NOVELS OF TO-DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21924, 8 April 1933, Page 4

NOVELS OF TO-DAY

IMPRESSIONS OF ROSEMARY REES Interesting sidelights on matters pertaining both to the stage and to literature were given by Misa Rosemary Rees, the New Zealand author, in an interview in Auckland. Miss Rees has the distinction of being both, author and actiess, as she commenced a successful career on the English stage, and has now achieved considerable fame as a novelist. Miss Rees is at present making an intensive tour of the Dominion to gather inatenal for a book on New Zealand, which she was asked by her publishers to write. The book will be a personal diary of hei tour. “ I thought I knew New Zealand well, but I find there is still an enormous amount of history and interest yet tor me to delve into,” Miss Rees said. With nine novels to her credit, three of which appeared in the London Evening Standard in serial form during a period of two years, while she recently signed a contract with American newspapers to svndicate all her novels throughout the world, Miss Rees may be regarded as speaking with knowledge. With regard to the novel-reading public of to-day, sue said there wag a decided swing back to the genuine and wholesome books or sentiment. There was a revolt against the too sophisticated and ultra-modern type or book, and the tendency now was for something which represented a more wholesome, cheerful, and real aspect of lire. The practice of some writers in dealing broadly and crudely with the facts of life was referred to by Miss Rees, who said the old “ hush-hush ” policy was not good for literature, but at the same time a little reticence was desirable. Some writers were blatant in this respect to the point of becoming inartistic. Translations were more popular in England now owing chiefly to the fact that it was only the pick of foreign books which were translated, the reading public thus being assured of good translated reading matter. Misa Tlees considered the two best translations she had read recently were “From Day to Day,” by Goetal, a

Polish writer, and “The Hidden Child, by Franz Wervl, a German. The theatrical career of Miss Rees practically ceased when she decided to devote her time to novel writing, and it is an interesting fact that she wrote her first novel, “ April Sowing, ’ to tide things over 10 years ago when there was a slump in the theatrical field in Australia. This novel has since been serialised in America. Although Miss Rees.s inteiest in the stage is now chiefly that of an onlooker, she was unable to resist tne opportunity offered her while in America recently of acting in a talking picture. Long Literary Life Dame Elizabeth Wordsworth, D.8.E., who died recently, aged 92, was the founder of St. Hugh’s College, Oxford, tne first principal of Lady Margaret Ha l, and great-niece of the Laureate. She published as recently as 1931 “Poems and Plays," some of which had been written more than 60 years ago. Galsworthy’s Biographer In a letter published in The Times Literary Supplement, Mr H. V. Marrot, of “The Oaks,” 59 Park side, Wimbledon, states:—“l have been entrusted with the official biography of the late John Galsworthy and should be grateful for the publicity of your columns to say how much 1 should appreciate communications therefor from any quarter—whether in the way of original letters (which would be carefully and promptly transcribed and returned to the owners) or of personal reminiscences and anecdotes bearing on any period of Mr Galsworthy’s life or phase of his activities." Affront to the Family For Australia to put a ban of exclusion on Mr Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World ” is like slapping one of its own children, or great-grandchildren, for Aldous Huxley’s grandmother, the wife of the famous professor, was Henrietta Ann Heathorn, of Sydney, writes “Peterborough” in the Daily Telegraph. She met Huxley while he was serving in southern waters as a surgeon in the navy. Airs Huxley had literary gifts, which found expression in a volume of poems, and from one of them Professor Huxley chose the three lines which were inscribed on his tombstone: — Be not afraid, ye ivaiting hearts that weep; _ For still He giveth His beloved sleep, And if an endless sleep He wills, so best.

The Noble Art The Crime -Book' Society, of London, selects as the best quotation relevant to its wares in the month of January the following:— And ever since historian writ, And ever since a bard could sing, Doth each exalt with all his wit The noble art of murdering. It is taken from Thackeray’s The Chronicle of the Drum.” George Moore’s Funeral The funeral of George Moore, at Golders Green, was an occasion which, I am sure, could have been possible only in England, where a strange farewell to an eminent man of letters may provoke no comment at all in the daily press (writes “James” in the Spectator). The 1 rime Minister and Mr Augustus John made a striking pair, sitting together on the front bench in the small crematorium chapel. The authors present were very few, and they did not include any one of the famous Dublin coterie, which Moore ammortalised in u Hail and Farewell.” i. lie painters, on the other hand, made a notable small company —Sir William Rothenstein, Mr Wilson Steer, Mr Tonka, Mr D. S Mac Coll. George Moore joined the Church of England in his Dublin days, having been stung to action by a newspaper which described him as a _ Catholic novelist. Hence it was appropriate that Canon J. A. Douglas should read the church burial service, markedly abbreviated. The Biographer’s Meat M. Andre Maurois, the French author who delights in piquant biographies of English personalities, has, I Lear, made tentative arrangements with his publisher for books on Dickens and Kipling (states 4 r.n English columnist). At present be is surrounded by a mass of material collected for his book “King Edward and His Times.” Nothing if not thorough, he has purchased a newspaper for every single day of King EdwartFs life, to say nothing of 150 books dealing with (be period, including biographies of almost all the personalities of the King’s reign. M. Maurois has now gone back to t rance to digest his bulky purchases.