OTHER NEW PUBLICATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23097, 23 July 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

OTHER NEW PUBLICATIONS

By THE BOOKMEN

FOOLS AND THEIR HORSES STEEPLECHASING BUSINESS The raring stories of the prolific i Gould were based on a hero and heroine, a villain and a horse. The same recipe j is used by J. S. Bradford in his story of steeplechasing, "The Sport of Fools." j but with the difference' that the hero j and heroine arc also ioolisli persons and the proportion of villainy is greatly in-1 creased. until it dominates the mixture completely.' On the whole, the author produced a digestible product, but there is a tart tang about it. even at the end, j which is obviously intended not to be bitter. Apparently, racing under National Hunt Rules "in England is a sport with a j clientele and a professional entourage different from those associated with flat racing; it is sincerely to be hoped so, il ; Mr. Bradford's account is based on ; facts. One would prefer, however, with others who enjoy the Sport of Kings, ! to take the author's assurance that his I "characters have no relation to living! persons." I A young woman of good family, in- j stead'of marrying into the nobility, weds J a steeplechase jockey, and together they set up an establishment, the husband as trainer. The honest and confiding husband easily falls a prey to crooks, as does the wife, in an effort to extricate him. On the whole, the yarn is very interesting in its incidental information about the winter horse-racing code. "Sport of Fools." by J. S. Bradford. (Herbert Jenkins.)

SPIES' ADVENTURES FAST-MOVING STORIES A book written in the first person, recounting the allegedly true experiences of two spies who operated in practically every part of the world together, is "J Am a Spy." The author, who for obvious reasons signs himself not by name but as "F 7," introduces his story by recalling the sensation he caused last year in London, when lie walked unannounced into the 8.8.C., and later broadcast some of th" experiences of his woman accomplice, Chan, and himself. For all her wiles and deceptions, one cannot but admire Chan's grit and courage. She is half I'us.sian and half Chinese, and a brilliant linguist, in spite of having had little education. "F 7" tells of one desperate trip to Moscow, when lie and Chan were surprised by the police, and Chan saved herself only by leaping over the rail of a bridge and hiding on a ledge. For hours she crouched there, suffering ngonv with a broken kneecap, while the police searched for her body on the frozen river below. Ingenious deceptions practised to secure plans of secret weapons and aircraft improvements are detailed by "F 7." His story, even if viewed a littlo askance by the more sceptical reader, is enjoyable enough, and provides ample excitement to keep the interest high from beginning to end. "T Am A Spy," by "E 7." (Lovat, Dirkson.)