NEW BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 681, 4 December 1909, Page 9

NEW BOOKS.

"Billicks." By A. St. John Adcock. London, .-.Stanley.Paul and ; Co. ; 2s.'6d. net.;

:"Billicks" is short.for Mr. "William- Hicks, 'bus driver,; of London, and this, little . book contains'his humour and philosophy. He talks about the education question, love-mak-ing,; luck, grumbling, cockneyism, getting a living, professional cricket, the supremacy ol woman, . fortune-telling, growing old, . and 'several other subjects of topical or,perennial interest. He is almost always sensible.and abusing, but he lacks originality.- In spite of. the cockney mannerisms, many passages in these-monologues will strike the > reader as things that he has read hundreds of times before. And hero and there the precepts of Billicks. smack of the pulpit rather than of Londoni streets. Thero, is moro freshness, though less wisdom, than usual in some of his observations on cricket: "The game's bein' treated more respectful all" round," he says. "Wo don't-hear so much silly nonsense lately about people orter be ashamed to merely look on at others playin'. I like lookin'-on meself better than playin' at it, becos I prefer to see a.good; game,, an' I should never stand no chance of seein' ono if I had to do it orf mo own bat. Y'see,;.there's fellers thot gig - their-j selves-to cricket, same jvs there's other fellers thet gig theirselvos to writin', books or actin'. If. if s -wrong to look on idle .at cricket, then irs wrong t 0 look on idlo at a dramatic performance, or sit-lazily.readin' a book instead o writin' ono for y.erself. Most of us could do.our own actin' br our.own authorin' as easy as-our'own .cricketin', an' whero's the difference betweon lettin' one lot o' players amuse you indoors, an' another lot amuse you outdoors?" ' ; ■;-. .-■

"The Perry Family " By Lilian Turnei Sydnej Waul, Lock And Co. 3s. 6d. (S. and W. Mackaj )

■ TJioso who have read "Paradise ! and .''the l Perrys'. by-Lilian.Turner will be pleased to have the/opportunity of- following tho fortunes of this delightful family a little further. It is not at all necessary for the interest of the sequel that its first part, should have been read; only, if the'reader has done so, she will be • sure •to ■ seek- to know what becomes of her. friends in their cheerful struggle against adverse-circumstances. " The story,is told with all the charm" and freshness that distinguishes' Miss Turner's' books—full of life, character, and incident, and: any girl would be delighted to receive it as .a gift-book. In the opening; chapter the Perrys' are still engaged in .their tea-room enterprise, but the girls are growing :up into womanhood,' and are anxious to moke a wider plunge into the world. The first parting in the' little family takes place when Addie marries her boy lover. Enid, the beauty of the family, .goes.away to spend,an indefinite time with! a< wealthy :aunt, : andTheo, obtains situation as.travelling companion to an .invalid lady, leaving only Mavis at. home with, her mother:- ,:Their' subsequent' adventures- are interesting, ''particularly ; those! of Theo, who Jias. a, profound ' contempt''-for lovo and its: fetters, ■ and who glories in her; independence, and-tho thought of being the ■'man ; of- the'family,",.since there was- no brother. The .book is illustrated by J. Macfar'lane.-.: ■':

"Fugitives' from .Fortune."-By Ethel Turner. ■Sydney: Ward, Lock and 'Co. ; 3s. Gd, • (S. .:-.'■ arid-W; Mackay.) -' '-.■•■'■,... ' .•-.■'.'.•'.'.

;..'Elhel Turner's books are ever sure of a ■ready .welcome ; froni-ia-.r.very- -largo circle of readers, grown-up and otherwise, and" this, her latest venture, .shopld: certainly take a high place amongst: hei\producfioteVf; Probably Miss Turner could never, bring herself to write'a book in'which ho children-appear, but in this story she has devoted herself somewhat more : to the, adults '-than .'usual. "The children that do appear in.;it are, of course, delightful,- being I original, enterprising, and full of life, but Molly, tho pretty, grown-up'daughter of a man who.'chooses to -live tho simple life, is alto- § ether charming. Mr. Jnrvie, hor father, had an American millionaire .'who hnd lost his money, and, after .the crash,'retired with'his wife, and'family into 'extremely quiet- life. After a. while they go to Australia, and so enamoured does he become of such simplicity, whero'life is.reduced to the. barest:necessities;' even the prettinesses being barred, that he does' not tell his family when he once more, through' ; 6om oil discoveries,; becomes'"^'•"millionaire:The description'of, : the life they-le'ad'onUn U- J land in 'a river ..is exceedingly -quaint. ; Bare white walls,; no pictures or "frilleries," no looking-glasses, plain white • raiment, and the .'simplest of. food,, do indeed carry them back' fairly clos« to nature," but-there is rebellion smouldering 'm tho hearts of all save Jarvie. fhe book is. illustrated by J. Macfarlane.

'The Key to the Unknown." By Bosa Nou- • chetto Carey. London: Macmillan and' Co. .: ."25.6d.- (Whitcpmbe and Tombs.) "■ ■ //In: "The/Key. to- tho; Unknown," : the last book by. Rosa.',Nouchette Carey,' the key-note is self-sacrifice, and by the. time the book is finished with, it. is quite probable .that the reader will have come.to-the conclusion that' '.self-sacrifice is a pernicious thing—at least in some cases.'- The heroine Joan, a penniless, outspoken, and not: very, tactful girl, is .adopted by Lady Mary Boyle, and in-the course of time meets, falls in'lore with, arid is loved by Craig; Boyle, Lady Mary's, nephew.: 'Craig's people : are : anxious that' he should; marry money, and, much as they love Joan, entirely disapprove of any thought of marriage between the' two. : Joan,' perceiving . that ' her ilover's worldly, prospects are in perilj denies her love, .arid actually," being, uncommonly -heroic, does' her best to bring about his marriage with another girl; who is desirable in all respects. Craig, however, is -.'not'deceived by her denials, and is determined to win her. How.he does do so,, and ;the obstacles.; that have, to be surniounte'd before success is; won, makes a good story. ::■-.