THE READERS' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 2 May 1914, Page 6

THE READERS' COLUMN.

I (Conducted by James Wortley.) Books .supplied for review are from Mr. A. S. Brooker, The U.K.. Bookshop, Devon street. \ ■ NOTES. J "How (o Become an Author," by Arinold Bennett (the Literary Correspondence College, 5s net), purposes to bo a practical guide to the technology of till i profession of letters. It may be all it | purports to be, or it may not. Of that I am no judge. But whatever its merit J may or may not be as a guide to the i craftsmanship of book-making, it has , clear and unmistakable merits as a I readable work. Keen sarcasm and |rnpier-like thrusts at the public task' 'mark almost every page. For instance: j "In remains for me to assure the aver- ! age mediocre novelist in posse, that if he minds his taste, produces regularly, perseveres in one vi'in, judiciously compromises between his own ideals and the desires of the public . . . ho may safely rely on a reasonable return in coin." There are to hand some notable additions to Collins' Nation's Library, as follows:—"The Story of Trusts," hy M. V. Hirst, M.A.; "The Land Problem," by Robertson Smith; "British Commerce," by H. H. Bassett; "Burns,", by Professor Watt. All of these are specially written for the series, which now includes a wide list of present-day subjects.

• The "sevenpenny net's," as the very handy little reprints sold at that price are called in the trade, bid fair to outbid the popularity of the '..'shilling" books. Both 'Collins and Newnes have added a large number of well-known books of late, both Action and otherwise. At this, price quite a library of standard authors may be obtained.'

TWO WORTH-WHILE NOVELS;

"The Purple-mists," by V. E. Mills Young, author of "Grit Lawless," etc. Loiulons John Lane, the- Bodlev Head. 1014.

The flame-colouring of South Africa is the setting we liigve for this vigorous portrayal of some very human '-characters. Enretta, who marries John Sha-.v, believing it the best way out of a difficult . position, is a.. very real woman developed of a sordid and unlovable environment through the years when she was growing to womanhood. Such a woman has-not learned .to love as love should be, and she fails to comprehend her destined part in the unity and full confidence of a happy marriage. Capable, energetic,, queenly in appearance, Enrc.tta, fills every social and domertitquality as a wife to perfection, yet fails to respond to those higher emotions and sympathies that alone can make the marital yoke a' light and easy on-2. Shaw, her husband, and a rising sur|geon at Cape Town, is a man of keen ; sensibility. The lack of complete understanding early results in (a drift 1 apart, and as the weeks and months go by the breach widens, Shaw finding relief I from his disappointment in plunging I with keeness into his profession. En-' jretta, qute unconscious of her failure to reciprocate the wealth of devotion Shaw lays at her feet, feels keenly her 1 husband's growing attention to his practice, resulting in more frequent and prolonged absences from home. If on coming home John ma<!e an endearing approach, Enretta failed entirely to respond. Arriving home 'to breakfast after a hard night's work, we have this: "I'm going slack this morning," he said, as he finished his meal. "I think I shall sit in the garden and read. . . . What are you going to do?" Enretta did not respond! Whenever he held out a tentative hand, however she might regard it afterwards, at the time a diffident self-consciousness held her back and the opportunity was missed.

"Oh! I've plenty to do," she answered. He gave her a. straight look. "Then I'll leave you to the doing. If you want we you know where to search." Here was another opportunity, vet though Enretta's thoughts turned often to the shady corner of the" garden where John Shaw sat and read, with the pipe between his lips, she had not sufficient courage to invade his privacy. And he waiting there alone, wondering whether she would join him, decided as time went on and she did not appear, that.he was a fool to imagine his presence would be a sullicient inducement to bring her into the garden. And when these misunderstandings 01cur, a mischief-making neighbor, in the ■person of Mrs Calloway, utters the untruthful innuendo which poisons linretta's mind.

A recklessness she has not before displayed takes possession of her, and ui the company of Len Cardiew and Mr. Dyaart, she seeks distraction from her own thoughts. Cardiew is merely an emptl nonentitiy, but Dysart's pitv lor the neglected wife turns to a deep and passionate love. Seeking to serve her in every way he can, she avails herself of this devotion, and an impossible position is about to be reached, when the vail is lifted and Em-etta and John see one another as true mail and wife.

Except that Enretta is pictured at one and the same time a3 being cold and seductive, the characters are faithfully and strongly sketched. The picture of the thriftless veidfurmcr and his peevish wife setting out for the dorp on market day is not altogether peculiar to .South Africa.

The Valley of the Moon,", by Jack Ijondon. London: .Mills and Booh Limited. 1914.

Jt is a far cry from the Spanish California of (iertrude Atherton's hooks <c the busy industrial turmoil to which .lack London introduces us in San Erin■cisco to-day. The Kleysian fields onmight expect to find in "The Vallev of the Moon" do not materialise until" the real tale is told.

Hilly Roberts, the ex-prize lighter who retains his "silk," even as a teamster is a very realistic individual, and so are all the other folk we meet on the lower levels of life' in San Erancisco Saxon, the trim little girl from the wife, is the one character who maintains her fine ideals throughout, and iina'iv wins through with her errant husband to a higher level.

-Bert, Billy's chum, is a tvpical Kcil I'ecl., looking for (rouble and limlin" p.enty. We are treated to very realist.c | descriptions of lockouts and strike | with the ensuing civic and domestic .' .- I orders they cause, factional limits ,| elasa wars with the very human ,'..- Iments of the story make" some intense rending. Undoubtedly the author writes "'ith a purpose, and we learn a <w.<t deal which may be correct of the Ascitic question in California, Mr. London aiso gives us his idea of some vital land problems. The story is, however s „t. fieiently good to make amends for these I innovations, which are not innovation. I with Jack London.