A READABLE MAGAZINE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 546, 6 July 1920, Page 4

A READABLE MAGAZINE

ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIVE

PLEASURE AND PROFIT,

FROM FACT AND FICTION

(By LITERATI'S.)

Amid all the mush of muddled idens one finds in the realm of nwrazinedom it is refreshing to pick .'ip n production of the calibre of the Australian "Life." Take any number at random, says the May issue, and you find therein a wealth of literature such as few monthly publications contain. In fact, fiction, editorial articles, contributions grave and gay, science and philosophy, narrative of current events, historical essays, or brilliant and subtle detective stories such as "The Grey Seal Mysteries," the reader may revel to his heart's delight. And even the advertisements are of such striking design and so effectively composed that they, too, are of no small interest. Truly, "Life", faithfully, pleasingly and tellingly reflects life. It parades Truth in a garb which is entertaining without indulging in that masMne'ss which repels decent-minded readers.

With characteristic insight and fair-mindedness the editor gives the gist of current events of moment in Ihe political and industrial world, his masterly analyses being of a quality valuable to the student of affairs, and handled with a literary skill that save ttoem from the 'ti&.ual "dryness" of close-grained studies. Following the editoiial notes come.* a fine review, with discriminating quotation, of Frederick Harrison's

brilliant artice on many-centuned Constantinople. In the art of quotation the editor (Mr. T. Shaw-Fit-chett) displays the possession of what the French call "literary Hair/' namely, the ability to pick out the plums' from a literary pudding—in this case for the benefit of the legion of "Life's" readers. For special articles 'Life" stands out pre-eminent. And where can one find in current literature anything so inspiring, no magnificent in its story of self-sac-rifice and endurance, so full of the spirit of wholesome, appealing adventure as Captain Hurley's description of Shackleton's trip to Antarctica? It is a glorious page in the annals of travel and discovery, and should be read by all who realise that we owe the existence of our farflung Empire to that conquering spirit of adventure and wanderlust inherent in the blood of Britishers. This splendid series is profusely illustrated with the most striking set of photographs of their kind that have ever adorned printed page, greatly enhancing the worth of the letterpress.

Reeognising the recreative value (f contrast, the succeeding page contains a cleveiiv-conceivecl storv, "The Girl with the "Red Fox Furs." True to the whimsicality of her sex, the lady is more impressed by what Solomon (after he had passed his halcyon days) denounced as being but the vain adornment of the body, than with great matters of state, )f profound importance to more masculinity.

In "The Hat-Car Thief" i'elei Clark Macfarlane succeeds in accomplishing the seemingly impossible by making a readable story out of elements contained in base camps in France. To those having an inner knowledge of the methods and atmosphere of "brass hat" quarters the story appears to have a foundation of fact for the fictioral structure superimposed. Uncommon, ingenious and vastly cnte"aining are the extremely clevej detective stories conceived bv the fertile mind of Frank L. Pi'.knvd. Without being' sullied by any trace (if the crudely sordid, vr it blatant sensationalism, tho.-.n stones a/.e masterpiuces, and they J.iKl tie mind .m----tralled fioin the fiist li-<: to the last, and triumph of the story writer's a»*.! -'.hey make one huonsely ea, r ei to secure the next sory, though each one is completed vr- the issue in whicli it commences. The narrative bj Sir Ross f-mith, K.8.E., of his "Journey Through Cloudland," or in other wo'ds the airplane (I prefer "airplane'' to "aeroplane") journey n*om London to Australia, i* a description of an unique event, faithfully and well told, i'nd suitably illustrated from photos taken on the journey. It is a spierdid addition to the story of man's fight for the mastery of locomotion in the air.

The next pages are devoted to able criticism of new books, interesting ind -nstructivc paragraphs for 'overs ol science, invention and fcport, a (|ucry department, where seekers alter knowledge have their enquiries ruthoritatively answered, and a 1 sally iseful and achievement inspiring page for men who want to get on in Ihe world. Following this miscellany is :• remarkably trenchant and vivid battlepicture of The Great War, by Walter Shaw Sparrow, who gives his veishi of the causes of the terrible—and at the time seemingly calamitous—failire of the Fifth Army, it is possible that some of the Australians and New Zcalnndcrs who were h-isUiy despatched to help fill the breach will not agree vvitl. the whole of Mi. Sparrow's championship of the Fifth Army, but, however that may be, ii is a valuable contribution to the elucidation of a still Unexplained debacle. Incidentally, ific writer <lr v.v> a pathetic picture of the nun of Harbonnieres, a loyal soul whom not all the artillery of the inwKling lie henzollern hordes could make.af va M, and who waj-uiven release her patriotic aim "spiritual griefs by a merciful shell hurtled to the L.m; of the Hvmn of Hate.

Articles under the- captions •>! "Christ's Solution of the Inc'lus!;n.a Problem" (F. R. Horton, M.A...D.D.) "Fun of the Monti),"' anil "How Millionaires as a Race Must Expire" (b\ one of the biggest of tiiem— Charle.« M. Schwab) conclude a magazim briniMi of educative matter —weM worfflstnv man <>r woman's shilling.