BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 53, 25 November 1922, Page 19

BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

BY

LIBER.

Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give a man a book he can read: And his home is bright with a calm delight Though the room be poor indeed. =* —JAMIES THOMSON

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

“People and Places.” The anonymous author of a most amusing, and, in its way, not uninstructive, new book of reminiscences, “People and Places” (John Murray, per Whitcomb© and Tombs),. has evidently occupied more or less important, positions in the British diplomatic and consular services. If he has not ex? actly “surveyed mankind from China to Peru,” he has certainly seen more of the world than most people, for this very entertaining volume contains description's of life in the Malay States, in Borneo, Java, in Somaliland, Ecuador, Colombia, and the West Indies as well as recording visits to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Wherever the author went he seems to have kept both eyes and ears open for rnrious and amusing characters and incidents, and as he is a very agreeable raconteur, with no small gift of humour, he has produced a book which is rich in entertainment. In the earlier chapters there are some good yarns of the sporting clubs and the turf, including some anecdotes of that extraordinary lady, the Duchess of.Montrose, to whom for a time the author appears to have acted as private secretary and general factotum, and of an equally eccentric, blit very amiable old lady, Maria, Marchioness of Aylesbury. He writes, too,* of the once famous society beauties. Mrs. Langtry and Mrs. Cornwallis West. He was a guest at Tranby Croft, the scene of that “unfortunate trouble at baccarat,-”, which resuited in. the Kocial ruin, of Sir William Gordon-Cumming. At Tranby Croft the author had the misfortune to fall ill, and swallowed, by mistake, “almost a tumbler of a oooaine mixture.” Tho yam got about that he had deliber-, ately taken poison. The author, says as to this incident t I got so tired of being questioned on tho subject, that I used .to doola.ro that It was the potent poison which had caused my hair to turn red. I had then little idea that in later days I should be poisoned with Intention to kill by highborn Rajahs, jealous of my Influence with their Sultan, whose finances I had tried to eave from their rapacious Rands—-and that th® painful consequences would turn my hair white.

To re-establish hia health our author went on a voyage to Australia, Staying in Melbourne with the Governor, Lord Normanby, his sister s father-in-law.

He was a celebrated whin, and drove his drag up the course at Flemington races to the greeting-of the vast crowd there assembled de he passed. Ho was very strict concerning etiquette in dress. One very hot day, as such days in Melbourne can bo, egged on by the Stall, who begged me to set an example, I appeared in a bowler hat instead of the orthodox topper. Looking us up and down as he gathered up his reins, the Governor drily remarked: "When you young mon choose to dress as gentlemen, you may come with me, l but not until then. Tho 'Brail, of course, put this new departure to my fcrodit, as we hurried away to find our tall hats.

From Australia the author came on to New Zealand in H.M.S. Nelson, and visited the Hat Lakes. He writes of “crossing the considerable river of “Whata” (Waikato?), and pulling up at a place called “Watoo.” Shortly after this, he wen# +o Fiji to become extra eecretary to the Governor. Some, of his Fijian yarns are very amusing. For instance, he writes;

Our vory ill-trained servants were a trial, but in dealine with their delinquencies my fondness for red pemser stood mo in jrood stead. For red pepper in the native dialect was "damn. domu. and a call for this condiment afforded a polite means for relief.

In th© old days there were some strange episodes in Fiji. Tho author says:

Fijians enjoy a very keen sense of humour. One of our friends had been tho first to own a sun in Fiji, which had afforded him scope for very Brim practical jol’es. He would ask a friend to look down the muzzle, where "ha would see an extraordinary sight.’’ On his instructions beinnr followed, he would pull the trigger, and away would fly the head of the. victim, tn the accompaniment of shrieks of laughter from the cheery young chief. But one weak point marred the complete enjoyment of the jest. Tho late of the head could never appreci-ate'-Its exquisite humour, but then there was always the consolation teat it oould be repeated on another obedient and confiding courtier.

Some of thp most racy and most enjoyable yarns in the book deal with the author’s experiences in the Malay States, Java and Borneo. He evidently had the knack of inspiring his native Malay servants with affection, for two of them actually followed him as far as Somaliland, where, however, they pined for their native land and had to be sent home. The experiqnqes of these Malay servants during a brief stay in London would, says the author, make a book in themselves. One of them, who “might have walked out or the pages of a pirate story.” was terribly shocked by the Alhambra bal.letHe refused to go a second time to that once famous place of amusement—“J do not like to see so much naked! 'lhe South American- chapters offer sore temptation to quotation, but space limits forbid. “People and Places’ may bo strongly recommended to those readers who enjoy ‘travel sketches which are dona with, many humorous touches. (N.Z. price, 205.) k

"Mountain Madness." Miss Helen Hamilton’® “Mountain Madnesi” (Wm. Oollixis, So ns i Cd.., per Whitoombe and bombs) is a record of a lady climber’s experiences in the Alps. Miss Hamilton, who has written several excellent novels, has long been an intrepid enthusiastic mountaineer, and as many or the incidents recorded in her book will prove, has met with not a few very oxciting experiences. Where “Mountain Madness ’ differs from so many previous records of alpine climbings is in the beadty of its descriptive passages, in the many good stones and anecdotes of climbers and guides and peasants which are introduced in the course of the narrative, and in. the very welcome touches of humour with which tho narrative is enlivened. The author’s accounts of her ascents of the famous Aiguille du Midi, the Aiguille Varte, and Mont Blanc, are specially interesting. This is one of the most sprightly and thoroughly enjoyable books on alpine climbing yet published. The ascent of tho lour Noire ri B ‘written, in blank verse, a decided novelty in this class of literature. The book contains many excellent illustrations. Some of these af-» ford convincing proof of* the strength of the authors nerves. (N.Z. price, 10s. 6di)' AT THE SIGN OF THE LYRE “Tho Travois of Tiadatha.” That cheery -young combination of soldier and “nut,'” Tiadatha, the 'hero of Mr. Owen Rutter’s amusing poem, “The Song of Tiadatha,” comes to tho front again in “The Travels .of Tiadatha” (T. Fisher Unwin). Having had a tiff with his Phyllis, he takes leave of his old soldier-servant, Wojgga. and his favourite bull terrier, ana leaves England on a visit to his old chum Percy, now in North Borneo. Mr. Rutter gives a very, entertaining account—always written in the rhythm of • Longfellow’s famous poem, “Hiawatha,” of Tiadatha’s experiences “east of Suez,” in Ceylon, at Singapore, and , in the jungle land of North Borneo, tho traveller visiting on iiifl return journey home Formosa. Japan, California, arid Now York. The hero is a cheery youth much given to slang, bub he jots down not a few interesting and amusing incidents of travel not usually experienced by the ordinary globe-trotter. , Right through the “Travels’ runs an evidently very sincere jnote ot keen appreciation of the things,” both solid and liquid, which call for sampling by the globe-trotter. Thus, Tiadatha makes acquaintance with a famous Singapore "gin-sling : “■You must try a fling 1 , old melon.*’ Thus declared th® prosperous broker. "Singapore is famous for them: There are no slings east of Hues Made a.s Singapore can make them, t myself will do the barman: I myself will mix ono for you.

And' straightway the prosperous broker Made a sling for Tiadatha. First of all he took a tumbler. Squeezed a lime and poured tho Juice in; Then a to&spoonful of sugar. ~s • Than of gin he took two measures. And of Dorn he took two measures,. Fare and golden oa tho sovereign. Poured them also In the tumbler Then he took the cherry-brandy, Pteply red a? ruby amber. Poured two measures in the tumbler, Added just a- dash of bitters. T>eftlv stirring with an egg-whisk, And divided up tho mixture. poured it in the waiting glasses: Then with ginger ale he filled them Till the potion foamed apd fizzled. Tiadatha. greatly oaring. Raised his glass and sipped the mixture, Found it much unto his liking. if, nnd Viad Rnoth»r. , “The Travels of Tiadatha,” like its predecessors, is perhaps—like Singapore “slings”—best sampled in small doses, but it makes very amusing reading for a spare half-hour or so. (N\Z. price, 6s. 6d.) An Italian Anthology.

“An Anthology of Italian Poems, 18th-19tji Century.” Selected and translated by Lorna de’ Lucchi (Wm. Heinemann) is a collection of over one hundred, and sixty lyrical poems, • with verse translations on opposite pages' to the orktnals. To students of tho Wautifully musical. It, 111 ’*® language such a book as bo specially welcome, whilst. Signora de’ LucohPs translations will f-vo those who have no knowledge of Italian a useful and interesting idea of tine extent and variety of Italy s poetry. Professor Cesare Fohgno provides a preface, in which, after frankly admitting that ho. rot like anthologies, and drawing attention to certain omissions, ho wainuy commends tho book as a .guide, to the subject dealt with, and gives, incidentally, a useful general survey, .of Italian pootry.\ At the «? ld volume are a series of biographijal notes on tho poets here represented. (N.Z. price, Ils.) >

Shall we ever have an end of the “Scarlot Pimpernel” and his / ful exploits P Baroness Orozy has now written yet another Pimpernel story, “The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel.’.’ ■

SOME RECENT FICTION A New E. V. Lucas Story. “Ganevra’s Money,” by E. V. Lucas (Methuen and Co.; per 'Whitcombo ana Tombs), will. I think, please Mr. Lucas’s many New Zealand admirers far more than did his last year’s novel “Rose and Rose,” which struck some of them as being a rather dull and depressing production. There is no li either dullness or depression story of how . a well-to-do mid.i’v gentleman proceeds to fulfil h> wife’s wishes as to the disposal oi uw private fortune, t equal to ’about a couple of thousands a year. Her expressed desire is that the money shall be devoted to the assistance of those of her nephews-and nieces and other relatives whom the widower and executor mav think worthy of it, he to' be tho sole judge. In pursuance of this plan, Cavanagh Beckett, one of. Mr. Lucas’s ' typical characters, reminding mo not a little of the middle-aged heroes of “Over Bemerton’s.” “Mr. Ingleside,” and others of his earlier novels, sets out to make acquaintance with the relatives concerned, and to investigate for himself their noiils and ambitions. One is a clever, but so far unsuccessful young artist. Another is a writer of vers libre. Ono is the wife of a trainer of racehorses. Another is a popular actor, and yet another is ' a hard-working young parson—and so on Mid so on. In the course of his investigations the widower sojourns for a while at Tontainebleau and Barbizon, and makes a short tour in Spain. Tliero are also various short trips to Paris, Newmarket, and the New Forest. The artist-nephew is, "I may add, in love with the Rose Holt who was the second of the two Roses in last year’s novel, and as nearly all the young people are either engaged or likely to be,-there is some very pretty love-making. As in so many of Mr. Lucas’s books, wo are introduced to all sorts of odd and eccentric figures, and there is throughout the. story an agreeable admixture of bright and witty comment upon the fads and frivolities and follies of present-day society, with much shrewd and quietly satirical treatment of various social movements, and those engaged in them. The Fontainebleau and Spanish chapters are full of picturesque little impressions ■of foreign scenes, and are among the best in a book which is full. -of good- things Lucasian. A specially well-drawn character is th® widower’s elder brother, Giles Beckett, a successful city man, who combines a real or assumed Philistinism with a whimsical good nature and ' much strong common sense. -In “Genevra’s Mohey” we have Mr. Lucas at his very best. He lias never given us a richer collection of pan-portraits of odd and interesting figures. The task of socking out worthy objects for his dead wife’s bounties comes to a somewhat sudden conclusion by the defaulting oi the old-established and most ‘ respectable” financial institution in which the wife s money is invested, but in tire meantime the amicable executor; has done some very worthy folk many good turns, and has had, ho admits, a very enjoyable time ot it. in. making new acquaintances and friends. A thoroughly lyholesomeand unfailingly amusing story. “Peregrine’s Progress.”

“Peregrine’s Progress,” by Jeffery Farnol (Robertson and Mullens), is a romance of the roadside, much after the style of the author’s highly successful story, “The Broad Highway. It owes something, perhaps, to Borrovian and. Stcvonsonian inlluencos, but it is non© the worse for tiix«t. In the ingenuity and wealth of his iniDffinatdon of romantic and sensational incidents, Mr. Farnol can veil challenge comparison with the older writers. The period is that ot the later Georges. The hero, Peregrine Vereker, a dreamy, romantic youth, being taunted by his uncle, a typical “old buck” of the Regency court, with being too “lady-hke” rebels against, ths tutelage ot Jus tyrannical Aunt Julia, and determines to plunge into the outside world and seek adventure by the roadside. Accompanied by a similarly-inclined comtjanion, young Tony ' Vero-Manville, who is in disgrace through having engaged in a duel and so incurred the wrath of a. rich, relative, he becomes involved in a long sones of stirring and at times very perilous adventures. An old friend of those who know Mr. Farnol’s earlier romance® turns .up m the person of a philosophic .tinker, who writes poetry, and there arc some highly sensational happenings, as the rescuing ‘ by the adventurers of dii abducted heiress, a high-spirited young lady, and of Peregrine s “love passages” with a beauteous gipsy maid, who, in the long run, turns out to be no true Romany, but a wealthy young lady of high degree. Adventures by the roadside, and in old inns, “lashings” of love-making, and a generally engaging air of sprightly entrain make Mr. Farnol’s latest effort a very readable and enjovable production . The very titles of the various chapters, such as “How and Why I Fought with one Gabbing Dick,” “Describes the Woes of Galloping Jerry,” ‘/Concerning a Black Post-chaise/’ “Tells How-' I. Went Upon an Expedition with Mr. Shry,” ete., afford fair indication as to the style and subject of-what the author’s admirers will r.o

doubt describe as “another rattling good yarn by Jeffery Farnol.” “Sapper’s” New Story. “The Black Gang” (Hodder and Stoughton, per Whitoombe and Tombs), described on its cover as “A New Bulldog Drummond novel,’’ from the pen of "that industrious and always entertaining writer “Sapper,” otherwise Mr H. 0. McNeile. The “Black Gang’ of the title is- a sort of British Fascist society, organised and headed by our id friend Bull-dog Drummond, its •jective being’ _ the thwarting f the Bolsheviks and cosmopolitan criminals who are the bitter enemies of Great Britain. As in Sapper’s” previous novels, there is an almost bewildering wealth of sensational incident, for if Bull Dog and his associates are as courageous as they arg cunning and wary, so, too, are the criminals against whom the Blaclr Gang has declared war. That poisonous Scoundrel, Carl Petersefi, reappears as the chief villain of the piece, and although the criminals are exposed and' their organisation broken up their leader succeeds in escaping to reappear no doubt in a further instalment of the “Bull Dos 8 u^ ra j ordinary adventures. The battle oi wits and daring in which I etersen alias the Reverend Theodosius Longmoor —and the hero are engaged is an oxcellent bit of mingled drama and comedy, and throughout the story the reader is kept busy guessing what the next sensation will be. Tho “Sapper” gives us a sequel to lhe Black Gang” the better he will please a goodly host of readers. A Yorkshire Story.

In “Rachel Bland’s Inheritance (Herbert Jenkins), Mr. Riley, who gave us that excellent ‘story “Windy Ridge,” and more than, one equally readable successor, takes us to teclittle Yorkshire village of Craiglands, on the slopes of the wild fells which frino-Q the Midland Railway lino to Cumberland- and Scotland. The heroine is a strong-willed, high-spirited, girl whose father, Sydney Bland, a cruel, tyrannical man, had never exhibited any affection for her. The inheritanoo which.means much for her —and others —is scarcely the fortune supposed to have been, left her upon what is for the girl an almost impossible condition, but the “thffiwn and set” nature which she inherits from a long line of liard-bitten “fell-folk.” The day comes when Rachel’s problem is seriously complicated by the arrival of a visitor from Canada, whose object is to demand justice,, but who finds that he Has been anticipated by death. How the proud, strong-willed woman faces her prqblem and does what she deems to be her duty I must leave it to readers of this powerfully-written story to discover for themselves. Tho village folk, with their strange customs. prejudices, and equally strange expressions, provide Mr. Riley with material for some clever character sketches. The local colour of the story is richly picturesque. ' Shorter Notices. “Experience,” by Catherine Cotton (William Collins, Sons, and Co., per Whiteombe and Tombs), is a “first novel,” and as such is full of excellent promise. It is, the author confesses, a novel without a plot, being simply the story of a woman “whose outlook was a happpy one, whose mind was never rent by any great temptation, and who, because she was not misunderstood in early youth, never struggled for self-expression, but only to express herself, in as many words as possible, to the great amusement and uplifting of her family.” It is ( in fact, the story of a happy, witty, simple-hearted woman, who jattracts love because she gives it out and tries to make her homo a “little well of happiness in the desert of the world.” Rural life in Surrey and Devonshire is described with a sure hand, and therp is much pleasant humour in the story. It enaM, it is true, on a note of/pathos, for the war brings tragedy to the once happy home, but the trouble is met with truly Christian resignation, as, indeed, it was in so many English homes upon which sorrow descended with such cruel suddenness. In “Tex' of Bar-20” (Hodder and Stoughton, per Whiteombe and Tombs) we renew acquaintance with that redoubtable gentleman, Tex Ewart, man, philosopher, poet/ and one-time companion of the- equally redoubtable Hopalong Cassidy, and other 6 figures familiar to readers of (Sarence Mulford’s stories. Tex Ewart reappears in his native town of Windsor—Windsor (Montana) —and sets himself the task of ridding it of a few big evils. Also, he falls in love, and bis love-making and his adventures with “bad men,” professional gamblers and others, combine to tfffike up a very lively story. Max, Pemberton is a well-practised story-teller, and the seventeen separate tales from his pen, now collected under the title, “The Woman Who Know” (Hutchinson and Co., per Whitoombe and Tombs), are all well Vpld. The stories have a great variety ‘Of backgrounds—-Spain, Morocco, the Riviera, and the Balearic Isles providing the scenario of many of them. Some are love stories, others are stories of adventure. All are very readable. .