HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 30 January 1933, Page 2

HAWERA PUBLIC LIBRARY

NEiW BOOKS. The new books at the Hawera Public Library are chiefly novels by wellknown authors, and include: “The Narrow Corner,” by Somerset Maugham. This book tells the story of a doctor’s holiday in the Malay Arehipeligo. After a very serious scrape Dr, Saunders settles m a small Chinese- town where he makes his name curing eye diseases. When the story opens, he has been there some seven years, a detached philosopher who can appreciate the antics of all sorts and conditions of men. On his way home from a professional visit at one of the islands he falls in with a Captain Nicholls and young Fred Blake, from Sydney and persuades them to take him aboard their lugger. There is obviously some mystery about this curious, pair. Nicholls is clearly a scoundrel, but Fred looks as if lie had a. good home and education. Dr. Saunders bides bis time and hears both their stories, which are certainly adventurous, and before lie- parts with them is involved in another violent drama. The story is exciting enough, but the interest is chiefly held by the drawing of the diverse characters of Dr. Saunders, Captain Nicholls, and Fred Blake.

“.first Night,” by Lorna Rea. This is an interesting and unusual picture oi the first night of a new play by a new author. We meet the manager, the author, all the players, some wellknown- first-nighters, a party in the pit and another in the gallery, and last but not least, the critics. These are generally agreed that the play Js a failure. Lorna Rea is very deft with her portraits of all these people with their reactions to the play and the players. “Jubilee,” by Goeffrey Marston, is the story of a servant-girl who goes to a situation on trial and stays for fifty years. It is excellently written ‘•Letters to Teg,” by Patrick Adam, is an original and amusing book of adventures of a young girl in search of sophistication. The pen and ink illustrations certainly add to the humour. The authoress, it is rumoured, is only seventeen. “The Valley,” by Richard McFarlane, is the story of a village doctor who discovers how to. bottle sunshine, and thus cure all sorts of ill. At once the village is invaded. No longer is it a God-fearing place; all sorts of strange things happen. It all goes to show that science does not always benefit mankind. “Getaway,” by Leslie Charters. The “Saint” is a modern D’Artagan, always appearing when there is any trouble, and quietly putting undesirables out of the way.. The police of all Europe are looking for him, buteluding them, he continues his daring exploits. “Grip Finds the Lady,” by .john Dory. An elderly woman disappears from the village of Mosschurch. With a reward to tempt them, amateur sleuths try to solve the mystery, but only tangie things more. A boy becomes involved, and falls into a trap, from which there is seemingly no escape. The lady is found, -but in a most unexpected manner. The story is amusing as well as thrilling. “Twenty Notches,” by Max Brand. Sleeper, a lazy tramp, gets hold of a gun which is believed to never miss. Though it is an old model, it has twenty notches on it. When Sleeper runs into Parminter’s gang, the old Colt helps him through, “The Years of the Locust,” by Jane England. This is another story of Rhodesia, by the author of “Red Earth.” Deserted -by her lover at Beira, Lee AVinton decides to go up to a- farm in Rhodesia, rather than return to England and her husband. Kesson, the owner of the farm, is a good sort, but his wife has a bad reputation. Lee, however, decides to stay, partly through obstinacy and partly because AVickham, the manager, has urged her to do so. She is^ there when the tragic deaths of Lily Ivesson and her husband take place. Her own problems arc solved by Wickham, with whom she starts afresh. “England, the Unknown Isle, ’ -to the rest of Europe England is curiously remote and little understood. Paul Cohen-Portlieim, the author of ‘ ‘England, the Unknown Isle,” is an Austrian who has spent much of his time in England. It is a brightly-written book of his views on English social life, art literature, education and the stage The influence of England on the Continent and vice versa- is discussed, and the future of the Lritish Empire estimated.