Books Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1027, 18 July 1930, Page 14

Books Reviewed

A DISTINGUISHED SURGEON iTiIOSE who know anything about surgery, even from the layman’s point of view, are familiar with the name of John Bland-Sutton Bart., the greater part of whose life has been spent in the service of Middlesex Hospital. Sir John has Just written a very fascinating autobiography in which many delightful glimpses are given of his crowded and interesting career. His interests have not been confined entirely to surgery although, naturally, that science has been his passion, but natural history, the theatre, travel and good companionship have all added to his rich storehouse of memories. Sir John’s father was a naturalist and gave his son an avid interest in all things that fly, run or crawl. His early interest in animal life probably inspired him with his ambition to minister to the needs of man.

After outlining his early struggles and problems, Sir John gives us interesting stories of his student days, incidents from dissecting rooms and operation theatres, and tells us of queer exhibits in pathological museums and of his frequent visits to the Prosectorium at the Zoo. The conservative surgeons’ attitude toward some of Sir John’s earlier work, particularly the antagonism aroused by his zeal for abdominal operations, aro told in one chapter. His pioneer work, however, came to be accepted by surgeons the world over. *T combated hostile professional opinion by making my operations accessible to medical men and medical women from all parts of the world and by publishing the results,” he writes. “Every facility was given alike to friend and foe. Gradually opposition ceased.” Sir John performed very distinguished work during the war and had the. uniqbe distinction of treating the victim of the last gunshot wound of the great conflict. It did not injure some tired veteran on the Western Front, as might be supposed, but happened in quite another "area.” Shortly before 11 o’clock on Armistice Day, Jane P , aged 50, a plump cook, accompanied her kitchen-maid to the top of the area steps to listen for the Armistice Gun. When the bomb burst something struck her and it was found that she had been wounded in one foot by a curled fragment of metal from the case which had contained the bursting charge of the bomb. History doesn’t record that the plump cook Is now entitled to wear a gold wound stripe on her full-dress uniform!

Honours have been heaped upon Sir John, culminating in 1925, in his election as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. On that occasion Mr. Punch commissioned Mr. George Belcher to execute a cartoon of the eminent surgeon which, readers of “Punch” may remember, carried the verse: Some surgeons cut you up like mutton Hut that is not the way with Sutton. Hland as his name, though stern of eye. He couldn't bear to hurt a fly. * The Belcher portrait and other illustrations figure in this most excellent autobiography which, in addition, carries an amusing Preamble by Rudyard Kipling. "The Story of a Surgeon." Methuen and Company, Limited, London. Our copy from the publishers. Tell-tale Walls Most people have had reason to know disconcertingly that walls have ears, but what is to become of privacy if walls also have eyes? This new terror in an age of phenomena, in which ghosts are looked for, or at least expected, like tourists, has provided the theme of an exciting story by “Ganpat,” whose gift of blending quasi-science with romance puts him well ahead of many mystery writers with a flattering popularity. And he has made the most of his original idea. Do the walls or ancient houses, or even the caves of our ancestors, retain the pictures that were projected upon them down the centuries by their inhabitants? There is electricity in everybody, and why should it not.

under great stress of emotion, be radiated in images on the immediate surroundings? Ghost stories and haunted houses usually are those associated with murder or suicide. Why? You must accept "Ganpat” as guide and t’eacher. If be should fail to convince, he at lea. will be certain to fascinate. The scene is set in the Sussex weald, and moves excitingly in the rooms of very old houses. The story is by no means too technical—indeed, it is merely necessary to believe that Andrew Miller invented a wonderful camera, which could and did reproduce pictures proving in a most intriguing way that walls have eyes. A most engrossing romance. "Walls Have Eyes,” by "Ganpat.” Hodder and Stoughton, London. Our copy from the publishers’ Sydney representative, Mr. IV. S. Smart. An Omnibus Edition Billed as the first cheap “omnibus” edition. Miss Dorothy Sayers’s anthology of thrills, "Great Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror,” containing over 1.000 pages and 06 stories, has been issued by the House of Gollancz. There is no need to stress the excellence of this edition, which has had an enormous popularity. The book has already been reviewed in detail on this page. Suffice to say that here are tales from Poe to H. G. Wells; from Ambrose Bierce to Arthur Machen; from Bram Stoker to Walter de la Mare . . . examples of every type of mystery story. "Great Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror.” Victor Gollancz, Ltd.. 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London. Our copy from the publishers. This edition is priced at ss. Marriage & la Mode There was a time when marriage was regarded as a state in which to repent at leisure. Doubtless this is still strictly true, but the warning is no longer a formidable one, for repentance lasts exactly as long as it takes one’s lawyer to prepare the necessary petition. Here in a nutshell we have the theme of F. E. Baily’s frank and witty discussion of modern matrimony. “It Won’t Do Any Harm.” The title chosen for this delightfully pungent book gives a clue to the moral outlook of the characters. Olive Swayn. the girl chiefly concerned, has been two days on her honeymoon when she decides quite definitely that the attentions of her husband are distasteful to her. Accordingly, in a more or less roundabout manner, she proceeds to seek and capture a more —shall we say congenial?—male companion. The completion of the capture completes a tale of trivial but entertaining affaires de occur that never flags and seldom descends to mediocrity. The hotel head waiter Is a decidedly droll person. A cheerful sophisticated novel this, written with no purpose but to entertain. "It Won’t Do Any Harm,” by F. 13. Bally. Cassell and Company. Ltd., London and Auckland. Our copy from the publishers. “Meadows Of Youth” Brotherly love has inspired Tobias King’s "Meadows of Youth.” In its way it is a poignant tale of modern youth —of a Bister who loved her brother too well to marry and a brother who was inspired by the same love for his Bister. There is nothing unhealthy about this novel, but if every brother and sister loved each other with such devotion one is inclined to think that the "meadows of youth” would be barren country. However, as a subject for a novel it is excellent, and Mr. King invests it with both sadness and joy. The two children, left parentless, are brought up by a bitter spinster aunt. She dies and they are thrown on the world, but before that eventful journey begins they vow eternal love for each other. Life offers them other love. They accept it, but only temporarily, and our last picture is of this devoted couple setting out to face, one imagines, rather lonely days. There are some splendid characters in the book, and some exhilarating pictures of a tramp through Switzerland. “Meadows Of Youth.” John Lane, the Bodley Head,. London. Our copy comes direct from the publishers. A Farcical Situation

The monarch of Jethou—Mr. Compton Mackenzie is seigneur of a small island of that name in the Channel group—has been diverting himself with a very light novel, probably as a relief from more serious work. We are not inferring of course that it is any less difficult to write a light novel than a serious one, but it must be rather pleasant for an author to be able to “ring the changes” to suit his mood. This farcical tale, “April Fools,” is cleverly written (as one

might expect) and is provocative of many a fat chuckle. The Touchstone family, which figured in “Poor Relations,” is with us again in this novel. John Touchstone, wealthy dramatist, gives his country house to his impecunious brothers, “-inlaws,” and their children, conditionally upon the whole family going into residence at the same time! The result is chaotic. A soured journalist, a follower of the turf, a nagging widow with a bespectacled, pasty-faced son, an inconsequential young architect, a Church of England clergyman who has thrown up a living to go on the stage, an actress mother and her two impish children, Viola and Bertram, all settle down to family life at "Ambles.” “Shambles” might have been a better name! Bertram and Viola are really most delightful and amusing youngsters encountered in this fashion—on paper—and the episodes in which they figure are richly

humorous. Mr. Mackenzie has evidently enjoyed this romp with his readers. It is all very jolly and effortless. “April Fools.” Cassell and Co., Ltd., London and Auckland. Our copy from the publishers. A Peacemaker's Speeches. Last year when Mr Ramsay Mat Donald, Prime Minister of England paid his historic visit to the United States, he was feted as no visitor h~d been feted in years, and the conse iiuence was that he had to deliver many speeches. These have now been collected in book form so that the English-speaking world may have an opportunity of learning how much the personality and intellectual skill of the Prime Minister had to do with the successful launching of the negotiations on naval affairs which have since had such a happy outcome for Great Britain and the United States. Few of the speeches were carefully prepared, and they were for the most part delivered extempore. Yet a variety of topics was covered, but always there was the central theme of Anglo-American amity, and how its attainment could be made permanent. Reading these speeches students of international affairs can acquire new knowledge of a great man. A man so sincere, so gifted intellectually that ha had only to speak from his heart to say the right thing. Had he failed to create the proper impression with his public utterances his visit would have failed; but it did not fail: it succeeded triumphantly. The volume is introduced by General Dawes, United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James. “American Speeches.” J. Ramsay MacDonald. Jonathan Cane. Our copy frcica *he publishers. Great Open Spaces. The latest addition to Dent's Out ward Bound Library, “Canada West,” by Frederick Niven, gives a fine description of the social life, general conditions, and scenery of this vast country. As the author says: “Vastness is the Open Sesame to any im pression of this land.” He successfully creates the impression of this vastness and his book is all the more interest Ing because of the unconventional method of approach. Guide book in formation is not given in guide book form, but the inquirer will find an answer in it to all queries that rise In his mind. Mr Niven describes the country as it was in the old adven turous days, and he describes It as it Is now. His information is imparted vividly; there are brilliant descrip tive passages, and occasional flashes of humour. “Canada West.” Frederick Niven. J. M. Dent' and Sons. Our copy from the publishers.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

“The Church and the Labour Movement.”—An address delivered before the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in the State of New South Wales, by the lit. Rev. the Moderator, C. A. White, B.A. ”1 pp. Angus and Robertson, Lid., Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Copy' from publishers. “The Story of a Lost Day.”—A brief examination of the plans for a world-wide movement to adopt a new calendar and an explanation of the distress that such a change would bring to many thousands of conscientious persons. 90 pp. From the Religious Liberty' Department of the Australian Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists. Wahroonga. N.S.W. “The Tram Ticket Mystery.”—Or “Who Killed John Fultham?” By C. K. Thompson. Two books in one volume. 236 pp. New Century Press. Our copy’ from the publishers, 14 Panama Street. Wellington. “Aussie.”—Current number.