Jottings

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 26, 8 January 1932, Unnumbered Page

Jottings

STARTING with "Tom Brown," we ~ "ave gone.on down the years, readigig innumerable school _ stories, hopigig to discover another masterpiece. "Early Closing," by D. Wynne Wilson, is perhaps not that masterpiece, but is a delightfully told tale of the ways and works of the inhabitants of a large English public school. Once upon a time, the book tells us, there was a house-master called William, who feared God, mistrusted the Government, and moulded other men’s sons to the best of his ability. And this house-master looms large in the story, for he is comprehending of spirit, witty of tongue, and sometimes very wise. The tale also concerns Nigel and Johnny Bentley, and their sister Lavender, who rather wistfully was aware she was no more to them than "a facetious creature who met them and saw them off, wrote exaggerated accounts of trivjal home doings, and took an annoying ‘interest in their affairs," Also skilfully portrayed are diverse interests and personalities of the microcosm, and lesser tragedies and triumphs of masters and boys, with hovering femininity encompassing them around and shout. There is the real authentic note in this vivacious chronicle ot schoolboy life. with its audacities, (eceptions, jealously preserved code. and gimlet-eyved percention of what is done and what isn’t. From study to pantry each group of characters is sketched with the incisiveness of etched portraiture, including denizens of the servants’ hall, ruled by Mrs. Turvey, whe was "a throw-back to nre-Renaissanece times, with a sackeloth-and-ashes strain in her mutterings and vale-of-tears outlook: her intelligence has petered ont, but her cooking remnined." The hook is a record of wild and to brow a strone wind. clean. invigorating and gav-‘Shelley’s wind. deep am reverberatine’-and a sense of snacionsness, fhe beauty beyond. "Tle looked np through the leaves, and his eonfidenre was not in himself, but a shining certainty of the renaissance of life. Sheilding his personality, he was part of life present and future. all lit with an eternal loveliness. ... Tn that moment there was no time, and sin and death were irrelevant." A very good story. with reenrring patches of quite heautiful ‘writing. % % % HE Arnold Bennet Omnibus Book will be sought after by those who like to have their authors under one cover, so to speak. It runs to over a thousand pages, includes ‘Accident," N\

"Wisie and the Child,’ "Riceyman Steps," and that great study of a modern politician, his domesticity and great amour, "Lord Raingo." All the

tales are in the brilliant author’s most characteristic vein, and many will be glad to renew acquaintance with his inimitable creations.. .

NOTHER "thriller" and a good one, "The Hye of Nemesis" is in Mrs. Philip Champion de Orespigny’s best manner, Mr. Selwyn is "nitrdered in his office, and no one knows who did it, but strong suspicion falls upon his private secretary, a nice young man, who obstinately refuses to disclose his doings on the fatal date. A nimblewitted girl, the young’ muin’s fiancee, takes a hand in the elucidation of the mystery, and with the help of an inspector in whom one thoroughly believes, and the film of a _ national pageant, light is thrown on dark doings and, as ever, all ends well, * * * ye. GERALD GOULD’S very . delightful and amusing style is exemplified in "All About Women," @ somewhat misleading titlé, ‘as. there is much diverse matter in this entertaining volume. Mr. Gould apparently knows all there is to be known concerning the enigma which once was known as the weaker sex, and sets down the fruits of his observation and intuition with a nice sense of the dignity and charm of his perennially interesting topic, But he also discourses on how to write fiction, and there are pen-and-ink portraits which are aryestingly true to type. His essays are discursive and catholic in scope, and to those who know how fascinating a companion Mr. Gould can be, the book does not need-a recommenda{ion, % * * [NX "Puppets in Yorkshire," Mr, Walter Wilkinson records a tour of the broud country of the title with his puppet show. His book covers a wide scope, ranging, in humorous description and adventure, from Gainsborough over the T.incolnshire border, and by wuy of Marston Moor into the Pennine country and Wharfedale. With his puppet show he did good business, and sampled Yorkshire in the most comprehensive and original way. The story of his wanderings is set down for ul and sundry to enjoy, and a delightful chronicle it is. bd * 9 "MIE World Against Mary" has been translated from the German of J. M. Frank by Dr. Otto Frommer. This novel caused a great deal.of interest in Germany and on the Continent generally, and repays translation. It is the story, told with power and pathos, of a girl, essentially noblenatured, whom fate dedicates to sorrow and suffering. The tale is told with a drumatie inevitability, and it is felt that, given the circumstances, no other ending is possible. The gods decreed that it should be so, and Mary is the victim of their grim jest,