroes, a land whore democracy has reachcd tho highest lovel tho followers of Demos have ever attained, a . dream of beauty and a / joy for over, that iB a thumb-nail sketch of Now Zealand, The land never bred « snake, nor its women a Bneak. Somo day I am going,'back t-o tlie King Coun- ' try to see if any of my old Maori frieuds are left alive, to livo for a fow months I in a state of nature, as tho Maoris live, and renew my youth, and grow' closer, to God, whose ..voice is. on the whispering winds and in .tho rustling grass; to drink | again • tho melody of bough- rustling against bough,' and leaf kissing leaf in the kauri , pine forests; to bathe'in the hot lakes,rand laugh, with the- black-eycd, brown-skinned girls of the milk-white teeth; to fish for. cightipound trout (snigger, if you will, over the weight, ye men of ■'English streams and Scottish lochs), :to cast a line for salmon, ami to shoot the wild.pigs in the undergrowth, as»- be a- man again, please God.

May (ho genial roamer in bo many lands live to fulfil his wish. Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that his autobiography, sp excellent n book wherewith to-iiaas some spare-hours, is-dedicated to the" author's son, Trooper Walter I'. Hales,- "at. time of writing serving in the ranks of the Mew Zealand Mounted Kifles, somewhere in Palestine."' '.'Where Angels Fear to Tread." A. second book, from t'ho pen of Mr. A. : CI. Hales, is entitled ."Where Angels Fear to Tread" (Ifodder and Stoughton). This is a collection' of war sketches dealill":, for the most part with the Italian campaign, the program of which during tho 'last two years of the great struggle .4he author was privileged ■to .witness, a.s tho special correspondent; of some leading "British journals. Certain of the sketches describe life in the cities of Northern Italy, notably in Venice, during the war. Jn other chapters the jceno is laid on the'fighting fronts, the nuthor paying an eloquent tribute to tho marvellous engineering skill displayed by tho Italians, and tho sturdy courage and indomilablo determination of the troops generally. One chnpler possessed of special and peculiar interest is that , entitled "The Power of Propaganda." Here Mr. Hales draws aside, to such extent as flin censor has deemed desirable, the veil of mystery which has surrounded the temporary demoralisation and forced retreat.of Oadornu's army in Iho Udino. .After a brief roferenci! lo the success of German propaganda in Grceco- "at a very vital period of the war," Mr. Hales continues:— Tlio enemy propaganda, failed in India; it failed to shake the loyalty of Canada, New Zealand, or Australia, but it bliook Russia, to tho very marrow, and achieved liy "uile what German arms .could not Win "by force. It rotted Ireland lilio an internal canccr. and oven mado Bomo

Vive a man a pipe he can moke, • , . . Give a man-a .book he can read; ■ And his home is bright with a calm delighi Though the room, hs f oar indeed, . : -JAM Taomsos.

sllnlit headway i-n England and m Prance, and in Am eric 1 it' was bo dangerous at one period thai, had it not been for tho fact that the. Presidential chair ot that grout country waß tilled by tlio nblest man whom tho Almighty has yet called to cuidi! • American destiny, only Heaven knows .what would liavo happened. . . .

lioro ill" Italy, the propaganda work of our. enemy was seeu in its foullest form; it robbed tho gallant army of Italy of all ."the splendid laurels' won in some j.of the fiercest lighting history 'has recorded. and robbed the army in th« very hour of victory, when tlio .foe was gaHping and beaten, hammered out of all heart., anil quivering upon the very verge of smug for. peace.. It was worked from within; tools of Uermauy, stuffed with Gorman promises and German, gold, worked' upon the wives of the conquering 'Italian Army, .playing upon them in a, manner that Alacchiavelli could not havo 1 outclaiiscd.. Women's love was the weapon I used'by the. wild-beast of Potsdam, who i never' respected :any woman"feelings, or 1 considered any woman's honour. Jten | whs held positions of sacred trust were i the agents selected to mislead these devout, loving, and trusting women. The. xplendid army at the. front, the veteran army that'had dared and dono so much, was permeated with letters from loved ones telling tlio soldiers, of Italy Mint Austria's democracy was eager to end' tlio bloodshed nud liold out-the hand of fellowship. . . , For a good while these tactics failed, then the Mncohiavollian band in' Home concentrated upon one particular division in-the field. Ilotne lettora poured in, tolling the 'same specious tain. The soldiers did not know it was .made in Germany; they only knew they Jiad it from wives who had gleaned lit from lips, thoy had been taught to trust as puro and holy, from ■ tile ■ cradle. ... And in fullness of timo tho propaganda worltert. Tho men of the selected division .yielded up. its ipost, gave, ground at a fatally strategic point;, and. thought, poor fools, that thoy were paving the way to universal poace, and a right understanding botwen the democracies of tho belligerent Powers. Into that breach poured the waiting Huns like wolves into a Bhecpfold. . Tho olive branches turned to bayonets; slaughter, pitiless and unrelenting ,waa the rift thoy gave to the misguided men wiio were waiting to receive them as brothers. , . . How young Italy rose like a. ; goll defied in the face of the appalling disastor, and met the e'nomy's veteran troops, and held them back month after month, proves that Italy, .is sound to tho core. . . . All along the Piavo River, and on the slopes of the mountains that sentinel tlio plains of Ix>mbardy' their graves are lying thickly, but they did not dio in vain; they saved Venice, Padua, Milan, Verona, and . many another fair city from rapo and robbery, from fire and sword. Another or Mr. Hate's chapters—that headed '"Drink and tlio Great War"— .is of (special interest jjist now. Tlio author would have it made "practically impossible" for tlio::'"young soldier oh his return to civilian life to . obtain spirituous liquor," If. the trado in liquor is to bo continued, Mr. Hales— .although, speaking generally, he would seem to support complete prohibitionwould have "tho brewing of British beer put into the hands of the British ■ Government." Mr. Hales's'account of the wonderful deeds of Hie jUpini gives New Zoaland readers n very useful idea of the tremendous difficulties with which tho Italians had to contend in defending tho passes leading from the Tyrol into Northern Italy. A very readablo and on certain points usefully instructive book. , 1 A review of "Three' Tears .With tho New' Zoalandcrs," by Lieutenant-Colonel C, ,11. Weston, D.5.0.. (Sk<-ffiiigton,' per Whitcombe and Tombs) will-appear next woek on this page. Stray Leaves. In addition to the English translation of M. Ilene Puaux's "Biography of -Marshal Foeli," announced for publication by ilodder and. -Slough ton early in December last, wo are to have a work by the great l'Vreneh. commander himself, "Tho Principles of War." The fact that tho .English .translation is tho work of Mr. Hilairo Belloc is suflicictit warranty for tho skilful fulfilment of a task too often entrusted to 3ailly incompetent hands. Tlio 'book, which will' be published by Chapman and Hall, lays down the theorprinciples of attack and defence upon which Foch conducted his splendidly'successful campaign on the Western front;. There will bo. several maps and illustrations. Tho ■ Marshal contributes a'special preface-to the English 'edition. A recent cablegram informs us that tho Kaiser is' onco again indulging in wine and tobacco..- A Shakepoareaii quotation ("All's Well thnt' Ends Weil,", Act IV, Scene 3) seems appropriate. Parolles says; ' i "Yet, am X thankful; if my heart were great,' 'T.would' burst at this. Captain I'll bo no ■ 'more;' " But I .ivlll eat and drink, -and sleep as . soft' _ ■A'a captain shall; simply tho thing I am 6hall make mo live. Who knows himself a braggart, : ' Let him fear this; for it will come to paBB That, every braggart shall'be found an Itust, sword! cool, blushes! and Parolles, live ' Safost.. in ; «hamc! being, fool'd. .by foolery '.thrive! j There's placo afid means for every man [... alive.: ■ t I'll-Ufter thorn." ' ; [ That very humorous ■ story,' Mrs. | Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch,", has, I ;'sce, -readied, its fifty-second edition! i .'--Many' Now Zealanders w"ho havo en- : joyed the. light but always entertaining I novels written by Mr. and Mrs. (J. iN. I'Williamson, authors of "The Lightning •Conductor" and so many other very readable stories in which motoring has generally been very prominent, will bo sorry to hear that the long-existing literary partnership has been interrupted by the illness of Mr. Williamson. A new story by--Mrs.-Williamson alone, entitled "Every Man's Land;" was to 1)0 published in December. The Williamsons live oil the Itiviera, near Monte Carlo, and have been conspicuous in war work, .Mrs. ".Williamson and lh« staff of fVr household-winning a prize for tho greatest number of Red Cro?s bandages made in a: given period,;. ... . Henri Barbiisse, the author of that remaqlcablo book, "Undor Eire," and of "Wo Others," a second volume of War sketches mid stories which is highly spoken of, is starting"!! new Socialist papor in' Paris. Aii American literary journal says that Barbiisse is to have as co-#:ditor ftomain Holland: Hollands attitude towards the war-lie retreated to Geneva to view the struggle from a "philosophical" (and safe) distancegreatly lowered (he esteem, in which the author of "Jean Christojjhe. was formerly held in Ernnee, and it is curious that Barbiisse,. who, though a Socialist, was'solid for the inost vigorous ■prosecution of the struggle by 1 ranee and lho '.Allies, should now associate 'himself with lho ailllior in question. As a-member of the French Mission remarked lo "Liber" the other day, "Poland is a Frenchman with a Gorman soul," And naturally your patriotic Frenchman cim have "no time" for men of such a doublo identity.