THE BOOKSHELF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE BOOKSHELF.

HAPPY VAGABONDAGE.

J. D. IT;[ESTLEY'S FIXE NOVEL.

Mr. Priestley is so adept an essayist that his novels aro always looked at askance by reviewers, who have conspired to •safeguard themselves by dubbing them " essayist's novels." Tho stricture, tf stricturo it be, is not deserved hitherto, for " Adam in Moonshine " and " Benighted " show little of tho garrulity of tho essayist. They rely on nimblo wit, sparkling dialogue, and daring conception to carry them through, airy delightful tnlies rather than solid fare. So when Mr. Priestley collaborated will) Hugh Walpole in " Farthing Hall " the compliment seemed to be Mr. Priestley's. Brilliant essayist and novelist though ho be, Ik; was only a light-weight—a very entertaining and desirable light-weight. He was Iho last man ono would have suspected of being 'empted to follow tho lead of Francis Brett Young, and Hugh Walpole, and write a super-novel, one of those serious contributions to literaturo which run to three times tho length of an oulinarv novel.

In " The Good Companions," Mr. Priestley has written a very long novel, ambitious in concept ion and design, which is yet liappv and cheerful, serious, and entertaining throughout its every page. An "essayists novel." sinco it ambles and wanders about, feeding on any sustenance. which comes in its way. Tf its resemblance to " The Piekwiek Papers " is mentioned it must not bo imagined that a comparison is suggested. Merely the flavour of both books is tho same—tho flavour of Merrie England. Mr. Priestley's book sprouts from three different roots—a Yorkshire carpenter, a lady of family from tho Provinces, and a preparatory school-master, who tired of their jobs, and their circumsc.-ibed lives, throw their cares behind them, and severally take the open road, one with a kit of tools, another with a two-seater, tho third with a mercurial temperament. Fate casts them together in a villago tea-shop, and links them up to tho remnants of a theatrical troupe. " Tho Good Companions," which recreates itself into a concert party, and tours the provinces. In this congenial company tho three newly-made vagabonds roam through England, visiting towns, villages, country inns, meeting many kinds of people, finding good in most things, and humour in everything. For like Dickens, Mr. Priest lev finds that there is still a lot of fun in England, a lot of hopo for England. It is a health-giving thing just to breatho tho country air, fo hear the rude country sounds that pervade this book. It is a" challenge to the depressing young men who wield such disillusioned pens in tho realms of modern fiction. Even the reader for pleasure may find the rounding off of the story a little too felicitous. But it is a book" of good cheer, kindly irony, happy wandering, and rude health, for which there has long been a place on English bookshelves.

"Tho Good Companions." by J. B Prie3tler. (Heinemann).

THE TYRANNY OF LOVE

PHYLLIS BOrrOME'S BEST WORK

Phyllis Bottome is .an American by birth, but she rarely uses that country as a background for her novels. The atmosphere ot her books is more or less cosmopolitan, even as, if rumour is to bo believed, Phyllis Bottcmo is herself. When an authoress has given her public some half dozen books she sots a standard for herself. Now Phyllis Bottome hns never yet disappointed her readers. It is true that several of her more recent novels have not quitj reached tho brilliant standard of some of her earlier ones, but at least her books one and all have been well written and entertaining. " Tatter'd Loving," therefore, comes as a pleasant surprise, even when one was prepared for something good. Miss Bottome reaches in this, her latest book, her highest level. Tho theme is slight, there are only 2.50 pages in tho book, but the .skill, beauty and dexterity of Miss Bottom's writing make it one "that will be remembered by the reader. The theme is the subtle, but cruel form ot tyranny exercised by a beautiful woman, solely by means of love and gentleness 'lite book opens with a picture ot its central figure, Vera, beautiful, fragile, beloved by her husband, recovering from a serious illness in a room " vivid and impersonally gay like, the best typeiof eighteenth century wit." Vera has had fifteen years of perfect happiness sincu tho breakdown of her first marriage Now lying convalescent, she longs to see the child of that marriage. Adriadno conies, a girl of eighteen, lovely, candid, and the two, mother and daughter, become inseparable. Adriadno comes to live at her mother's home, and tho situation concerns itself with tho relationship. between tho three. Vera becomes jealous of the friendship between her husband and her daughter. There is a feeling ot' complete satisfaction when one has finished tlio book. Ono doubts if such a difficult situation could have been better handled. Ot course, Miss Bottome is no inexperienced writer, who might, let her characters get out of control, still tho intuitivo rightnass of her relationships makes a vivid impression.

"Tatter'd Loving." by Phyllis Bottome, (Collins).

THE ARTISTIC TEMPERAMENT

TRAGEDY OF DISILLUSION

" The Fiddler," Sarah Gertrude Milling latest novel, is typical of her best work. It, is a study in artistic temperament and for'the first time, Miss Millin confines. her interests entirely to white people. Jennie, married. middle-aged, falls romantically in love with the fiddler in a hotel orchestra, where she and her husband aro spending a holiday. From the first page of the hook there is the feeling of tragedy in the air. With an unerring instinct, for dramatic effect, the book moves simply to its tragic climax, liornanco is snuffed as easily and completely as a candle. Disillusionment follows," leaving nothing to graco the desperate situation that the lovers find themselves in. r lhc bitterness,' which so easily might havo arisen from disappointment" and disillusionment is scarcely realised before it is softened by the warmth of human kindness that surrounds Jennie when she most needs it. . Mrs. Millin writes with a sincerity and 'depth of comprehension that will always maintain her reputation.

" The Fiddler." by Sarab Gertrude Millin (Constable).