RUSSIA. ONCE AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 11, 14 January 1933, Page 17

RUSSIA. ONCE AGAIN

One of the most entertaining, yet at the same time informative, of the many recent books about Russia is "Low's Russian Sketchbook" (Gollanci!). Low, tho famous cartoonist, went on a holiday to Bussia accompanied by Kingsley Martin. During a preliminary conversation between the two, humorously recorded in the introduction, Low complained that libraries would not take books of drawings un-' less they had in them some twaddle to read. "I havo a practical suggestion," ho said. "Victor Gollai-.z is a good judge of the book market. Will you: accept his decision whether it is worth while to print your twopenny-halfpenny d-'-.ry with niy drawings?" The literary man agreed. "Only," he said, "let there be no false pretences about it. If it is understood that I am merely publishing an irresponsible diary—just a lot of questions, and no answers—l'm willing enough." The result is a highly entertaining volume of sketches of life in Kussia, coupled with a text that probably gets somewhere near the truth about Russia, seeing that on most questions it gives both sides (writer anri cartoonist arguing), the truth lying somewhere in between.