Jottings

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 28, 22 January 1932, Unnumbered Page

Jottings

REMEMBERING Miss Tennyson Jesse’s thoughtful and distinctive work in the realm of the novel, it comes somewhat in the nature of a stirprise to read the latest book of this talentéd author-a _ collection of sketches falling into the categury of "thrillers.’ In a witty and illuminating Foreword to "The Solange Ntories,’ Miss Jesse summarises the essential élements of the detective story, and provides brief diagnoses of her own method and those of such consummate craftsmen in this branch of fiction, as Mr. A. fk. W. Mason and Mrs. Agatha Christie. The tracker down of crime in the five stories is a charming, cleur-cut, modern young woman, partly Trench and partly English in extraction. Thus naively the creator of the delightful Solange sets out her reason for selecting a girl as chief protagonist: ‘"Although I intensely dislike the modern newspaper mode of thought which considers a woman ‘news,’ I pandered to it so as to be able to sell my stories more easily." An element of the psychie is introduced into the sketches with excellent effect: "A sudden warning of the nerves that told, correctly, facts about some human being perhaps only encountered for half an hour and with whom hardly a word had been exchanged.’ This, in a minor degree, is a sensation not unfamiliar to many highly sensitised human beings, and is exploited in Miss Jesse’s enthralling tales with a skill very convincing, even to those of the prosaically minded who are honest enough to admit there are things in earth and heaven undreamt of in their philosophy. The opening story, "The Pedlar," -enehuins attention from its quiet openig, When the young worlding, visiting . fngland, her mother’s country, sets out for a tea-party at the Vicarnge. where she meets a burbling spinster, who very narrowly escapes becoming yictim to wiles of unscrupulous Lothario, to whom, by intuitive methods of psychic Solange, is sheeted home 4 singularly callous crime, An element of the supernatural, indicating possib'e redemption through spiritual agony, is introduced with a skill calculated to bring shudder to the most unimaginative, In "The Canary," a sordid boardinghouse mystery makes picot for Miss Jesse’s ingenuity: "Lot's Wife’ is a singularly horrible tale of cold-blooded crime, and its consequences; and "The Black Veil," perhaps the best story in the book, a brilliant study of the sordid old age of a drunken Paris prostitute, who goes to her death leaving behind a

scrawled, magnificent lie to shield a beloved assailant. . It is predicted that this brief nnd excellent collection will be of extreme interest to those interested in oecutiism and the psychology of crime. * s * ME. ALEC WAUGH, since he created his sensation with "The Loom of Youth," has written some good noyeis, essays and short stories. His literary career has been interesting to watch, and though he began it at the early

age of seventeen, his very real talent shows no sign of petering out. His lat est book, "So Lovers Dream," is the story of a successful young novelist, traveller, and lecturer, and his adventures, amorous and otherwise. There are some good portraits of the eternal feminine, notubly a charming actress. aud, by way of contrast, a presentment of what is known as the modern git), who cherishes a very real regard tor the novelist. He, however, is immune from the tender passion, excent in re.

gard to Faith Sweden, who, unluckilly for his happiness, is glready marrierl. The book is well written, has some vivacious description of the habitués of the literary world, and will add further distinction to Mr. Waugh’s growing reputation, * x * ME. G. K. CHESTERTON has writ- " ten a preface-and it goes without words a witty and revealing one -for "The Burns We Love," by Mr, A. A, Thomson, who has already to his credit a book on the Lowlands and the Highlands. The author has written his book on the perennially interesting poet with epigrammutie wit and brings a refreshing originality to bear on his treatment of the life and work of the well-beloved Scottish bard. In writing his book he has introduced a good deal of his own partienlar philosophy of life. with conspicuous tact and skill, and shed a new light on certain aspects of the fascinating, if well-worn, subject of his eloquent periods. é

~~ "T IFE AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT," by Co-operative Working Women, is a collection of biographical reminiscences by members of Co-operative Women's Guilds, with un appendix of extracts from letters, which — give glimpses of their reading, the conditions of their childhood, and their never-ending publie-spirited — social service, The appalling grinding drudgery of the working woman's life is presented. Many of the writers were earning odd pence for the family exchequer at eight or nine years old. if not, they were responsible for the younger ones while both parents worked, Marringe on. si, 22/- a week was a leap in the dark, and when the baby Was expected, then was the time to take on wl the extra work you could find, regardless of health, so as, to have something saved for its com. ing. Then would come the lean years, with four or five children. all too young to go to work: and, after that, old age. Not mueh of a life! Yet against this background stands out the idealism of the writers-their wbility. and extraordinary independence of judgment. Above all, there stands out the passionate struggle to live up to a high social and personal standard, which is all that iNuminates life for most of them: and their devotion to "the Guild’ in which it finds its truest expression,