BOOKS TO READ

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 276, 1 November 1924, Page 9

BOOKS TO READ

"HOPALONG CASSIDY RETURNS.”

(By

Clarence Mulford.)

After a year’s wanderings, following upon the death of his young wife and son, Hopalong-—close herded by Bed Connors—returns into the Arkansas Biver Country, to revisit tho Old Bar — 20. Hopalong’s steady dejection is boginning to fade, and the cure becomes complete after he has been shot at by the virile youngster Mesquite Jenkins, who having wrongfully annexed 1,300 (tellers, mistakes Hopalong for a sheriff Hopalong—the hero of Mesquite’s boyhood dream—decides to train the youngster before introducing him to the clan ac the old ranch. This story constitutes a record of their wanderings, during which it is questionable whether Hopalong or Mesquite gets into tho xnbst mischief. The 1,300 dollars which is to be returned to its rightful owner has a lot to do with the trouble; for Mesquite has a weakness for the mature women of the saloons, who in turn endeavour to relieve him of it. Mesquite is a boy to Hopalong; and he has nearly passed all the tests when it seems as though ho is going to run away with another man’s wife. But, nevertheless, we find Hopalong and Mesquite riding knee to knee into Laramie, where they discovered Bed in bed with an attack of “nerves.” But after Hopalong has avenged Bed, the nerves seem likely to recover; and Hopalong and the Kid make tracks for the North Platte and ranch, where Hopalong proposes to “Sit in the sun and whittle toys for the kids ’ ’ for the remainder of his days. Altogther an excellent Bar—2o addition in Mulford’s best vein.—Pub. Hodder and Stoughton. Price, 6/-. ♦ * ♦ * ‘ BEVISED PILGRIM’S PROGRESS” Bev. Palgrave Davy, F.RLG.S., of Auckland, in tho course of his Tong years of work among young people, has found Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” of inestimable service as a vehicle for conveyance of fundamental Christian truths. But he has found it convenient to prepare a revision for young readers. This has earned the commendation of Mr Arthur Mee, the well-kfiown London journalist-editor of the children’s newspaper. Mr Davy, in quite simple terms, so that any child may understand him, gives a brief account of Bunyan and his immortal works, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” and “The Holy City,” with reference, too, to “Grace Abounding.” He has made researches into all the material available on his special subject in London, Bedfordshire, and elsewhere. He adheres to Bunyan’s beautiful language, and, very wisely and successfully, has not sought to modernise it. There are some quaint illustrations on the text, and these have been specially drawn to attract the attention of young children. They do not reduce the great spiritual importance of the text. At the same time they have a touch of humour imparted to them that is much to be preferred to the horrific pictures in some editions of the “Progress” published 50 or 60 years ago. This retelling "of the immortal allegory is extremely well don»e and should achieve what seems to be Mr Davy’s prime object, viz., to show chidren that the Christian life can bo a very happy one. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ “WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT MAN.” * (By Joseph Hocking.) Michael Poldhu, a yeoman of old Cornish stock finds himself at the commencement of tho story on sore money difficulties So beset is he with debt and aanger that even the old home of his fathers seems likely to be sold over his head. The Squire of th© parish, his thief creditor, is determined to crush him. Michael’s wife is dyng, and he is soon to be left with his little baby boy of a week old to lace a hard world. As it seems to him, everything in life depends upon the possession of money, and he makes a vow that in spite of everything he will become rich. He determines to train his boy to believe that money is the secret of all happiness, all power. To this he bends all his energies, for this he struggles, and strives—and succeeds. In “What Shall it Profit a Mani” Mr Hocking, in a series of romantic events, tells how thi« works out in actual life. Forces of which Michael had not dreamt are ideals to which he is largely a stranger are possessed by his son. Love and ambition fight for the mastery. Tho lower and the higher in man’s nature struggle together. The power of heredity, and the influence of training, are opposed to the holier instincts of the soul. “What Shall It Profit a Man?” is a deeply absorbing story full of incident and exciting situations. It is also a human document pulsating with those deeper emotions which are seldom absent from Mr Hocking’s books.—Pub, Hodder and Stoughton. Price, 3/6. ' : ♦ 4 4 SECRET SERVICE SMITH. ’ ’ k- (By B. T. Scott.) A series of remarkable experiences of an American who, because of his ingenuity and common-sense and skill in solving difficult problems, secures a position in th© Secret Service of the Indian Government, and after many narrow escapes returns to America to pursue the same dangerous profession. Northern or Southern India, Ceylon, and broad sea. New York slums anti the Wild West arc all alike to the lean and lanky Mr Smith as a field for the exercise of his talents. These are unusually good detective stories; but they are more—they are thrillingly interesting adventure and travel stories as well. —Pub., Hodder and Stoughton. Price, 3/6. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 ‘ THE WAY OF THE BUFFALO. ’ ’ (By Charles Alden Seltzer.) No Western writer portrays with more virile force than Charles Alden Seltzer, the relentless progress of civilisation over the Western prairies—civilisation which neither the fury of the roped buffalo nor that of tho despotic old plainsman can withstand. In “The Way of the Buffalo” he is dramatically relates how young Cameron, a typical pioneer, bought tho enormous tract of prairie adjoining Ballantine’s cattle ranch, though fully aware that the old plainsman had threatened to kill any purchaser. With inimitable skill and realistic power the author brings into conflict the opposing interests, which hs cleverly knits together with a wholly delightful love affair and must freshnoss of detail. There is a “ pulse ’’ to this story which will, delight all lovers of the virile Western yarn.—Pub., Hodder and Stought. Price, 6/-. ♦ ♦ ♦ “A TEMPESTUOUS DAUGHTER.” (By Margaret Legge.) Since the earliest times, records of which linger faintly in tho minds of old people, a terrible race of creatures has existed,, known as .“The Modern GirL” Alexandra Claff, the tempestuous daughter, is a marked specimen of the (Continued at foot of next column.)

type as it exists to-day. She accepts nothing on trust, but tries to take the world with a rush, and when, as a result, she herself receives most of the bruises, is ready to endure them like a good sportsman, without whimpering. Beautiful and wilful, with lots of tricks but no vice, she gets into plenty of trouble, from which she eventually emerges, helped by a strange idealistic man. who refuses to see anything but the best, in her. A lively, clever, breezy story that is sure to be popular.—Pub., Hodder and Stoughton. Price. 6/-. ♦ * * ♦ NOTES. Winston Churchill’s .book of memoirs, ‘‘The World Crisis” in 2 volumes, originally published at 60/- net, can now bo purchased at 15/-."“ ~ Joseph Conrad; Ono of the last transactions by the late Joseph Conrad was the sanctioning for publication of two of his plays entitled “Laughing Anne” and “One Day More” which have hitherto not been available to the general public. It was tho intention of Mr Conrad to write a special preface for this volume, but his death oocurred before this could bo done. The publish- ' ers, Messrs John Castle, now announce that a preface to tho valumo has been ; written by Mr John Galsworthy, who deals with Conrad’s aspirations as a dramatist, and includes some interesting personal sidelights of their work together. The book will be issued early in October.