THE NEWEST NOVELS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13894, 4 May 1907, Page 5

THE NEWEST NOVELS.

Miss Elizabeth Robbins's new story, "Come and Find Me," will run through the Century Magazine. Mrs Humphry Ward is in tho Isle of Wight, working hard at her new novel, of which she has written about three-fourths.

Mr I'ett Ridge has collected a volume of short stories' dealing with London and Londoner?, which will be published by Messrs Hodder and Stoughton under the title "Nearly Five Millions."

"Alice for Short" is the title of the new novel by William De Morgan, the author of " Joseph Vance." The book is almost ready, and will appear shortly.

Mre (Frances) Campbell has written a novel of which the scenes are laid chiefly in Morocco. It will be published shortly by Messrs Hodder and Stoughton, and entitled "The Shepherd of the Stars." Messrs Hodder and Stoughton will publish shortly "The Man of the World," bv Fogazarro. This is the second volume of the trilogy of which '' The Patriot" is the first, ami "The Saint" the last.

Headers who have seen the manuscript of Florence Warden's new novel. " Mindman's Marriage," • pronounce it the strongest book she has written and a clever study of estranged marriage life. Mr T. Werner Laurie is the publisher.

Mr Unwin is publishing a new* edition of Signot Fcgaznrros novel "The Woman" (Malombra).

Booksellers who are asked for novels dealing with the extension of the franchise should make note of a book entitled "A Life Laid Bare, or The Battle of the Suffrage," by; & £ Latimer, published by

Messrs Gillings and Co. The Scotsman praises the book, and says the heroine never pushes her news to extremes, and that "the dialogue is always crisp, pointed, and often witty."

Mr W. B. Maxwell, who has just completed a volume of short stories, is engaged upon a novel which will lm published serially in the World and His .Wife. This book is in a lighter vein than the writer's recent work. The scene it, laid in an English country town, and the characters arc entirely' drawn from the narrow round of provincial life. The story will appear simultaneously in America.

Mr 12. F, Benson is at present engaged upon revising for English publication ''The House of Defence," a novel which ho brought out in America at the end of last year. The book deals with the subject of "Christian Science," and examines it from a serious standpoint. Another novel of his, turning round the marriage of a young man with a woman considerably his senior, will begin to' appear serially in the Queen next July.

Amongst Messrs Charles Scribner'e Sons latest , announcements is a new novel by Mrs Edith Wltarton, the author of " The House of Mirth," entitled " Madame de Trevmes." In this brilliant story Mrs Wharton gives a new and profoundly illuminating paint of view of international marriage and a striking picture of the French aristocracy of to day. The book is said to be a telling, subtle, and nowerful talc.

The Now York Outlook, reviewing Mr Thomas W. La\rson's new novel, " Friday the 13th," says that "in cutting of throats and other suicidal exercises, in plotted villainies, ruin and blank despair, and rncst. of all in ranting, roaring, 'httiven-stiickcn rhetoric," the book "was surely never surpassed by the yellowest of the yellow-backs. Not even Mr Lawson can desire more than the Outlook to see tho evils of stock-gambling abolished, and if this etory will do any good in that way we give it our hear Welt benison, but we may also express our joy that the medicine if potent, is administered in a small dose, and that after an hour's hectic tumult, we can dismiss the ills of tragic finance."

Mr Jack London's latest novel, " Before A<lam," is described as a remarkable picce of imaginative work, picturing our primordial ancestors consistently and vividly. In one respect. " Before Adam" is weak; it is too truthful as regards scientific records to leave much room for the emotional aspects of life. Mr London's do? in tile "Call of the Wild," and his wolf in "White Fang," are in a sense more human than his tree-climbers, or cave-dwellers, or even fire-makers in this book. The storv is a sort- of literary tour do force, ably done and curiously fascinating. It is published by MacMillans.