Looking Back

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1939, Page 7

Looking Back

Books of 1938 make a long vista of library shelves. Moving slowly along one pauses a moment to look a second time at volumes Whose titles have at some time during the period attracted attention. They are very few out of the sixteen thousand published last year in Britain. And still fewer are those we take down to point out their readable features or to revive 'our recollections of enjoyment of their pages, •

Corridors of Fiction Fiction bulks largely, making whole corridors of books in themselves. Stories of crime ahd detection. Inspector French is as fresh as ever in “The End of Andrew Harrison.” and, just recently in “Antidote to Venon” by Freeman Wilis Crofts, both published by Hodder and Stoughton. Agatha Christie’s “Appointment With Death” renews our acquaintance with the versatile Poirot, and lines up, with undiminished stature, in a squad of thrillers from the pen of this popular author. “Fashion in Shrouds,” by Margery Allingham (Heinemann) was one of these clever well-constructed stories that we can read more than once with sustained interest. It has vivid qualities of surprise, and runs aling a highway of attractive features, well worth looking at again. Moreover, it keeps steadily to the highway. not jolting us in and but of ruts.

New Zealand Authors Our own author, Ngaio Marsh, maintained a high reputation with “Artists in. Crime" and “Death in a White Tie” • Goof. Ble.s). “Promenade,” by another New Zealand author, “G. B. Lancaster’ (Mrs Edith J. Lyttelton) is not properly included here, as It is more a romance story, but it is attracting Australian attention, though it hardly seemed to equal earlier novels. Returning to thrillers, Cassells published a new Van Dine, “The Grade Allen Murder Case,” and Heinemaan's “The Long Death.” by George Dyer, both soaked in American style. “Dark Lady” and “End of An Author” are thrilling stories by Jefferson Earjeon. Fiction Plain and Coloured Among volumes of “straight fiction." historical, romantic or realistic, “NorthWest Passage” (Collins 9''6) by Kenneth Roberts, leads the year. It was. of course, cut in America in 1937. but dates its advent among English publications in 1938. It has been voted one of the great books, a stirring story of the 18th century, and the clash of pioneers and Indians. “The Rains Came”* (Cassell, 8 6) by Louis Bromfield, gave us a very fine and moving story of Anglo-Indian life. Robert

Graves scored at the top of popularity among the more critical readers with “Count Belisarius,” another Cassell success. Jim Phelan’s “Lifer” gave ' a grim and detailed story of what imprisonment really means. The ordinary reader finds interest in‘stories as well written as this, but those who regard our penal system as barbaric, brutal and long overdue for reform, welcome a sober discussion of the stark truth this book presented. Priestly’s “Doomsday Men” (Heinemann) sold on the author’s reputation, but the going was a little heavy and dull: “The Impregnable Women” by Eric Linklater (Cape)' had parts, like the Curate’s egg, that were good, but it also was weighed down with an incredible theme. Daphne du Maurier in “Rebecca” (Golancz) had qualities! that attracted ,a sufficient interest to j put* it .among best-sellers. A. E. W. Mason’s “Konigsmark” (Hoddcr and Stcughtbn) will probably outlast a great many of the year’s novels in steady favour. For theatre lovers, “Old

Motley,” by Audrey Lucas (Collins) is full of good meat and gallantry, a book of delighting recoveries of time past. “Dr. Bradley Remembers” (Heinemann), by Brett Young is another of the shield from Cronin’s “Citadel,” and perhaps one that will find a wider acceptance in the long run. R. C. Hutchinson’s “Testament” is of Russia, a long, derailed apd penetrating story, with insight and mastery of expression. Hailed as one of the greatest books of the year, it has yet to stand the test of survival. “Caspar Hauser” by Wassermann was reviewed last week. It is a. fitting mention to close a list that leaves out many that might, and perhaps should be noticed, but we must pass on. Next Saturday we can stroll observingly past the 1938 shelves of science, art, biography and travel;