NEW BOOKS AND CHRISTMAS PUBLICATIONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 30, 29 December 1883, Page 6

NEW BOOKS AND CHRISTMAS PUBLICATIONS.

[By Our London Coeiusspondent.]

Hints as to Book-buying— Tins Book of the Season — Trollope — His Best Novel — What His Thought His Bkst— Walter Bksant's Last Stouy— "All in a Gakden Faiu"— " A Great Treason," and ' -Alison" —New Volumes ix 3s Cd Series— Turgknikkf's Nihilistic Tales— A HionLY-sucCEss-ful Story—" John lliouring "—The Chhistmas Annuals— What We are Promisiod— Christmas Numbers of the Newspapers— CALDECorr's Piuture Book — The "TitBits" Mania.

London, October 26. The months of October and November arc par excellence the publishers' season. It is at this time of the year that all the most tempting works of travel, fiction, and biography make their appearance Juvenile books, too, issue from the press in hundreds daring the late autumn, anil novelties in baby literature lie thicker than ever on the librarian's counter. The occasional reader has so many dainties to chooso from that lie is puzzled where to begin, what to take up first. I can't help thinking, therefore, that a few friendly hints from an omnivorous devourer of all sorts of literature may not come amiss to some of you good people in New Zealand. One has so many opportunities in London of learning what books ought to be read, and so few in your part of the world. I know when I lived in Auckland I should often have been glad of a word or two of advice. Books are expensive luxuries at the antipodes, and few care to give six or seven shillings for a story on speculation. A good novel or an interesting work of travel m ell repays the purchase money, but many of the volumes "spawned upon publishers" nowadays are the v eariest ot trash. Let me see if 1 cannot tell you something that does deserve perusal. The book of the day is, of course, Anthony Trollope's most interesting autobiography. I sent a long series of extracts from this work via Brindisi, but those who enjoy the sort of "truth that is stranger than fiction" should read every line of the two volumes. Afte wards, some of you who are not familiar with the deceased novelist's stories may like to read one or two of them. For my part I have always thought "John Caldigate" Trollope's best novel. It is not perhaps so pathetically touching as " The Warden," or so clever as the "Last Chronicle of Bursel," but the plot has been well thought out and carefully pieced together, and the characters are wonderfully life-like. It seems curious, doesn't it, that the stories poor Trollopo himself considered almost his best, viz., "Linda Tressel" and " Nina Bnlatka/' were on all hands condemned as amongst the worst things he had written Remembering the enjoyment I experienced reading those truly charming stories, "The Chaplain of the Fleet" and "All Sorts and Conditions of Men," it was with feelings of the most pleasurable antici pation I took up Walter Besant's new novel, "All in a Garden Fair." Let me confess candidly I was disappointed. The first volume is decidedly dull, and though the tale improves vastly as it progresses, one lays it down with a feeling that the author might easily have done very much better. "All in a Garden Fair" is the "simple story of three boys and a girl." The girl of course is the heroine, and the three boys are her lovers. When the tale opens they are children living with their respective parents in a suburban village near London. We trace the youth of the thiee lads, and learn how, in different, ways, each wooes the girl. At twenty-one they propose, but Clare's father insists on a probationary period of three years, at the end of which she shall be free to choose the one of them she loves best and respects most. Then the three lads sot off to make their fortunes : one adopts literature as a profession, and undergoes great privations in London before recognition comes ; another starts for China as the representative of a great mercantile firm ; and the third becomes a speculator on the Stock Exchange. What meed of success each attains, and which secures the beautiful Claxe, I shall not indicate. Some of the characters, notably that of the heroine's father, a French refugee, one M. Phillipon, are drawn with all the author's pristine skill ; in fact, the book, though not in Besant's best style, is well worth x'eading. "All in a Garden Fair " forms, a.s I think I told you last mail, part of the annual volume of "Good Words." " A Great Treason, a Talc of the American War," by Mary M. Hoppus (2 vols., 9s), is a capitally written story of the first rebellion, which will please old and young alike ; and " Alison," by Miss Butt (author of " Delicia " and " Geraldine Hawthorne ") may also be safely asked for. Charles Gibbon's " Golden Shaft," and Wynter's "Regimental Legends," are now obtainable in the 3s Cd form, and McMillan and Co. have added May Lallan's Irish stories to their calico-bound 2s series. "Flitters, Tatters, and the Counsellor," is the best of this lot, though " Christy Carew,""Hogan, M.P.," and the "Hon. Miss Ferrard," ai'e all supposed to be more or less clever. The shilling edition of Henry James's brilliant and popular novel has been promised for next week, and will, of course, have an enormous sale. "The 3 3 ortrait of a Lady " is now recognised as a standard work, and should find a place on the shelves of all well-regulated libraries. " Daisy Miller " and "The Siege of London" are, however, my favourites. The Russian romances of Turgenieff are to be issued immediately at Is apiece. They circulate freely in the United States, but the only one I ever tried, viz., "Smoke," was terribly stiff reading. Some months ago a Somersetshire clergyman, the Rev. S. Baring Gould, published a novel called "Mehalah ; a Story of the Salt Marshes," which attracted a great deal of attention, and was most favourably received everywhere. Another tale by the same author is just out, and I shall be much surprised if it doesn't prove one of the big successes of the season.' "John Herring," as Mr Goulds second attempt has been called, deseryes to be widely read. I see the "Times "this morning praises it sky-high, and am told the "Saturday Review " follows suit. And now for a few words about the Christmas annuals. " Good Cheer" (Christmas number of "Good Words ") is already out. It consists of two novelettes, "A Maiden Fair," by Chas. Gibbon,, and " The Ducal Diamonds," by an anonymous author. Both are rather ordinary tales, but will fill

up half-an-hour agreeably enough on Sunday afternoon. Walter Besanfc, besides contributing a short story to the Christmas " Graphic," will do the winter number of "All the Year Round" this time, to be called "A Glorious Fortune." B. L. Far j eon has returned to the bosom of " Tinsloy V and in " Bud-Blossom Flower " supplies a soquol to the popular " Bread and Cheese and Kisses. " ' ' Grant's Annual " will consist ot a one- volume novel by Francillion, styled "A Great Heiress," and "The Gentleman's," of two stories, by Percy Fitzgerald and Mrs Alexander. The " Belgravia Annual " is, as usual, an olla podrida of short stories, and so are " Judy's " and " Diproses." Tho " World " calls its Christmas number "The Last Voyage of Samuel Gulliver." Mr Gladstone, I hear, is to represent Gulliver. " Truths Christmas number will be in much the same style as former years, save that Barnum plays a prominent part in the story. Justin McCarthy's " Short History of our Own Times" (six shillings) should be ordered at once by every father with a growing family. Apart from being an admirable text-book, it is as entertaining as many novels ; in fact, the sort of work one ought to have in the house. Mr Phelps, of " Gatos Ajar " celebrity, has supplemented that much over-rated tract, with another semi-religious, semi-hysterical effusion, entitled " Beyond the Gates " (2s Gd). It sells well. Sampsons-, Low, Marston, and Co., are adding three of Mrs Riddell'a later novels to their six-shillings series, viz., "Daises and Buttercups," "Alaric Spcncely," and " The Senior Partner." The last-named is a very good story, and much tho best of the trio. The same firm have issued an illustrated edition of J ules Verne's new romance, "The Green Ray," which, as it describes wonderful adventures in Scotland, should be popular amongst Otago folks. Children will be delighted with Randolph Caldecott's new picture books (Is each) — "A Frog He Would a Wooing Go," and " The Fox Jumped Over the Parson's Catc." They fully equal the earlier scries. "Playtime," a picture book issued by Chatto and Windus ; is also highly attractive, and for older children I can heartily recommend the annual volume of " St. Nicholas," and Mr Molest orth't, new story book, a pretty tale of the "Grandmama Dear " sort. The success of " Tit-Bits " continues to raise up a whole host of similar journalistic ventures. Within tbe last six weeks, "Smart Bits," "Funny Bits," "Best Bits," "Warm Bits," "Big Ben," "The Tatler," " Cassell's Saty Journal," "Tho Age," and "Scraps," all weeklies of the same sort, have appeared. The only ones likely to last are "Scraps" and "Smart Bits," both much superior to the rest.