HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 28 May 1932, Page 2

HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

NEW BOOKS. Travel, biography and popular fiction are all represented in the nc.\v books at the Hawera Public Library. “•Modern Germanies,” by Cicely Hamilton, gives the impressions' of a young Englishwoman who spent some months wandering over the countrycomparing it with Germany she knew as a girl. The amazing changes which she saw on every hand are no doubt beginning to take place many years ago, but it is only since the war that they have developed so rapidly, Ihe war is chiefly responsible for the new art and architecture, for the passion for fresh air and athletics, and for scanty clothing. The youth movement, with its dangers and its value to the nation, the cult of the nude, theatres modern building and the new German army are discussed. Avoiding j oliiies as far as possible, she has written a most interesting and informative book. It is illustrated with photographs. “Life’s a Lark,” by Grock. Everyone knows Grock, the -world’s greatest clown, with his enormous boots and his .small fiddle. But what is the real man like, behind the grease paii.tr 'What is the story of liis rise l o fame? Grock, we find pis only a stage name, for he is one of the Wettachs of Berne in Switzerland, where for centimes h>s family had been cowherds. His talert for acting seems to be partly derived from his father, who on more than O'y occasion was discovered taking part in a circus or theatre, and it was through his father than Grock got his first engagement as clown in a traveling circus. His passion for music found ib first expression in making an orchestra of onion ropes, -which hung fjom the rafters in his home. Later lie learned to play many instruments and excelled at the piano, violin and the concertina. In the early part of his career much of his acting was done in small villages, surrounded by snow covered forests, where wolves were a perpetual menace and he and his compam ms had many a narrow escape while sledging through the forests. Greek has a sert of naive conceit in his ris:. to fame, nevertheless the book is very readable. Pen and ink sketches and photographs add interest to 't-. “The Life of Henry Hving, ’ by Guidon Craig. Just as Shakespeare was our greatest dramatist, Henry Irving was the greatest inter 1 ) of his plays. He is the most outstanding figure in the history of. English actors and acting. 'Gordon Craig, son of Ellen ( Terry, was for many years working with him, besides knowing him mtimatelv as a friend, and so is well qualified to write his biography Nowadays, an actor is chosen .for his resemblance to a character in the play, and his only task is to he as natural as possible, but in Irving’s time an actor had to be prepared to assume anv role. In one season, Irving played as many as forty parts. Besides being such an excellent actor, Irving had a wonderful personality. Gordon Craig gives us a portrait of a most interesting man

POPULAR FICTION. So popular have “wild west” and detective stories been lately that it supply of these. The following are was found necessary to put in an extra “wild west” yarns: “Long Loop,” by B M. Bower; “Knife Through the Ace,” by W. M. Raine; “The Far Call,” by E, Marshall, “Kindred of the Dust,” by P. B. Kyne, “The Accidental Adventurer,” by S. Parkman; “Cross Trails,” by Whitaker and “Light of the Western Stars,” by Zane Grey. Among the detetcive stories are: “The Maze,” by Philip Macdonald; “The Shadow of the Wolf,” by R. A. Freeman; “The Lion and the Lamb, and “Sinners Beware,” by E. P. Oppenheim ; “Chief Inspector and “How Now, McLean/’ by G. Goodchild; “Out of the Dark,” by “Seamark”; “The Door,” by M. R. Rmeliart; “Alias the Saint,” by L. Charteris; “The Top Storey Murder,” by A. Berkeley; “The Man with Talent. Other novels are “The Man Who Was Sure,” by J. Hocking; “The Shadow of Red Mason,” by P. G. Wodehou>se; “The Silver Gilt Standard,” by George Birmingham and “Rooms to Let,” by Elissa Landi “A Buried Treasure,” by Elizabeth Madox Roberts. This is. the story of an old couple on a farm in Elk Creek countrv, who had lived a simple hardworking life for many years. The discovery of a hidden fortune changes their world for them. They have no idea how far this wealth will go; they cannot at first accustom themselves to plan a greater extravagance than a new roof, and a wedding breakfast for their niece Tmogene. The fortune .dispels their peace and content.. This is a well-written story of American countrv life.