Books.

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 12, 16 November 1928, Page 13

Books.

MANY LATITUDES.

E. Tennyson

Jesse

AN excess of versatility is to be creited to Miss ‘Tennyson Jesse. Once more this accomplished writer has given evidence of her literary gift, insight into the manners and morals of other countries than her own, and deep charity and comprehension of all sorts and conditions of the people of the globe. . Coming of cultivated and artistic stock, one is not surprised ‘to find the writer at home in a diversity of style and story. She writes of ships as if she were a sailor, of slums as’ though a dweller therein; and gives a memorable and cameo-like portrait of the sacrificial love of a Hindu mother for her child in the leper settlement of an Eastern State. "Greater Love," of which this is the theme, is perhaps the finest, and certainly the most haunting, of the half-dozen tales collected in this latest collection of the author’s art.

In the long short-story that gives its name to the book, "Many Latitudes," there is authentic atmosphere of a ship upon the waters, in this cise sure rounded by atmosphere of mystery and adventure of piracy and sophisticated fraud. We come across’ excellent drawing of strange types, interest being enthralled by the strange and bearded captain, with his lovely, fickle wife, the Helen who alone in the world. is loved by the hard and crafty seaman, and who is unfaithful to him without a qualm. In "Baker’s Fury," that sombre tale, a girl of the _ sgoil, uneducated, unfriended, silent, and dour, in religious hysteria sacrifices to her gloomy Jehovah, the dearly loved and tended Christopher John, ending his merry, rollicking life of six years in 4 mood of passionate abasement. Nat a pleasant story, but bearing ths stamp of emotional reality. . In "The Love Letters" interest veers to Russia of the Revolution, and we have a short and tragic tale of viclence and shattering destruction of whatsoever things are good and lovely in that great and sorrowful country; the personal note introduced by the finding of hidden love letters and a wife’s implacable jealousy. A panorama of nations and countries, presented with this author's proved sympathy, restraint and know-ledge.-R.U.R.