Books Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 14

Books Reviewed

“QUOD.”

Major Wallace blake, who has been Governor of several English prisons, begins by letting us see from a photograph what manner of man he is. It is not a descent to personality to say that his picture shows him as an alert, firm humorous, kindly, and intelligent man; for the picture only corroborates an Impression clearly to be formed from the pages that follow. But it is even better to start with it. To know one’s guide in advance, when entering the gloomy portals of Pentonville, is something gained. But if British prisons were places of unrelieved gloom and bitterness —happily they are not —the fault would not be Major Blake’s. The more serious aspects of Major Blake’s book were, in fact, the subject of a leading article in The Sun of Saturday, February 4, and that may excuse the reviewer if he dwells here rsther on the episodical side of the book. Major Blake has a penetrating and understanding eye for the many odd characters who came under his care. One of the most delightful was a dirty old reprobate called Tommy Gi een, who became greatly attached to the Governor. When Tommy was "out," he attended the Governor dally on one of his favourite though uncomfortably public walks. Missing him one day he inquired at the Governor’s door, found that he was ill, and retired full of anxiety. A few hours later the Governor’s parlourmaid opened the front door to a very dirty old man. And hastily a very dishevelled-looking parcel was pushed into her hands. "This for Frank Johnson,” announced Tommy, “from his friend, Mr Thomas Green, in the ’ope it’ll do him good. They’re all right, you can take it from me, because I got em from a chemist. Just a ’andful of pepper did the trick, and they’ll do 'im good.”

Opened, the parcel proved to contain some tins of beef jelly, a bottle of smelling salts, three boxes of pills, a roll of corn-plaster, a bottle of eau de Cologne, and various other oddments scooped with hurried dexterity from the counter of a chemist’s shop, what time the unhappy proprietor was writhing from the effects of a paperful of pepper thrown directly into his face. It is almost sad to relate that Tommy later tried the pepper trick once too often, with less noble motives, and got seven years. One likesj almost , as well, though, the gushing.lady who insisted on interviewing] Major Blake: 44 I*ve brought a dear dttle bunny rabbit for Percy.” Prisoners were not allowed to keep pets, he explained. “You silly old thing! It isn’t a live rabbit, its only a chocolate one, and I want Percy to have it for Easter.” There was the difficulty, Major Blake objected, of knowing every prisoner by his Christian name. ‘But you must know Percy, he’s such a darling.” This is a book of quite exceptional nterest, and is whole-heartedly recommended. “Qu<rf.” Major Wallace Blake. Hodder and Stoughton. Our copy from the publishers* Australian representative. Thanks, lan Hay Here is refreshing lan Hay again, a little more serious perhaps, but still the bright lan Hay of the war period. He seems to have become alarmed at the growth in England of “highbrow” Socialists, but not so alarmed that he has lost his light touch. Mr. Hay gives us a blind hero who, with the aid of a sympathetic Canadian girl, uproots a band of Moscow propagandists known as the Dodekadelphi. These “highbrow” Bolsheviks organise a motion picture industry in which some of the more amusing of the hero's wartime friends find work. Incidentally Mr. Hay gives us a wonderful picture of the blind and their treatment at St. Dunstan’s. He pours contempt on the people, who adopt that “Poor,, poor fellow,” attiltude toward the blind and shows us that, by their training, they are more self-re-

“Lights Up” A delightfully wholesome and refreshing story, one which appeals not only to those of mature years, but also to those on the threshold of life, is the latest novel, “Lights Up,” by Grace S. Richmond. Quite differentfrom her usual style of story, “Lights Up” deals with the heroine of a small American village and a hero of the same village, who grows up like the buildings which he designs for the great cities of the world. Characters both great and small are well delineated, and to the end the story grips one with the force of a magnet. A book well worth having in any library. "Lights TJp," by Grace S. Richmond, Methuen and Company, London. Our copy direct from the publishers. Two 44 Mac’s” A twin boy and girl, mothered by an antique aunt. The aunt thinks the boy a wonder —he thinks so him■self. The girl undertakes the management of the aunt’s small business, and builds up a paying concern. But the boy, the boy! The aunt puts him in charge, and the girl goes off and secures a fine position for herself in a larger business world, returning in time to see the business the boy has ruined being sold up. The woman is clearly the better man. A very interesting tale and an entertaining character study. "The Two Mackenzie’s," by C. E. M. jJoad, Methuen and Company, London. Our copy from the publishers. “Quarrelling with Lois” As the theme of "Quarrelling with Lois," Kathleen Freeman deals with! the emotional reactions of Gregory An-i well, a widower, who, chiefly as a result of an estrangement from his fiancee, visits a daughter, whom: he had not seen since her infancy, and seeks to claim her,. •The daughter is in the care of Gregory’s mother, and as between Mrs Anwell and her son there is a gulf in sympathy, there is an inevitable conjflict of wills when he declares his intention of taking away his child. When it looks as if Gregory will gain his purpose, he returns like Anthony to his Cleopatra, deserting the battle ifor the arms of Lois. The publisher’s note states that the story ends in a strain of love triumphant: actually, Miss Freeman merely shows that the success of Lois in wining back her lover is really due to' his lack of the paternal instinct. "Quarrelling with Lois.’* Kathleen Free-, iman. Jonathan Cape, Ltd., London. Oun f copy from the publishers. Tragedy As Comedy. Here is a book treating of tragedy in the style of comedy, written in that •fashion because life seems to happen jso often like that to the author. “CulJlum,” by E. Arnot Robertson, is autobiographical, but throughout the story one feels that the heroine is standing outside hbr own mind, and laughing harshly at times at what was life and love. Cullum Hayes is an author, a liar, a Isentimental, passionate young man, a knave and fool, and yet always attractive and appealing. He knows that he is weak, and yet is blinded by his jfancy into thinking that every little • affair is the Real Dove of life. With him, laughter, love, happiness, and wit kindled; but they die in their fullness. That is Cullum Hayes, and his story Is told by Esther Sieveking, who was drawn to him at first by their love of writing. How Cullum, with his facile sincerity, and blinded by his own lies into thinking that they are truth, takes all from the girl, giving all for a space, makes an absorbing story , and cne is loath to lay the book down. The girl’s love endures while she hates him, and the ending is abrupt, Cullum, even in death, making “the other fellow pay.” In the final scene, she assesses the stonr of his death at a quarter-column in a Parisian newspaper. Being a woman journalist, and having known and loved Cullum, she placed him and his story at their proper worth. A fine novel and an entertaining

one, this, and attractively produced by Jonathan Cape. •‘Cullum.” E. Arnot Robertson. Jonathan Cap Ltd., London. Our copy from