BRITISH WRITERS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10456, 10 December 1927, Page 5

BRITISH WRITERS

MEN AND WOMEN. OF TODAY

PEN PICTURES UP LEADERS IN THE WORLD OF PRINT.

(By E. E-. Pine.; 11.

H. G. WELLS. Mr. li. G. Wells is 01 years of age, a Bachelor of Science, and a Justice of the Peace, His first book, = 'Silent Conversations with an Unde,’ was published in 1895. As ail author ho will soon hold more space in “Who’s Who” than anyone else, for lie is a most prolific writer. His new novel “Meanwhile” must be nearing his 70th look, for he has - written 41 works of fiction. 23 works s of history, economics, and personal ■ expositions, and two “game” books - for children. This famous writer

has humanised history more so thar anyone else, llis '‘Outline of History,” published in 1920, was ai: immense success, and is a favored gift book of thinking people. Sii Leo Cliiozza Money, the noted publicist says. “It would help a young Englishman to view broadly the march of humanity toward an unknown and hopeful horizon.” This Ixiok has been described as “more thrilling than the best detective story and more informative than Plutarch.” Sixty-three of H. G. ’Wells' short stories have, been collected, and they cover 1148 pages. An English reviewer remarks: “In this volume there is such an immense range of subjects that one wonders how they could come out of one brain.” Among his popular works are “A Modern Utopia,” “Kipps,” “Marriage,” “The Food of the Gods,” “The Now Maehiavelli.” “The Sleeper Awakes.” “Love and Mr Lewisham,” “Ann Veronica,” “The First Men in the Moon.” “The Time Machine,” “The Undying Fire,” “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” “The Passionate Pilgrim,” “Joan and Peter.” “The Passionate Friends.’ “The Research Magnificent,” ‘The Soul of a Dishop,” “Russia in the Shadows,” “The Country of the Blind.” “Toiio-Bungay,” “The Sea-Lady,” “The Wheels of Chance” “The War of Worlds,” “The Invisible Man,” “Bealbv.” “Anticipations.” “The Stolen Bacillus.” “The World Set Free,” “What is Coming?” .MARJORIE BOWEN.

, The creative gift, which it uoulc j seem, can neither he analysed noj explained, is certainly possessed ti ’ a fascinating degree liy Marjorie ’ Bowen, who is looked upon as beinj. ’ oner of the cleverest and most vorj satile of female writers of the present day. Her real name is Miss ; Gahricile Vere Campbell. and she ; first- i mde her name in historical ’ romances. While still in her teens | ‘‘The Viper of Milan” emanated from under her pen. She is highly educated; was made Hon. Member of the Literary Society of Leyden, Holland, in 19120; and has numerous novels as well as volumes of translations from Italian and French literature to her credit. She does not iavor a typewriter, and every word she has ever published lias been written by her own hand with an ordinary pen and on ordinary ruled foolscap. This authoress has a tremendous power of concentration, and she works on an average three or four hours a day. Her latest book. “Sundry Gftiat Gentlemen,” is a collection of biographical studies, and a writer in the Daily Express says ‘‘Her aim is to show how far a great personality, strange or powerful. can influence and shape the history and destin” of Europe.” Marjorie Bowen’s books include “The Glen o’ Weeping.” “J Will Maintain,” “God and the King,” “Defender of the Faith,” “The Quest ol Glory,” “A Knight of Spain,’ ‘‘The Governor of England.” “Mr. Washington.” “The Prince of Orange.” “Prince and Heretics,” “The Cardinal of Florence,” “Black Magic,” “The Sword Decides,” “Leopard and the Lily.” “God’s Playthings, ’ “The Rake’s Progress,” ‘‘Lover’s Knots,” “Shadows of Yesterday,’ “King at Anns,” “William by the Grace of God.” “The Burning Glass,” “Crimes of Old London,” etc. A. E. W. MASON. Major Allred E. \\ . Mason is another author whose books command a large share of populaiitv from the reading public. He is "a capital story-teller, and has, sit times, a little habit of introducing a touch of the gruesome or uncanny. In his novel entitled “dhc Watchers” lie keeps bis readers on a string, so to speak, till the very end. when the solution of the mystery is unfolded. Tile story carries a thrill and has a weird touch. In “The Truants” the theme is well worked up, and is full ot true human interest and sympathy, whilst the restrained force of a •strong writer is apparent throughout the pages of the volume. Mason’s ‘'Romance of Wastdale” is an artistic production, and here, too, a gruesome touch is introduced, though the treatment is refined. Another book. “At- the Villa Rosa,” was published in The Strand, and the genesis of the work developed from seeing the names of Mine. Fougere (victim of the Aix crime) and her companion cut in the glass of a window in the Star and Garter Inn, Richmond. The kernel of the hook, “Four Feathers,” originated from a realisation that a highly-strung person, once put to it, will go farther than one more placidly inclined. Mason’s book, “The House of the Arrow,"’ again features the French detective Hauaud, whilst a young girl, with a curious aberration, is a prominent character, and creates a problem in the theme. Other novels include “No Other Tiger,’’ “The. Philanderers,” “Running Water,” “Laurence Clavering,” “Parson Kelly,” “Witness for the Defence,” “The Four Corners of the World,” “Ensign Knightley,” “The Watchers,” “The Broken Reed,” “Summonsk,” arid “The Turnstile.” JOHN BUCHAN. A modern writer, whose hooks are in tile main redundant with thrilling problems, enthralling from cover to cover, ■ and carry an appeal to the cleanest and finest instincts of mankind, is John Buchan, and lie lias won a very wide circle of discriminating readers to Ins banner. He ’S 52 years of age, and before lie reached his majority, wrote “Sir Quixote.” The year after he followed with ‘‘Scholar Gipsies,” and boil) books scored a very fine measure of success, .'finco then his name follows the title of many capital works of which ‘Greenniantle,’ published in 1916. is undoubtedly one of his best, and possibly the most widely read. This book lias the treble charm of well-drawn and contrasting characters. a gripping theme, and smooth runnin" narrative. t\ith c-lear and convincing perspective it deals with problems- arising from the Great War, and the dangers faced by specially selected intelligence men on secret missions in the service of their country. Hie title is derived from the kernel of the book—Greeimmntle, tiie Kaaba-i-hiVriyeh tor all Islam. Buchan gives the reader plenty to think about, and among his interesting collection of works are “Witcliiiuod,” “The rath of the Fling,” “Salute to Adventurers,'* 'The .Moon

Euduieth The \\ auher by the Threshold.' “Grey Weather,,'' “The Thug Hostages,” • John Burnet oi Barnes,” "The Halt-Hearted,” “A Lost Lady of Old Years.” "A Lodge in the Wilderness,” "Prcster John.’’ “The Marrcjuise oi Montrose.” y ''Mi dtv inter.’’ Huntingtower.” “Mr. Standfast,” “Sir Walter Raleigh - ' and 'John McNab.’ During the Great War Colonel Buchan was one oi the best-known war correspondents with the British forces, and his "History of the War,” one of the first issued on this great subject, is still looked upon as an authority oil the history made in , lho.se dark da vs. •r a . MARIE ADELAIDE BELLOC. ’ Mrs. Belloc Lowndes, whose pseudonym is Marie Adelaide Belloc, is - another well-known writer of to-day, 3 and “The Lodger” is iu .some ways her liesi-known book. The story ori- ■‘ ghiated from a chance sentence ovors heard at a dinner-party, ami was , first written as a short story eoverj ing one dramatic incident. This an- ; thor lardy works out any kind of I synopsis or framework for a novel, ; and even when she has done so has, . on her own statement, never remain- , ed true to it. “Imaginary cliarac- . tors.” she says, "if filled with the breath of life invariably run away with their creator and do what tiny choose to do. The imagination—that part of the brain which creates characters and weavys plots—-remains an entire mystery, though the subject has proved sufficiently interesting to raise considerable literature in nurit civilised countries. \ aluabJe as a plot mind may he to its owner, the possession of a creative gift means that there drifts from somewhere—no one knows where, or why—nut a plot hut a series of characters, or perhaps more often a strong central, character imbued not. only with life but with all the attributes which go to compose a human being.” Thirtyeight years ago this authoress, published “Life and Letters of’ Charlotte Eli/... Princess Palatine.” Her works since include: “.Pulse of Life,” ‘Barbara Rebell,’ "Uttermost Farthing,” “Studies in Love and Terror.” “The End of the Honeymoon." “When No Man Pursueth,” “Tlib Chink in the Armour.” “Studies in Wives,” “The Heart of Penelope, r ‘ “Mary Pechell.” “The Uttermost Earthing” has been translated into French, and into German, and ran as a serial in a Paris, a Berlin and a Vienna daily paper. The plot of the book originated from a chat with a distinguished official i>i the Paris Prefecture of Police, when the authoress lived iu France during her early girlhood.

COSMO HAMILTON. Cosmo 'Hamilton, dramatist ami novelist, is a brother of Sir Philip Gibbs, and was second' son of the late Henry Gibbs (Board of Education), and Helen Hamilton. He assumed his mother's name in IStW. For a period he was editor of •‘The World.’’ His play ‘'The Silver Fox” was welcomed by New Void; and t liicago critics as the most linished amt brilliant, comedy that bad been written for many years. ‘•Scandal.” am other work from this writer’s hand, depicts the regeneration of a Hopper. and proved one of the greatest suecsses of its time. From his gallery of many books the following) may be quoted: ‘'Adam’s Clay,” ''Keepers of die House,” . “Brumniell,” ‘Duke's Son,-' "The Blindness of Virtue,” "Tbe ,Infinite Capacity." "The Princess of New York,” "The Bustle of Silk.” ‘‘Cowritten History, ’ "The New Poor.” "Tbe Mother Woman,” ‘‘Undelivered Letters,” etc. This author's dramatic instinct found vent in such charming plays as “Tile Wisdom of Folly,” ■‘The Mountain Climber,” “A Sense of Humour,”/ "All's. Shelling! on, ’* and "The Silver Fox." E. TEMPLE THURSTON. The new publication of "Jane Carrol” by 11. Temple Thurston, | which was promised by Jhitman’s in j October, is now oil the market and, according to the “Sunday Times,” it deals with political intrigue and gunrunning off tile coast of Ireland, it is tendered -to readers in the form of fiction. In addition Thurston has produced a new volume of children's stories under the title of "Come and Listen,” which ranges from the Bible and Greek Myths to Lady Godiva. This author is not yet 40, and his first novel “The Apple of Eden,” was written about 20 years ago when he was seventeen years of age. It met -villi refusal by the publishers. At the time lie resided in Ireland, and when lie reached lii.s majority lie left for London and started married life on t'" per week. Ho wit’s still wi icing unsuccessfully. At 22 lie rewrote "The ’Apple of Eden”: lie kept the story the same but improved the style. It was eventually published in England and America. Since then he has met with a full measure of success, and among iiis subsequent works are:— • “The City of Beautiful Nonsense,” “The Greatest Wish,” “The Cost,” “The Gieen-Bough,” "Traffic.” “Driven.” "Mirage,” "The Realist,” ‘’Sally Bishop,” “The Five Barred Gate,’” "The Open Window.” ‘Sheepskins and! Grev Russet,’ “The Flower of Gloster.” ‘The .Passionate Crime” “Tares,” “Enchantment,” etc. ROBERT HXCHENS. Robert Sniythe B.icliens is 03 years of age and looks back on a long caller as an author. The idea for "Tile Garden of Allah” (written in I‘JOD was in his mind for several years before be indited one word of it. After publication it was dramatised and produced with success at Drury Lane Theatre where it ran for nearly ten months. His latest book, “The Bacchante and the Nun,” not long released from tbe press, proved popular in London, and has now reached thii.se shores. Hichens’ hooks are read with avidity, and some of his best-known works include "Barbary Sheep,” “After the A erdict,’ "bn The Wilderness,” “The Call of the Blood.” -“Daughters _of Babylon.” “Felix.” "Woman .with the Fan,” “Tongues of Conscience, “Spell of Egypt,” “A Spirit in Prison,” “The Fruitful Vine.”. “Airs. Marsden,” “Bye-ways.” “The Blacir Spaniei," ‘W ay of Ambitiono,’ and “December Love.” A recent review stated that the last-named novel is a masterpiece. of dialogue and situations. COMPTON MACKENZIE, Compton Mackenzie is a B.A. and is forty-three years of age. Fie is a present-day author of poems, novels ind plays. At. times he is almost an invalid through sciatica, and most of his work is accomplished sitting in an invalid chair. His home is on •Jethou, one of the Channel Islands, nnd when his health permits he takes his exercise in the form of ferreting and shooting rabbits. One• of his chief difficulties, he says, is to hammer the Latinitv out of his style. He could write Latin prose long before lie could write anything like English.. In dialogue lie scores, for lie can write it as fast as may,“ folk speak it. The second ball of Guv and Pauline” was written yvhile waiting for a telegram to sift'inor him to Gallipoli. “Sylvie Scarlett” was written between .spasms of maddening, pain, and "Poor Relations” was almost entirely written in lied. Other books of bis are “sinister f-treet.' "(.arnival.' ‘"The Vanitv Girl.” "Tbe Passionate Elopement.” _ "Rich Relatives.” “Kensington.” “Pauline,” “Gentlemen in Grey.” etc. (TYmfd. at Font of Next ! 'ohirnn.)