WAKING US UP?
NIGHTMARES, by Bertrand Russell; The Bodley Head, Enélish price 9/6. AM reminded of the famous story about Einstein, who played the violin at a refugee charity concert: "Although he played well, he did’ hot justify his. international reputation .. ., wrote a young reporter. Russell is always lucid, and always interesting; but as a short story writer he just isn’t. Nightmares is in the genre of Candide and Gulliver. There the similarity, the felicity (and even, surprisingly, the topicality) stop short. Heavy moralising and ham humour turn the good man into a promising contributor for a Cappicade of the political 30s. Eisenhower’s and Stalin’s nightmares become Bellamy re-dished: Utopia don’t come that easy, as an old Socialist once said about conversion. But, of course, Russell knows all this. He has been amusing himself, and once or twice we are amused, too. One nods in acreement. and then just nods. A bed-
side book, without a doubt.
A.
V.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19541105.2.26.7
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 798, 5 November 1954, Page 14
Word count
Tapeke kupu
159WAKING US UP? New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 798, 5 November 1954, Page 14
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in