BOOKS

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOOKS

By “Caxton

Romance and Grime

venturer, would be about fifty to one against its social success. They would lose, in this romance, for Confine, when she arrived in London, at once spent £3o—a third of her capital—on a modish frock. Next, she went after a jcb as secretary-hostess in a bridge club, and got it. The rest was easy—even to the defeat of Bert Rainslow, the club owner, who persisted in unwanted attentions. But there were others, good chaps, who liked her and helped to give her a good time, without tears. This is where the “gay career” comes in; and with it there came the rather mysterious man who finally led her to the altar. Illusive Glamour It is a bright story, with the illlusive glamour of a Lonsdale picture, studded with twinkling screen stars. A carping critic might insist upon throwing some bricks of hard baked fact into the heroine’s primrose path. But the public doesn’t patronise a glamorous film to gaze upon the hard facts of life, but to get away from them and enjoy life, and that’s how they will enjoy this story. |

A Bund? Of New Novels

Gay Career by Elizabeth Margetscn (Ward Lock, 7/6) has the all round appeal of a popular romance that admits us to the exclusive circle of a smart London bridge club. It has a special appeal to thousands of girls all oyer the world who dream of going to London some day and finding or forcing an open door that will usher them into exactly such a company of smart modem society as that which gathered nightly around the bridge tables of this London club. They dream, too, that a romance might develop, as it does in this story, and lead through risky excitements to a safe haven in a desirable and happy marriage. But they wake to the grey skies of their far off reality, which mocks the revels of untramelled imagination, and disrobes the insubstantial pageant of their ectasies in the dull drudgery of exacting daily toil. Making Her Dream Come True With Confine Graham, the delectable heroine ,of “Gay Career,” it was not so. She dared to make her dream come true. No heroine could start out with fewer advantages. No experience, no training, no special gifts, and next to no money. She had just one hundred pounds.' Nothing more. But she was slim' and pretty, had courage, confidence in herself, and the priceless assets of initiative 'and shrewd sense. Also she was in love with life and life was disposed to return the affection.

Fifty to One Against

Still, I suppose, the betting in any group of worldly-wise men, who know .the, perils of London for such an ad-