REVIEWS FOR READERS

Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3678, 23 March 1932, Page 7

REVIEWS FOR READERS

The Latest Books THE PIMPERNEL AGAIN Wlxat a. rich vein tlie.Frencu ‘Revolution and *her super-hero the Scarlet Pimpernel lias proved to that facile fiction! st, the Baroness Orczy. Here is the combination again in “A Child of the Revolution,” published in Cassell’s Colonial Library. It is the story of Andre Vallon* a son of the people and of Auto re do Marigny, daughter of an aristocrat. Ho .a.s a boy and youth is always in scrapes, but loved 4>v all for liis handsomeness and daring. Slib, living a sheltered life in the old chateau, is the idol of her old father ifie Duke. Then comes the awful Revolution, Andre as a disciple of the dreadful Danton, the (attack on the chateau- —and the Scarlet Pimpernel once more os the god in the macihine. “THE KING’S GOOSE” Alfred Tresidder Sheppard, author of “Here Comes an Old Sailor” land a dozen other books' that are easier to read than the Sailer’s narrative, lia s just had published by Hodder and Stoughton “Tap King’s Goose,” another very long histoiial novbl — nearly as .long as three modern novels, 1-50,400 words, to be exact. The title comes out of an old French promust give back the leathers even I(K> years later.” It is a tale of the French Court, of Francis I, of Diane de Poitiers wfien a girl, (the idealised heroine) a.nj of a. bastard son of a Bourbon prince who became Court Tester to King Francis- Mr Sheppard is a. very leisurely storyteller. A TALE OF OLD QUEBEC Here is an unusual story, “Shadows on the Rock,” by an American novelist, Willa Gather, who lias won a. place on the shelves with her ■‘Professor’s House” and “Doatii Comes for the Archbishop.” It is unusual because .Miss 'Gather goes away back to the days of Old Quebec at the end of tbe 17tli Century when the French Governor of Canada, the famous Fronten.ae, i s growing old as tiie winter shadows are east from thi3 Iroek that is Quebec on to the river St. Lawrence. indeed, it is meditative rather than adventurous and it will appeal particularly to> Catholics. It was chosen for the laurel by the American Book of the Month Club and won special commendation from the Catholic Book Club. GAVIN HOLT’S THRILLER Gavin Holt, author of “Tfie WhiteFaeed Man” and Six Minutes Past Twelve,” to mention only a t couple of his sensational novels, is at it again, with “The Garden of Silent Beasts.” The narrative plays up to it, especially when our old friend Prof. Bastion is Brought in to solvte the mystery. This, although not a. reprint, but original, is published in Hodder and Stoughton/s 3s 0d (net) edition. THE LATEST MAGAZINES Popular Mechanics lor March carries special and generously illustrated articles by such notable authors p.s Albert Payson Terhu.no (on dogs), Sir Hi rain Maxim (on the coming of t-ho silent air liner) and Winston Churchill (on a forecast, 50 years lienee).

The Ideal Home for February is a Small Homo and Garden Number, with hints and designs by the architectural editor. The idea is to .get much convenience into restricted space. The regular departments are all well filled with practical and helpful notes. N.Z. Financial Times for March givc s P-ride of place to ail illuminating article by an ex-officer on tide late. Czar’s staff on China as a great market for New Zealand produce,. Special articles deal with the Ottawa Conference Company Law, Cuirency and Banking, the Economic. Coin mission, Reparations, Rea] Wages, Insurance, Dividends and New Zealand Crisis, all dealt with in the- candour for which this journal is noted.

20 Story Magazine for March is quite up to the standard with tales by such noted writers as Andrew Soutar, Stephen Phillips, Solwyn Jepson, Ethel Mannin, Ralph Plummer, Oscar Stfiisgall, to mention only a few of them. There is thrill and entertainment galore. From Gordon lunj Gotcii (through Aiikon’s bookshop) conic copies of the latest issues of popular London mngaiznes. The Strand is full of Entertainment with stories by P. G. Wodehouse,. “Sapper,” Robert Hielicns. Jo/m Russell, Denis Maekail and F. E. Daily. The Novel carries tales l>v Christine Jope-Slade, Alan Sullivan, Octavus Cohen, Mrs C. N. Williamson, and Phyllis Hambledion. The Boy’s Own Paper has a liberal instalment, of a serial story of adventure and thrills and several my. story tales that are complete.