SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 257, 26 July 1930, Page 30

SOME RECENT FICTION

Brief Caudles. People who have been inclined to shy at Aldous Huxley because they found it “hard to follow him,” will find no cause for complaint in “Brief Candles” (Chatto and Windus), a collection of four long short stories. Each story is a work of art, beautifully written and frankly analytical almost to cruelty. The first three are keen studies of character, and the fourth, “After the Fireworks,” is a veritable “tour de force.” There is some wonderful prose and the study of Pamela, chit though she may be, is charming. Fierce intensity marks the drawing of Miles Fanning, whose cold brilliance fascinates while it chills. Squire Goodall. Light and agreeable reading is provided in “Squire Goodall,” the latest book of the Yorkshire novelist, W. Riley. It is a straightforward story of a wealthy north country business man, who, to satisfy his daughter’s so-

clal ambitions, acquired quite late In life a large estate, only to discover that he had undertaken greater and more difficult work than anything he had previously tackled in a busy and varied life. The well-told story of his struggles and successes, and the good, characterisation will prove most popular with the average reader. Our copy is from Herbert Jenkins, Ltd. Another Side of Venice,

“Gondolas Pass,” by Helen Mackay (Win. Heinemann) is a story of humble life in Venice. Here we have not the Venice of Daniel’s Hotel, or the Grand Canal, St. Mark's Piazza, and Florian’s Cafe, the Venice of the rich tourist, loitering along the Via Merceria to the Rialto, the tourist who spends most of his spare time on the Lido; but tlie Venice of humble folk, of poverty, even misery, especially in war time. It is probable that few visitors connect Venice with the idea of poverty, unless it be the poverty of artists, which is called picturesque. But tho poverty of the gondolier's family, especially when the winter is on and there are few tourists abroad, the poverty of the people when work is scarce, especially when the Austrians were almost at the door —that is quite a different matter, and Miss Mackay has written with a fine and pathetic, but always restrained, interest in “Gondolas Pass.” I can warmly recommend this touchingly beautiful, but rather sad story, which gives a picture of Venice very different from that conjured up by the tourist who knows only the Piazza San Marco and its gay life. (8/-.)

In a review of Mr. E. Maxwell's work, “Afforestation in Southern Lands,” published last week, Mr. Maxwell was described as consulting forester to the Government This, we are informed, is not correct Mr. Maxwell is a farmer resident of Rahotu, Taranaki, where he bas for some years been engaged in forestry experimental work on his own property.