STORY OF AN EMPRESS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 85, 4 January 1941, Page 6

STORY OF AN EMPRESS

“Basillisa,” by John Masefield (London: Heinemann).

John Masefield has given us a story worthy of the poet —“Basillisa,” a tale of the Empress Theodora. His simple, direct stvle is admirable for interpreting the speech and thoughts and modes of living of that day and not once does the modern idiom as he uses it, seem out of place. It has the strange effect of emphasizing how little human nature has changed after hundreds of vears, and reveals some startling similarities in mass reactions. Mr. Masefield might almost have taken some of our own pre-election campaigns as the pattern for tils descript ions ot the campaigns in his “City” ot the story. The tale is the romance of a dancinggirl, cast-off mistress of a provincial governor, Hekebolos. who becomes a great empress. For background there is till the glamour of the near East, then at a restless stage, preparing for war The period is in the early courageous days of Christianity, when the arts of the theatre were at the height of their power and beauty.

EXCITING HAPPENINGS “Ghost House.” by Norman Berrow (Loudon: Ward Lock). Mr. Berro-w is well practised in the art of telling of exciting stories. In his latest thriller he makes good use of bis experience to keep the reader in suspense. “Ghost House” is a tale ot extremely odd happenings in a lonely mansion and it tells also of a perilous investigation which showed them to lie a cloak for other and no less sinister activities. It is a gripping narrative and never does the action I alter.

Lancelot Hogben. author of "Mathematics for the Million” aud “Dangerous Thoughts,’ reviewed recently in these columns, were lecturing in Sweden when the Nazi blitzkrieg struck Norway, and lie found himself unable to return to bis home in England by normal routes. He cabled to his publishers that he was leaving Stockholm for Moscow, whence lie hoped to travel via Siberia and Japan to San I’ranelsco and New York. He is accompanied by his young daughter.