BOOKS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 4

BOOKS OF THE DAY

REVIEWS IX BRIEF If our isolation in New Zealand has permitted us to neglect Mr. H. A. de Weerd as one of America's foremost military critics, the omission ig remedied to some extent by receipt of his work, "Great Soldiers of the Two World Wars." Even then the tawdriness of the book jacket and the rather cheap title may cause some to pass the volume on the shop stands, Mr. de Weerd has written for the average, intelligent civilian who has some concern and interest in military affairs. He has done it well. He has shown the development of military thought up to the last war, what happened to it during the war, the trends up to 1939 and, as far as he can judge, how the theory is working out in this war. His appraisals of Pet-am, Gamelin, Churchill, Wavell, Seeckt and Hitler, the last being seriously considered as a military genius, are acute and easily followed. It is not easy to understand why Pershing has been brought into this company. Perhaps it, is that a book for American consumption could hardly overlook him. Mr. de Weerd evidently has a doubt on this score, for his final paragraph on Pershing has a- suggestion of apology for his inclusion. (Robert Hale.) Letters in Verse

"Letters to Malaya, 111. and 1V.," by Martyn Skinner (Putnam) contains further epistles in verse written to nis friend. Alexander, in the East. They ars long letters touching on many subjects , on peace and on war, but always gilded with the beauty of expression and depth of thought and understanding that marks good poetry. The author pictures lifo in the East and in turn imagines his friend's reply. The fourto letter is addressed to an unknown destination feu Malaya has fallen to the enemy and only silence and emptiM 3 greet Martvn's letters. But he writes on telling of all the great events that are making history in the Homeland, of the "staunchness of a battered populace," of a noble leader and undaunted country, hoping that soma day his friend may read his letters a® that he again may taste "the tome ot your answers sparkling back." Os,retaking the Seas In "The Little Ships" Mr. Gordon Hoi man does for the men of the Boy® l Navy's small vessels what he did in " ll first book, "Commando Attack," » of the men of the commandos. Hs 1: ", 5 his first-hand knowledge and reporters power of description to place on record the long, cold task of caretaking ts® seas. "Charwomen of the Navy" the? have been called. Mr. Holman rere&'lj the romance behind the broom M pays tribute to the men of "The Lit" 9 Ships." (Hodder and Stoughton.) More on Education |( In "Education and the University* by Dr. T. 11. Leay.is, a plan for * humane education is set forth., a problem in the modern world is , educate the specialist to the lunit his finer capacities, without ' e . aVl r? the common man in uneducated ign ance. Dr. Leavis' plan for an " School" puts forward some useful s; gestions in this regard. Chatto Windus are the publishers. * Common Sense and Christianity "Creed or Common Sense," Charles Jeffries,, seeks, without loss'» context, to put the tenets ot the vh of England into plain and sitap» speech. The little book is notably successful in its appeal te ordinary m i and one which even the theologicJ well-informed can read "Witin P ' Faber and Faber are the publish Radio Padre Under the title "The Greater Victory" the Rev. R. S. ng t'-oad-well-known 8.8.C. religious broad caster, has published seventeen o radio talks. They are religion for average man, expressed in bis 1® £ -■ practical, challenging, lofty. r ij a remote. Longmans publish tm little book. -