PUBLIC LIBRARIES I

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 155, 28 December 1935, Page 20

PUBLIC LIBRARIES I

BOOKS OF THE WEEK

The Chief Librarian of the Wellington Public Libraries has chosea "Rebels in the Sun," by Norman Giles, as the book of the week, and has furnished the following review:— Mr. Giles's previous novels have received high praise from the lading critics. The "Scotsman" said of his "Dark Border": "In all its aspects an exceptional novel. . . . Mr. Giles again shows that mastery of historical romance—the harmonious blending of f«ct and fiction—which made 'The Ridge of White Waters' one of the most attractive books that, have had their inspiration in the relations of Boer and Briton." And his present novel is no less of an achievement. It is a splendid tale of the Boer insurrection. of 1914-15, when De Wet and other malcontents took the field in a short-lived rebellion. Mr. Giles gives an excellent impression of the state of South Africa both before and during the rebellion and lays stress on the fact that a large proportion of the farmer folk who favoured the rebels had had the facts wrongly presented, to them and in consequence would fight to the last Than sooner than, as they thought, be ground under the tyrannical heel of England." They had formed the habit of living in a dramatised past and could not be persuaded that Botha and Smuts lived for the future and that their vision ranged far beyond the small immediate advantage of rebellion. Kaspar de Buis, who had fought in fierce wars against the English before he had reached manhood, was now a staunch supporter of the Republic, had made friends of the English, and could see the wisdom of Botha's plans, although it grieved him to be in political opposition to his late comrades in arms. His enemies, and among them was Bart Radyn, a rabid rebel, said that he had grown fat on the spoil of the English and was helping to give his country into the hands of traitors. Even his beautiful Irish wife, Sara, whose glance spelt ruin to almost all men, and who had been associated with the Republican movement in Ireland prior toxher marriage, failed to understand him and the gulf between them gradually widened, with misunderstandings born of pride on both" sides. And so when Kaspar announced his intention of enlisting on the loyal side, Sara threatened to run away with Bart, who certainly had more to say for himself, and whom Sara regarded as something of a hero. How an encounter with Gert Losper, leader of the rebel band, and the personification of all that was wonderful and heroic in Bart's mind, until he met him, changed the . course of several lives, is told in splendidly descriptive prose; and • the conflict of loyalties and passions is dramatically presented. Ignatius Doyle, .Irish rebel leader and diamond thief, occupies no small place; and Enright, the private detective; Jimmy Elliott, manager of Kaspar's mines, in love with Sara; Theunis Kemp, the quiet but wise old farmer, whose influence is so great; Lew Ambraamse, the local storekeeper and would-be peacemaker; and Frans Smit, the German overseer of Sara's and Kaspar's estate, and friend of the English, are others in the story. To Theunis, who had prevented her from running away from Kaspar, Sara says: "You've more power ,in your tongue than all the Barts and Lospers in the world, and although you are so gentle with it, you're not afraid to use your power. Theunis, I've iearnt that the worst thing in the world is fear, and it works down from the heads of great Governments to the meanest little gossoon that ever lied over the jam he stole from his mother's pantry." And the quotation from Smuts in the front cf the book: "Some people consider magnanimity out of place in international affairs. ' I have seen it in my own country recreate a position of dangerous potentialities into one of everlasting friendship between victor and vanquished. That is the way we humans are built," may give some general idea of a theme which is superbly conceived and finely presented. ; RECENT LIBRARY ADDITIONS. Other titles selected from recent accession lists are as follows: —General: "The Private Life of Greta Garbo," by R. P. Palmborg; "The New America," by Sir A. S. Maitland; "Swept Channels," by' "Taffrail." Fiction: "Spring Came on for Ever," by B. S. Aldrich; "Mistress of Paradise," by F. Bone; "Tudor Green," by W. B. Maxwell.