BOOKS AND BOOKMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3831, 16 August 1927, Page 75

BOOKS AND BOOKMEN.

Count and Countess Alalmignati, famous figures in Spanish society, recently took on a wager with their friends that, disguised as Arabs, they would tramp for at least a month round the coasts of Spain. Not only did they win their bet, but now they have written a book about it, entitled “As Beggars Tramp in Spain.”

Another book of wanderings, though wanderings of a very different character, will be “ Tho Wanderings of King Charles I,” which Mr W. J. Bond has written. Mr Bond has based his book largely on contemporary accounts, and has unearthed much new material about the most romantic of all the Stuarts.

A much-coveted prize among the younger American authors (except Mr Sinclair Lewis, who recently refused it) is the Pulitzer Prize. Last year the prizewas awarded to Mr Emory Holloway, for his life of Walt Whitman, and to Miss Leonora Speyer, for her book of verse, “ Fiddler's Farewell.” Both these books are about to b 0 published in Eng land.

Sir James Marchant, K.8.E., is to be the general editor of “ Library of Constructive Theology.” Among the volumes arranged for are “ The Christian Experience of Forgiveness,” by the Rev. H. R. Mackintosh ; “ The Bible,” by the Rev. C. H. Dodd ; and “ The Person of Christ,” by the Rev. H. T. Andrews.

In “The Salad Bowl” Mr Arthur Lambton will give us a glimpse of his sporting, social, and theatrical memories of the past forty-five years. Mr Lambton, by the way, is an expert criminologist, and will have much to tell us of the famous “ Crimes Club,” which he helped to found many years ago.

Wherever you go in Paris you will find references to Genevieve, the city’s patron Saint. For several years Miss Lorine Pruette has been studying the life and legends of Genevieve, who, in the fifth century, saved her people from the enemy as Joan of Arc did in later years. She has now written a novel about her in “ Saint in Ivory,” which will shortly be published.

That popular novelist, Miss Olive Wadsley, has a new story coming out. It is entitled “ Fair Game,” and will treat of the question of modern marriage. Miss Wadsley received her education in Germany, was the first Englishwoman to fiy in the famous Hamburg Zepplin just before the war. She was also tho first Englishwoman to loop the loop in a war- plane at Hendon.

The nieces of the famous admiral and explorer, Sir Albert Hastings Markh mi, the Misses M. E. and F. A. Markham, have written a biographical -tudy of their famous uncle. There should be plenty of exciting material in it, as it will contain a full description of the Camperdown and Victoria disaster of 1893, as well as of adventures in the Kara Sea and the Pacific.

There has surely never been in modern times a literary man of such curious tastes as Marcel Proust, the French novelist, who died a few years ago, after almost a lifetime in a darkened room into which fresh air was not admitted. A biography of Proust and a critical study of jiis famous novel, “ A la Recherche dn Temps Perdu,” by M. Leon PierreQuint, is being translated into English by Mr and Mrs Hamish Miles.

We are to have “ Denied a Country,” a novel by Herman Bang, Denmark’s greatest modern novelist. Bang died while on a lecture tour to America in 1912, after an unusual career in which he was a vagabond, a journalist, and an entertainer. A fiery patriot, he was expelled from both Berlin and Vienna. He has a great reputation, not only in his native country and Scandinavia, but all over Europe.

Although the admirers of Walt Whitman have been steadily increasing since his death, few have realised that Whitman, besides being an essayist and a poet of great force and influence, was also a master of the short story. An American critic, Mr T. 0. Mabbott, has brought together a collection of his stories, and they will soon be published for the first time.

Can a political novel be interesting from the point of view of the person who reads a novel for entertainment? Amabel Williams-Ellis, in “ The Wall of Glass," proves that it can be. She writes from personal knowledge of tho two chief political camps in England as thev appear to-day to the younger peoeple of both parties, and the several love stories which are worked out in the book arc unusual and well told.

Madame Aino Kallas, whose new book, “ Eros the Slayer,” is having such excellent reviews, has just gone to Finland on a holiday. After that she will probably visit Esthonia. In “ Ercs the Slayer” one is struck afresh by her art. She seems to be able to create the rich mediaeval atmosphere of the seventeenth century with a few brilliant strokes, whilst at the same time the sense of reality is so strong that one forgets that her characters have lived in that far-off time.

Life must be hard, indeed, for reviewers when one of them is forced to head his review of a novel “ An Unread Book.” but this has happened over ‘‘Elmer Gantry.” The extraordinary reception this book is having both in England and in the United States of America seems to imply that religion still has a far greater hold on people than is generally supposed. Mr Sinclair Lewis is at present enjoying a holiday somewhere in Jugo-Slavia. The sale of “ Elmer Gantry ” in America alone has already reached the startling figure of 200,000 copies.

One of the most curious figures of modern journalism was the late T. W. H. Crosland, about .whom legends have already begun to grow. Very soon we are to have a biography of ’-.im by Mr W. Sorley Brown, who has entitled his book “ The Life and Genius of T. W. H Crosland." In it we are to meet many of Crosland's friends and acquaintances, including Swinburne, Oscar Wilde, Mr George Bernard Shaw, Mr Grant Richards, Mr E. V. Lucas, Mr Kipling, Mr Wells, and Air Horatio Bottomley. -x- * ‘

At the age of 14 Miss Estrich Mansfield, who has just had her first novel, “ The Flaming Flower,” published, took up the study of architecture, and a series of articles on Berks and Oxon churches appeared from he nen the following year in local journals. Later she wrote short stories for children and older girls. Miss Mansfield is much interested in farm work. With the help of a vounger sister she has managed a farm of 40 acres for many weeks, having only a man as a casual helper.

Dr Dolittle continues to endear himself in the affections of the child of to-day. At birthday and other present-giving times he is a sure standby for the nonplussed donor. Children love him and his ad-

ventures. Air Lofting, his creator, has the faculty for making you feel that the famous doctor is real. Dolittle has been tried on many children, and all of them have adored him. He is such a comforting fellow, and they believe in him. It seems impossible that the incredible fellow hasn’t a real existence. His newest adventures, in company with his unusual family, are told in “Dr Dolittle’s Caravan.”

Mary Agnes Hamilton recently returned from a visit to America, where she was lecturing, says that she had a very interesting time. In her new novel, “Folly’s Handbook,” which has just been published, her heroine goes on an opera tour in that country, but we do not accompany her there. The book, by the way, is a great contrast to “ Follow Aly Leader,” for this new one against a background of London and opera at Covent Garden is a study of the divine folly of feeling; of love, not as solution, -but as problem, making the ways of those who know it dark and difficult. Politics have no place in the picture at all. -X- -X- -X-

Beverley Nichols, the author of “ Crazy Pavements,” is a busy young man. A few weeks ago a review called “ The Picnic ” was put on at the new Arts Guild Club, in which he had written manv of the songs and much of the music. He has also been writing sketches for the huge production called “ The White Birds ” All these activities, however, are not preventing him from writing his new book which is to come out shortly. This will not be a novel, but a book in the vein of “ 25.” The title gives good indication of its contents : “Are they the same at Home?”

“What They Believe” is the title of a short series of books on belief in modern times. Aliss Maude Royden has chosen “ I Believe in God ” as the title of her contribution; Father Ronald Knox will write of the Roman Catholic belief; while Professor Julian Huxley will tell us of “ Religion Without Revelation,” which is belief from the scientist’s point of view.

Airs Gladys Spencer Curling, one of the most promising of our younger artists, is the wife of Alajor Spencer Curling, formerly of the Durham Light Infantry. Several of her sketches appear in “ Robes of Thespis,” a remarkable publication. This book, which is to cost Bgns, owes its inception to Air Rupert Mason, who wished to provide young artists with an opportunity to prove their worth. The first plate in “ Robes of Thespis ” will be “ The First Costume,” drawn by Sir William Orpen.

Alessrs Alcthuen announce a competition for detective stories, in which the first prize will be £250, and the second prize £l5O. All AISS., which must be first efforts in detective writing, must be typed, and must be between 70,000 and'loo,ooo words. AISS. must be submitted before Alay 19, 1928, to be at the disposition of Alessrs Alethuen for publication if they think fit. A royalty will be paid on the books published, beginning at 10 per cent, (on published prices) up to 2500 copies sold. The decision will be made by June 30, 1928. The judges are the Rev. Ronald Knox, Air 11. C. Bailey, and Air A. A. Alilne.

It is expected that in the next session of Federal Parliament the Commonwealth Literary Fund, out of which pensions are paid to persons who have shown literary ability, and have made some distinctive contribution to Australian literature. will be increased from £BOO to £l'2oo. The latest recipient of a pension —£26' a year —is Air A. J. Boyd, of Queensland. Air Boyd, who is aged 84 vears, wrote two Australian novels, The Shell Back ” and “ The Old Colonial,”' many pamphlets on agriculture, and edited the Queenslander. He was once part proprietor of the Cleveland Bay Express, which later became the Townsville Herald.

A cable message from London reports that Alfred Borys Conrad, son of the novelist, has been committed for trial on charges of fraudulent conversion, or, alternatively, having fraudulently obtained £llOO from Airs Dorothy Bevan, which had been entrusted to him for the purchase of manuscripts; £3OO from John Armitage, entrusted to him to buy a motor car; and £2OO from Airs Ruby Green, for investment. In evidence at the hearing of the case on June 16 it was stated that Conrad was declared bankrupt in 1925. His liabilities were £6727, and his assets £9OOO, reduced by £3400 for copyrights and film rights under his 'father’s will. Mis Bevan gave Conrad £4OOO in order to buy some of Joseph Conrad's manuscripts, which, it was alleged, could be sold for £5OOO. Conrad later admitted that the money had been paid to money-lenders, and he made similar admissions regarding Armitage’s money.