BOOK REVIEWS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 7

BOOK REVIEWS

Reasons For Belief In

Human Integrity

"The Crisis of Our Age,” by P. A. Sorokin (Sydney: Angus and Robertson), A world distinguished sociologist, chairman of the Department of Sociology at Harvard University, offers this remarkable account of his reasons for believing in the integrity of human society and in the future of-mankind. In this penetrating analysis of the nature, causes and consequences of the contemporary crisis, Professor Sorokin asserts that we are living through neither the ordinary type of economic or political upheaval, as argued by-those who see no extraordinary cause underlying present conditions, nor the death-agony of Western society and culture us propounded by some more pessimistically inclined writers. He provides evidence and a reasoned case supporting his theory that we are entering a transition period, historically noted for explosions of war, brutality, destruction and revolution. The present crisis, he points out, involves the whole of our modern culture —arts, science, philosophy, religion, ethics and law, as well as the forms of political, social and economic organization. In this sense it marks the end of an epoch. Based upon the research of a lifetime, this book probes deeply. It offers not only the full anatomy of the present world crisis, but a magnificent philosophy'of history as well. . Unlike Spengler’s “Decline of the West,” Professor Sorokin's findings are hopeful aud constructive rather than inevitable and hopeless. .Much of bis philosophy is bound up iu the belief that man, in gaining control of nature, lost control of himself, but not beyond all hope of recovery. “The Crisis of Our represents in popular form the contribution of one of the greatest social philosophers of our day. It is an important book; a remarkable human effort of judgment. “Twixt Forth and Clyde,” by A. G. Williamson (London: Putnam). This is the story of the author’s journey through the Scottish “Black Country.” However, Mr. Williamson passes by industrial centres and writes of the many lovely corners of the Lowlands which are rich in historical associations. He must have been a very erudite visitor and often knew much more of the 'history of a place than did its inhabitants. He was, in fact, thoroughly steeped in the history ot the country through which ho was travelling and knew where to go and what to see. In consequence, “Twixt Forth .and Clyde” is most, interesting and well informed, beginning at Coatsbrjdge and finishing, via the Forth-Clyde Canal, with a walk along the Broomilaw in Glasgow. Mr. Williamson touches briefly on the history of each place tiiat he visited, and for him and his readers the Scottisa heroes from Bruce and Wallace to Bonnie Prince Charlie all live and fight their battles again. "Twixt Forth aud Clyde is profusely illustrated with photographs and also with the author's own diagrams of localities. “Free to Laugh and Dance, by G. IL Gilbert (Christchurch: Caxton Press). There is an inconsequential flavour about (he 22 sketches or stories iu this collection by a new aud presumably young New Zealand writer. Many of them are flimsy, but despite that there is something colloquial ami typically New Zealand in them in the manner of Frank Sargeson, but without the latter’s skill in the creation of our local speech. Mr. Gilbert has woven no involved plots, but han taken from the street and the bar incidents which are the stuff of daily life and treated them with an awareness of life giving new interest to the mundane. The chief fault: displayed by the. author is that he has allowed the depression years to bite deep into his philosophy and has neither seen beyond those experiences nor avoided sentimentality. However, they were worth writing and are not unprofitable in the reading. Like most of the productions of the Caxton Press, the book is typographically pleasW “The Hope of the Dawn” and other poenis, by ICdwyn Bevan (London: Allen and Unwin). The poems in this small volume represent the poetic output of a scholar who, before he leaves this life, wishes to afford them the chance of survival an opportunity . they whll deserve. Tliere is, perhaps, in them a harping on the old strings, as he himself suggests, but they make mellow music and they contain a nobility of thought and diction not often met with nowadays. Some ot the poems first appeared in such publications as "The Nation.” the "London Mercury” and the "Oxford Magazine, in itself sufficient indication ot their worth.