A DELVE INTO THE BOOK-BAG

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 2 March 1935, Page 14

A DELVE INTO THE BOOK-BAG

A neAv edition of Mr G. K. Chesterton’s study of “George Bernard ShaAv” has been added to John Lane’s “Week-End Library.” The author has Avritten a fresh chapter bringing the Avork up to date. * ■* ■* * *

“A Cruise in an Opium Clipper,” published by Messrs Allen and Unwin last month, is an account of the author’s experiences during a. trading voyage to Formosa in 1859. It Avas written soon after the voyage by Captain Lindsey Anderson. *****

Moyra Charlton, the sixteen-year-old author of “Tally-Ho,” “Three White Stockings,” etc., is, in company with John Buchan, H. G. Wells, Conan Doyle, Rider Haggard, and Stanley Weyman among the six most popular authors at a recent school ballot. * * * * *

Mikhail Sholokhov’s new novel, “Virgin Soil Upturned,” Avhich Putnam hope to publish shortly, is not strictly a sequel to “And Quiet Xloavs the Don,” but follow's naturally on it, describing the life in a Cossack village during the collectivisation of the farms after the fighting Avas over.

Sir James Cricliton-BroAvne, M.D., an authority on Carlyle and author of a number of reminiscent books, entered his 95th year on November 30. He is fre© from food. fads. “Eat wliat you like,” he has said to his patients, but in moderation —it is the best Avay to staA r e off senility. Sir James Cricli-ton-BroAA'ne belieA r es that 100 years is the natural span of human life.

Mr Ralph Straus said recently: “Taking the great output of novels today, a large number of them are okceedingly good, and if they had been published sixty or seventy years, ago quite a large number of them might have created a sensation, AV’hile to-day they hardly get noticed.” * * * * *

Viscount Dunedin uses strong language in speaking of his eiglity-fifth birthday as ‘fth(s horrible affair,” though not so strong as SAvift’s Avhen he greeted his anniversary with the text, “Let the day perish Avhereon I was born.” All sorts of people (remarks a London Avriter) have disliked these occasions: Dr. Johnson, Macaulay, Queen Elizabeth, and Lord Rosebery described his birthday to Henry Lucy as “a day of private fasting and humiliation.” What Avere the reasons in each case; disappointment Avith life, fear of death, or inferiority complex? ! *****

Mr J. B. Priestley tells an Observer interviewer that, after so much novel Avriting, he finds it interesting to get into direct contact Avith his public by means of the theatre. You can go on Avriting successful novels all your life and neA r er really find out AA-hat people are thinkihg. But in the theatre and to some extent in the films you get some kind of measureabfe reaction. His object noAA-adays is to have three techniques—those of the novel, the play, and the film at his fingers’ ends, so that Avhen he gets an idea for a story he may be able to choose the appropriate form to express it. . .

DEAN INGE ON READING * ‘ Most" novel-reading is a mere way of starting a day-dream: it is a way of escape from life. This is a habit which must be carefully watched, or it rots the mind. At the same' time, I could make- an. impressive list of serious men who have unbent their great minds over detective stories. It is better than playing cards for money, anyhow,’’ writes the Very Rev. W. R. Inge, in the “"Church of England Newspaper. ” “In literature, the dead lion is better than the live dog. Old books require more education than new ones, but they do us more good. ‘Old w r ood to'burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old books to read.’ Our neglect of our English classical literature is a national disgrace,” writes Dr. Inge.

“Read what you enjoy. Reading against the grain is not only a weariness of the flesh; it does not stick. And link up your reading with your other interests. It is impossible to remember what is entirely alien to our thoughts and pursuits. “The most valuable part of reading is w-hen we put the book down and think over it.

“The mind in reading ought never to be quite passive. We have to take our part in the debate; we are pitting our wits against a wiser man than ourselves, but we are not to swallow whole what' needs careful mastication. “History is immensely interesting, but it is often little better than une fab el convenue. ‘The Heity,’ said -Samuel Butler, ‘cannot alter the past, but historians can and do. Perhaps that is why He allows them to exist.’ Similarly with biography. ‘‘The widow or disciple dresses the deceased in canonicals; the new biographer of the Lytton Strachey school gives a. slap-dash impressionist- portrait or guys his man as an ‘eminent Victorian,’ and therefore absurd. But such books are very enjoyable, and we can believe as much of them as we like.

‘‘Popular science ought not to be neglected, for this is the chief avenue of revelation —I do not think that is putting it too high —to our generation. It is unfortunate that some- of our leading scientists are admirable writ-

‘ ‘ Well, we may all choose our own favourites. But let them be men who viewed life nobly.”