Brevities

Northern Advocate, 16 February 1938, Page 2

Brevities

“A . Tale From Bali," by Vicki Baum (Geoffrey Bies; 8/b). Tire period is early in the twentieth century. • The island Baliinesc people seem unattractively remote. Lute George Billot in .“Romola,” Miss Baum nas gone to infinite trouble to create acr story, and there .are characters from peasant to prince that she has worked over with careful stylo- .there is some no # isy drama in the clash between the Bali people and the Dutch in the matter of a shipwreck, which the Balinese had plundered. Hut it is all remote, and the same kind of tale developed in Irish surroundings would have a sharper edge of interest.

“'Jthe Pasquier Chronicles,” by Georges Duhame, translated by Beatrice Hoi choir (Dent; 10/6’ fiet),’ is attracting attention from those who can read a book of some 850 pages dealing with the French middle-class life before, during and after the war. It is minute in detail. A good deal is written in the first person. Hoses of characters step into the story, arq drawn from life, and step out again. One can immerse oneself in these chronicles until imagination touches the scenes with a wand, and lo! we are living in their midst. .It will, however, be a mind already in sympathy with the French middle-class attitude that will escape entirely from a sense of tedium in the stylish but monotonous exposition of the obvious.

If any reader of this page hates Cromwell and loves Charles, let him invest the modest price of some 257in Dr. Esme Wingfleld-Stratfcrd's “King- Charles and the Conspirators” (Seeker and Warburg). It almost puts Charles among the martyred saiats of history. Those saints aied mostly for their principles. Was there any steady altar-light of consistent loyalty to principle in. Charles? Many of the saints were very unpleasant persons, who could have used a certain brand of soap with advantage to any who were obliged to endure their presence. In that was much the nicer man, though he could bo as foolishly obstinate as the saints in defeating those who strove to help him. This book will confirm those who love, and not convince those who don’t.