BOOK NOTICES

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11739, 29 January 1924, Page 2

BOOK NOTICES

(By R.A.L.) “UNDERSTANDING ITALY” Clayton Sedgwick Cooper. (John Long, London.) To understand political and industrial Italy, no better- book could bo wished. A people more numerous than before the Great Mar, awake to its water power and industrial possibilities, emancipated by its own exer tions from the incubus of a once fastclosing revolutionary anarchism, united and remembering its ancient power —such is the Italian nation to-day. Its future will be full of leaps and bounds towards greatness. Italy is one of the countries worth close study. This book is a very able and close study. BY CAMEL AND CAR TO THE PEACOCK THRONE A. Powell. (John Long, Londcn.) A hook dealing with the Near East is always welcome, so long as it does -not stray into politics. This ono strays a good deal, the American author d<v ,nounoing British conduct in Persia in the strongest terms. As a hook of travel the volume has merits. As a 'criticism of British diplomacy for oil areas, by an American whose country in the shape of the Standard Oil Company failed to keep an oil concession it had obtained from the Shah, it requires further information to make it convincing.