PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 26

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

BOOKS OF THE WEEK

The Chief Librarian of the Wellington Public Libraries has chosen "A Ship of the Line," by C. S. Forester, as the book of the week, and has furnished the following review:—

The time of Mr. Forester's exciting sea story is the Peninsular War. The character of Captain Horatio Hornblower is cleverly and subtly drawn, and is the binding which holds the story together. A captain in the Regular Army, he finds himself after an affair with one of the Wellesleys in command of a ship of the line—the Sutherland, described as "the ugliest and least desirable two-decker in the Navy List." Hornblower is a combination of nervousness and nerve; of pessimism and courage, and is the same character to whom Mr. Forester introduced us in "The Happy Return." He is a queer mixture of loyalties and stupidities, and has an extraordinary code of honour, to which he adheres strictly. He is a magnificent soldier, with the brain of a fine naval commander. He is for a few days in command of the Sutherland with a pressed crew and a determination to do nis duty. Then, with a subject which might well have been considered more suitable to the writer of a book for children, Mr. Forester gives us an account of the ship's adventures, so exciting and splendidly described as to make the book an outstanding one in a somewhat .unusual class. Within 24 hours Hornblower has taken us through three victorious engagements, each one showing Hornblower's ability in different aspects of maritime warfare. Immediately afterwards he finds his ship within reach of four enemy ships of the line, intent on other business, and therefore anxious to avoid an encounter of any kind. Captain Hornblower has other ideas, and the climax of the book is the magnificent description of a full-dress naval engagement.

Anyone can tell a story, and anyone can write a novel, but Mr. Forester has mastered the art of the storyteller and moves from incident to incident, from phrase to phrase, in such a way as to hold the reader's attention from beginning to end. The book is not only exciting and a good story, but shows a sustained power of description which few modern novelists can equal, probably because contemporary novelists are so occupied with the analysis of the mind and of the emotions that their power of observing and recording or of imagining and recording material things has to a large extent atrophied. It is perhaps too early yet to say that there is a school of modern novelists who are going back to the exciting narrative type of story written in well-chosen language, and paying attention to incident as much as to character. Mr. Russell Thorndike might make a good second to Mr. Forester in such an assemblage; but he has not the subtlety in the delineation of character which makes Mr. Forester a mature master of his craft. There are many who would welcome the birth of a phase of the novel in which the old elements of characterisation from externals were combined with the new and analytical approach. So, the art of the novelist and the art of the storyteller might be less divorced than they are at present. RECENT LIBRARY ADDITIONS. Other titles selected from recent accession lists are. as follows:— General.—"Ballet Panorama," by A. L. Haskell; "Strait of Adventure," by S. Gerard; "Rag-Time and Tango," by P. Guedalla. Fiction.—"The Unfinished Road," by J. D. Beresford; "The Seagull," by K. Norris; "Man, Woman, and Child," by ■J. Brophy. BERNARD SHAW'S "GENEVA" Bernard Shaw, now 82, is hard at work on his new play, which is entitled "Geneva." He hopes to have it ready shortly. When questioned about it, he said that it was political In this respect it was like "On the Rocks," although not so matter of fact.; "It is, of course, a play of conversation. All plays are plays of conversation—except that most dramatists write such made conversation,, while they have the gift of inventing a story!

"This is a play of what migh,t be called public conversation. There is nothing of a private character in it. In fact, if people are not interested in politics, they won't understand what it's all about.

"I do not actually, name either countries or personalities—l prefer to leave the public the innocent pleasure of 'fitting caps.' This may, of course, lead me into difficulties with the censorship, especially abroad!" he added. "It is to be a three-act play, and the last act willbe longish. But I haven't begun to cut yet. . Thegreat secret of play-writing is to cut and cut to the bone. ■ ■•"■■• "When I've finished the cutting—if I ever do—l think you can say that the play will not' be extravagantly i long—that is, long for me!" •

AUSTRALIAN BOOKS A vindication of William Bligh is contained in "Rum Rebellion," published by Angus and Robertson. Mr. Justice Evatt, of the High Court of Australia, presents a detailed and documented study of the overthrow of Governor Bligh by John Macarthur and the New South Wales Corps. This event in Australia's early history was the climax of a complex social struggle, and Mr. Justice Evatt, with.legal clarity, deals with the relevant factors which led to the climax. From the Melbourne University Press comes a sound little volume of literary interest. This is Barnard Elde'rshaw's "Essays in Australian Fiction," wherein the work of eight Australian writers is critically and analytically reviewed. "Press, Radio, and World Affairs," by W. Macniahon Ball, is also a Melbourne University Press publication. It is a brief study of the main sources from which Australians derive their knowledge of foreign affairs.