Protest Against "Worthiness"

Radio Record, 29 July 1938, Page 29

Protest Against "Worthiness"

Novel That Typefies Modern -. Obsession With Real-And Dull-People

"HIS week I propose to review at some length a book I have not finished reading. To be devastingly honest, I must admit there's nothing very unusual in that alone. You people who read Book Pages wonld probably be surprised and grieved if you knew how few books the average reviewer does finish. Excuse? Try reading four or five books a week, fifty-two weeks in the year, and see how you get on yourself! No, I’m afraid what claim to originality this review possesses must be based on other grounds, For the novel I did not finish, I have nothing but praise by all accepted standards of | criticism, It is written with care, its eharacters are faithfully depicted, its atmosphere is convincing, its humour is kindly. It is compact and logical in both conception and treatment. But I shall never finish it. It is an earnest, competent, honest novel, typical of the saner fiction in this year of grace 1988. As such, I am convinced, it doesn’t amount to two hoots in hell, Now, I would not like this to be interpreted as an individualised attack upon the book in question, Miss Lettice Cooper’s "National Provincial." Indeed, "National Provincial" is considerably better than most of its ilk. But I wish earnestly that it could be interpreted far and wide as a wild-eyed, fist-clench-ed protest against the peculi» psychology of the school of noveissts Miss Cooper represents. Three Classes Only HT more I read, the more I am convineced that the fiction of to-day can be divided arbitrarily and more or less accurately into three classes-the neurotic, the stolid, and the moronic. The neurotic will, perhaps, survive as an expression of a peculiarly self-tor-tured age-but God defend our reputation in posterity if the saner and more sweet-tempered of modern writerswriters contributing the bulk of typical. "art fiction,’-do not change their aims and standards, Is there any earthly reason why Jaborious,. competent, exactly coloured portraits of uninteresting neighbours should he regarded and enjoyed as good Art? Is there any earthly reason why this age-its horizons wider than the horizons of any age that has gone before-should find its literary models and its inspirations eternally within nose-length? Is there any earthly reason why -earnest critics shonld urge

young writers to "write about familiar things, the things you know!’-and with such a constipated vigour of selfrighteousness? Biographers, journalists scientists, are inundating ‘the libraries and bookshops of: -five continents with countless millions of words describing familiar things, the things they know. Is no branch of written expression to remain for the creative and adyenturous mind, and is invention to be so fettered that it can create only people and situations which have already been created much more convincingly by Providence? Sick Of The "Worthy" After years of swallowing "worthy" modern novels-and finding some fashionable satisfaction in them, tooI am parched for the work of an unborn novelist-a novelist with a big, broad, brave, preposterous mind-a novelist who will write for the world a story in which character, psychology, fiddling detail, and mechanical credibility are forgotten; a story of epic people doing epic things, knowing epic joys and enduring epic sorrows; a story that ean take men away from the treadmill of imperfect society and give them a glimpse of such a world as it would be if all men were capable of living their noblest-and hasestthoughts. i) ‘ Ah, indeed, for a real and worthy literature of escape! What is the purpose of fiction unless to provide a stimulating mental escape from narrow realities? Must those writers who are willing to expend patience and consideration in unlimited quantities upon their work, forever lead us back from our own irksome imperfections to consider and analyse the even more irksome imperfections of other people? . Sometimes I think the "Sappers" and Ethel M. Dells are closer to their Muse than the Galsworthys and the Huxleys. Their imagination is mean and their tools blunt, but at least they do not etch with sharp pens thé yawning pettiness of frustrated people and say with sad, glad eyes: "Look, I am an artist ...it is a true likeness." No, I shall not finish Lettice Cooper’s "National Provincial," but you may get it from your library and like it. It will give you all the excitement and entertainment you would get if a new family moved in next door. "National Provincial,’ by Lettice Cooper (Gollanez, Londen), Our eopy from the publisher.

BLUSHING VICARAGE HEROINE NOwaDAays, modern young women ‘have toughened up so much that only those straight from country vicarages can be guaranteed innocent. At least, that is what the "popular noyelists’" have decided. Vicarages, in this wickedly sophisticated year of 1938, are the only spots on earth where novelists can pluck their "little country flowers" without fear of a wisecrack. The heroine of Anne Hepple’s latest novel, "Riders of the Sea," is a beautiful example of this vicarage tradition. Indeed, her blushing ignorances at times seem almost archaic-or plain stupid. Still, she has a good deal of embarrassment to meet-who would not if they went on an ocean voyage to forget an unhappy love affair and fell plumb into another and a mock marriage to boot? All in all, "Riders of the Sea," if you forgive the blushes, is charming enough "froth." Anne Hepple, in the writing of a round half-dozen such romances, has acquired a certain easy nonchalance at the game. ‘Riders of the Sea," by Anne Hepple. (Hutchinson and Co., Lid., Lontion). Our copy from the publishers. WILD WESTERN TALE AS A TONIC ALTHOUGH many people nowadays affect to despise the Wild West yarn with its square-jawed, straight-eyed hero, yet you will read a long way and not find anything better than some of these simple action tales with the breath of healthy living in them. So, if you’ve a mind for old-fashion-ed medicines after the psychological fevers of present-day novelists, take down one of the rip-roarin’ Westerns and be thankful they are still in stock. Books like Ernest Haycox’s "Sundown Jim" drive away headaches, The plot is nothing very new-just the adventures of a United States marshal who is sent to clean up longstanding family feuds in the bad land of reservation, and who does it lonehanded. But Mr. Haycox’s style, steroetyped and tersely melodramatic though it is, is a good deal better than you expect in such books, and his treatment of romantic situations betrays less pandering to the emotions of thirteen-year-olds Characterisation is also atronger in this novel, and the setting for the shootings is grimly realistic. "Sundown Jim" proves that the best of 1938 Wild West writers are progressing, within the strict limits of their material, to meet the demands of a more critical public. "Sundown Jim," by Ernest Hayeox (Stanley Paul, London.) Our copy from the publishers. (Continued on. next page).

CULBERTSON’S VICTOR ON CONTRACT HEN Mr. Ely Culbertson, little tin god of the bridge world, saw his team spectacularly defeated this time last year by an Austrian four in the International Contract Bridge Tournament at Budapest, he saw also the end of.that supremacy which he had held unchallenged over thousands of players ever since he cast. Auction into outer darkness. Now, there are many who are ready to question the infallibility of the Culbertson system-ready to accept without preindice the system of other authorities. This is a good chance, for strict adherence to one system only tended to put the rule-of thumb on Contract, justifying the criticism of the last lonely followers of individualistic Auction, To experiment and understand systems outside Culbertson dogma, is to receive the full intellectual stimulus of Con-

tract. Naturally, the obvious field for further study is the Austrian system, which showed its strength so unexpectedly in the Budapest tournament. Hitherto, information on this method, particularly on the two new forcing opening bids of one no-trump and one club, has been rather hard to come by. The explanatory, "Beating the Culbertsons," written by Dr. Paul Stern, captain of the Austrian world-champion teams, ig therefore likely to be read with unusual interest by bridge lovers. In this book the actual hands played in the final round of the Budapest tournament «are given, with 96 diagrams, . "Beating the Culbertsons" is not a book for the beginner, but the keen, average, and expert player, who enjoys the mental exercise of serious Conteact, will find it both provocative and intensely interesting--a worthy match for clear brains. "Beating the Culbertsons," by Dr. Paul Stern, vice-president of the Austrian Bridge League, (T. Werner Laurie, Lid., London). Our copy from the publishers.

THE CAMERA SEES — BEAUTY NAKED | ODERN photography: is fast qualifying to be counted among the arts; and those interested in its advance will no doubt welcome Walter Bird’s beautiful studies of the female nude, just published by John Long, London, ‘There are nearly fifty photographs in this book, printed about quarto size in sepia toning, the subjects ranging from the classical poses of full-length figures to effective impressionistic studies. ‘Although the outdoor photographs are. on the whole, disappointing, the best of the studies show fine understanding of composition, a very skilful control of lighting and artistic use of "mood," as opposed to simple reproduction in photography. The book repre sents a high-water mark of photographic art in its own somewhat limitel field. . ["Beauty’s Daughters," by Walter Bird (John Long, Ltd., London), Our copy from the publishers.] HEROES WHO DELAY THEIR COMING AN irritating habit growing among romantic novelists of the lighter type is to attach their heroine early in the book to some unsuitable charmer. and then, in the last few chapters. bring forth like a rabbit-from a conjuror’s hat the man of gold,. who. deserves and ig given her love for ever. This technique is traditional in’ the field of detective "shockers," but it is not so.successful in romances, where the important thing is to build up sympathy in the characters of the two lovers. Its weaknesses are apparent, for instance, in ‘April Sky," first novel of the short-story writer, Janet Gordon. Here the author has sufficient skill to prepare the reader’s mind unobtrusively for the hero’s coming-but even so, she cannot quite make up for his lateness. There is no reality in the retarded romance, Apart from this fault, the novel is an honest trifle about a beautiful office girl who is dazzled by the environment and graces of a rich suitor, and who only realises her mistake when true love comes along. Although there are times when*the writing is better than ordinary, there are other times when it deScends to unrestrained purple. As a first novel of the romantie type, however, it is promising work. "April Sky," by_Janet Gordon (Hutchinson and Co., London). Our copy from the publishers. .