BY-ABOUT- FOR

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1937, Page 2

BY-ABOUT- FOR

‘ The Far-Distant Oxus,” by Katha- ’ Vine Hull and Pamela Whitlock, illustrated by Pamela Whillock v (Jonatlian Cape).

.their,photos,, these authors are two plump, athletic, jolly looking girls 'dhc' would like to know, just the kind to radiate merriment through a picnic or a party. And their personal, ’friendly, human charm radiates | 'through their book. I In 1936 they were school girls of 14 ;*>and 15, so Arthur Ransome tells us in i the introduction.’ At the same school in England, yet not well acquainted |with each other 'till one day they 1 , found themselves sharing the same v: shelter in a storm of rain. They talk's ed long enough to become friends who • disclosed to each other a longing to - write a book about children, ponies

f and moors. That rainstorm put them into partnership to realise their ambition. They ..■took for a slogan: “By children, about - children; for children.” But these | words, alone, suggest nothing of the f originality, excitement, happy humour | and captivating interest of the book, no less for grown-ups than children. - To Quote from Ransome again:— 3; ’This book, crammed’ with advenj.', tures and jokes, is alive from beginning to end with looking and seeing and feeling. The authors never forget the loveliness of the eternal world. Byt they are not , Sentimental about it. It is one of the major facts of their lives and down it goes into their book, together with all kinds of other pleas,r. ttres, ponies, walking on stilts, sleep'Zzßifg in hammocks, escaping out of doors in the dark, and so on. t:What is , unique about this book, impart from the undoubted genius in b6t|) authors, is that it was written at School, on scraps of school paper, and tßipt a . complete, secret, each writing •different chapters, and the illustrations are? as fresh and captivating as the

Writing.

::: j One Wild Secret Rush; k..f r. I

ISl&rly in the Easter term they celefinishing a rough draft of the book by breaking' lots of rules and

spending the night together, though they usually slept in different “houses” of the school. All through the night, behind drawn blinds, they read their chapters. Then they exchanged them and set to work again, each revising what the other had written. It was all one wild secret rush. . . . We were rather in a hole because we are supposed to be taking Higher Certificates in July (And they did). When the holidays came they still kept the secret, until the book was ready to find a publisher, Mr Ransurne introduced it to Mr Cape. “Its readers,” be says, “will not find themselves laughing at quaint spellings, or maxing any Kind of allowances on account of the authors’ age. Instead, )hey will find, with delignt, that they are reading something different from any grown-up book. They will exult, as I have exulted, in the lithe boy who rides into the story with the Labrador retriever at his heels, the winning of tne black pig by success in the skittle alley, the miraculous building of the house, the rounding up of the wild ponies, the knocking out of the unfortunate amateur actor, his dosing with enough aspirins to take a headache from Mussolini, the over the moor to the viuage, the colossal fun of the village theatricals, the voyage to the sea, and the lighting of farewell beacons on the hills.”

A Priceless Outlook.

They make a list of things needed for the Oxus Expeditionary Force. Here are the last few items:— Money (not much). Stores. . Salt, pepper, sugar (essential). Dog biscuits. Saddle dusters.

How one likes the wholesome spirit of “sugar (essential)” in these days c crazy diets and starved figures; and the thrill of meeting anyone who can set out on an expedition with the indifference of a sublime self dependence towards wealth.

“Money (not much),” Compare that with the drivel of modern writers who can’t set any story on its feet without luxury or set it going without a rich relative to wind it up.