BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 15

BOOKS OF THE DAY

.Two tiooks by Christopher Morley. , v The once somewhat soanty but ever, so the booksellers tell me, increasingly numerous company of admirers which the young American writer, Christopher Morley, has secured in New Zealand will welcome the news that not only those two old favourites, 'Tarnassus on Wheels" and "The Haunted Bookshop," are now to be procured at tho bookshops, but that two entirely new books from the eame pen are now on sale. locallyThese are a book of essays, bearing the appetising title of "Mince Pie," and a fanfasfic skit on the American prohibition law, "In the Sweet Dry and Dry," ,tho former being published by the' George ' H.. Doran Co., the latter by Messrs. Boni and Livewright, New York, (per Whitcombe and Tombs). In "Minc'o Pie," as 'in {he earli«r "Shandygaff" essays. Mr.. Morley, seems to have taken for his inotto fliat famous "Happy which Robert Louis Stevenson enshriried in his "Child's Garden of Verses" < ' The world Is full of a number of things, I'm'sure we shall all be asiiapw as kings. Mr. Morley ia a second E. V. Lucas in • the ingenuity with which, he discovers original and' suitable subjects for a deftly-turned, brightly humorous essay. In "Mince Pie" the major part.of whose compinents first appeared in the columns of The Philadelphia Evening Ledger"; "The Bookman," and New York "Life," lie discourses on such diverse topics as "Filling an Ink Well," on "The Days we ■ Celebrate" on "A Marriage Service for Commuters" ("commuter"' spalls in English, the suburban dweller who' travels on a season ticket), on "The '.Sunny Side of Grub Street," on "Unanswered Letters." on "Sitting, in the Barber's Chair, etc. ate. Also, the book inoludes a delightful bit of parody, "A Greeting to American Anglers" by good old Isaak Walton,. plus a "complaynte" from Mistress Walton to'her mother, of the way her Isaak neglects 'his shoo to co "a-fishing." • "The Dinr.v of a Publisher's Offico Boy," "If Mr. Wilson Were the Weather Man," and "Advice to Those Visitinj? a Baby," are full of a sly and genial'humonr which is most captivating. Occasionnllv. "as Vefits the author of "Songs of a,Little House" and "The Rocking Horse," Mr. Morley emulates the immortal Silas. Wegg, tnd "drops into verse." I specially commend to ell members of the journalistic fraternity the haopily-conceived fancy (in the essay on "Filling an Ink Well"), which bears the caption,. "A Grace Before Writing": Holding the bottle towards the light. This la a. sacrament,'l think! As bine as lupin gleams the ink: : ITay Truth be with .'me as I write! That small , dark cistern may. afford Reunion with some vanished friend, . And with this ink I have just poured May none but honest words'be penned! Incidentally, in those essays, one gets hints as to certain literary preferences of the author, as to his devotion to the "nicotian weed"—there is an essay on tha humble corn cob pipe which every smoker must greatly enjoy—and there are many quiet and good-natured jibes at. current fads and Bocial shams. The all-pervading note is one of. healthy humour and a gay, optimism,' both of which are, I take it,' admirable qualities to .find in a presentday social philosopher. On the cover .of the .volume is a publisher's encomium pre. liminary: "Full of wit, happiness, and human kindliness." The,', commendation ishereby confirmed .by ond reader at least. "In thei Swteet Dry and Dry" Mr. Morley, has had a collaborator, Mr. Bert Haley. Thij. book is a riotously funny fantasy, •: describing cortiuri-'bappenings in America, after two years' experience of the now famous Eighteenth Amendment. The authors- tell how a host of people, having discovered that liquors of a deliriously intoxicating power could be made from the humble dandelion, from the homely gooseberry, and all sorts of apparently quite innocent vegetables, one Bishop Chuff, the tcrriblo leader of the "Pan-Antis," sets to work to take Nature in hand. . Whereupon a certain highminded and ingenious "Moderate," one • Virgil. Quimb'etbn, organises the "Corporation for the.Perpetuation of, Happiness," and a dfaparate struggle with the "Pan-Antis" forthwith conimencos. A most-amusing, if wildly grotesque, extravaganza .has for its climax the sue-, cessful establishment of the "Perpetual Souse" in a remote oountry shrine. This/ fortunate individual is kj&pt in a state of mild alcoholic <\xhilaration, in order that a nation utterly and irreclaimably "dry" may have the opportunity of observing, as an antiquarian curiosity, exactly what were the effects of the discredited "booze." How Bishop Chuff himsslf—but, no, I must not spoil for readers of the book the fun which.,they will get." "In' the Sweet Dry and Dry" is d,edicated, so I notice, to the iiigenioiis Mt. G. K. Chesterton. who.m, by the wayi the authors style "that most delightful,of modern decanterbury pilgrims," "In the Sweet Dry and Dry," however it may be viewed by our prohibitionist friends, cannot but be pronounced, as was Mr. Chesterton's famous "Flying Inn," a bit of admirable fooling. Books.'for the Young People, ' Several books which . appear to be specially suitable as gifts for youthful readers , lie on my study table this weekFrom Messrs. Allen and Unwin comes a beautifully printed and daintily illustrated: volume, entitled "The Children's Life of. the Bee." Maeterlinck's masterpiece has beer, converted into a wonder hook for children by Messrs'.- Alfred S.utro and Herschel- Williams, who havo selected and arranged many of the more interesting passages of fhefamous entomological history study, so as iloform an enchanting. fairy story for the young folk. The result is a Naturo book which follows . as closely as possible tho thought and language of the bomplete work; and which, provides a rich feast of curious entertainment for youthful readers who might not bo able to grasp the greater detail and Subtle philosophy of the original and complete version. The coloured illustrations by Mr. Edward Detmold are admirably in keeping with the text. The book should- bo very popular as a Christmas gift. In "Litlle Ragged Blossom: More About Snugglepot and Cuddlepie" .(Angus and Robertson, Sydney, per Whitoombe and Tombs), that clever Australian artist-author, Mis? May Gibbs, whoso Christmas books for children are so well known and deservedly popular, gives .-us a further instalment of tho wonderful adventures of those droll little people, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, to say nothing of Winky, and ihe Jerboa, and a host of other denizens of that thicklypeopled land of imagination wherein the Bordnia Babios and tho Wattle Babios and the Flannel Flower Babies of Miss Gilife's earlier books again disport themselves so gaily. The 'illustrations, of which there are a large number, 6ome in colour, orhers in black and' white, display that prodigality of grace and humorous fancy for which Miss "Gibbs has earned such widespread popularity in Australia, Some of them are quite excruciatingly funny. Altogether, tin's is a capital book for the very young folk, and should be in great demand at tho bookshops during the noxf- week or two. From Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch, come two prettily got-up booklets, "Sand Playmates" and "Sand Babies," tho author being Miss Isabel Maud Peacocko, a clever Auckland lady, who has now several excellent stories of child life to her credit, and who may be onlled the New Zealand Ethel Turner. The tiwo booklets are intended for an audience of quite tiny readers, the stories they oontain being a happy combination or simple natural history and faiTy lore. Mies Peaoocke is fortunate in having her prettjr ond very charming fancies illustrated by an, artisl, Trevor Lloyd, who haa been specially successful in reproducing in his clovi-i and graceful pictures, several of which Are in colour, the very spirit and feelWS! of the text. ' The booklet* sie most, fcrftstically produced, and prove that in typography and book Illustration No'

Zealand work is quite equal to anything iflmt can be produced in London or New York, .