Brevities

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1937, Page 2

Brevities

The Prodigal Son has had a long innings. It is overdue, especially in -this age of a brave new world, that the other side of the picture should receive a glance. 1 So Sinclair Lewis entitles his, new 1938 book, “The Prodigal Parents.”

Admirers of Conrad will be interested to know that Messrs Dent have just published Edward Garnett’s long introduction to Conrad’s “Prefaces to his Works.” Garnett completed this valuable reminder of his unique literary friendship with Conrad, just before his death. His son, David Garnett, adds a short sketch of his father.

A trade catalogue announces that Mr Arthur Calder-Marshall, author of “Pie in the Sky,” has' exchanged the fogs of the Thames Valley for the sunshine of California. When last heard of, it observes, he was bathing in the Pacific and writing his new novel. “Bathing in the Pacific” recalls Mark Twain’s remark that he understood New Zealand was an island near Australia, to which there was easy access at low tide. Centaurus ahoy!

Pop-]Eye has little on the diverting Jack Tar described by Eric Linklater in “Home is the Sailor.” This sailor at home, immediately makes for—a pub? Oh no. That notion goes by the board. He is not averse to a pint or two, but what he goes for is exploration and adventure, and he finds enough of both to keep his readers who follow him, in a continual state oi chuckling excitement.