BOOKS AND BOOKMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 74

BOOKS AND BOOKMEN.

“Captain Java,” a new novel by Louis Moresby, is due. Louis Moresby is better known as “E. Barrington,” the author of historical romances, and the present story is written with knowledge of tlw sea. . * * * Major Segrave, the racing motorist, who dares death at 200 miles an hour, has completed a book which has taken all his spare time in the last two years, describing-iris experiments and experiences on the racing track, and embodying the he has drawn from them. The title is “ The Lure of Speed.” * * * A wireless message from London states that Sir James Barrie, Mr Arnold Bennett, Mr John Galsworthy, and other authors are making a public appeal for funds with which to purchase Mr Thomas Hardy s birthplace at Bockhampton, Dorsetshire, to erect an obelisk on Egdon Heath, and to establish a Hardy museum at Dorchester. Mr Hardy left an estate valued at £92,000. * » ir During the recess the Home Secretary, Sir William Joynson Hicks, has been staying at La Mortola, the home of the Hanbury family on the Italian Riviera. The world-famous gardens of this villa provided, the scene for much of the actiorl in Mr H. G. Wells’s last novel, “ Meanwhile.” * * * Lloyd Osbourne, Robert Louis Stevenson s stepson and a charming American gentleman, who now lives .njst of the year in a beautiful villa at Cap d’Antibes, has written, after a long interval of silence, another- novel, “The Grierson Mystery.” It will probab.v be published this year. * * * i£ Jhe leal reason for the success of “book o„ the month” clubs and similar organisations in America was revealed at a recent literary luncheon in New York by an artless woman subscriber who said (according to the American Bookman) : ell, before we had them we used to was'te time reading so many books that nobody talked about.” * * * Philip Hughes, the author of a new novel called “ Together,” L also an expert in old furniture and china, and lives in an old manor house full of such treasures. From his close study of fashions in antiques he predicts that the present craze for walnut will last for two or three years, and will then be succeeded by one for “French provinwhatever that mav be. >* * * .. ,p. ho .. illuminated manuscript fi vr £ llr j Cles of St. Edmund,” from ford r collect,on > lias been sold for £30,000. It will go to the United States When it came into the possession of a member of the Holford family the price paid was £3OO

For nearly a year past Mr Alec Waugh has been travelling among the Pacific Islands but he has now returned to -ngland. V ith him he brought the manuscript of a new novel which, under j ', lhe Alien Corn,” is to ba published this season. * * * , Th . e «r ic M ns , House at 48 Doughtv sheet,. W.C.1., has been enriched bv a collection of first editions of the books written by Dickens while he was in residence, there from 1837 to 1839. Sir George Sutton is the generous donor. * * * Tile Public Libraries Committee of the Bethnal Green Council proposes to decorate its adult lending library with fio-ure p aques which will include portraits’ of Charles Darwin, William Morris, Karl Marx, and Richard Warner * * ° * Professor C. H. Reilly i s off to India i gather material for the architectural section of a book about the new Delhi in which he is collaborating with Lord Lytton. Professor Reilly will be the guest of Sir Edward Lutyens * * * Of a popular edition of Victor Bridges’ fine adventurous story, “ Greensea Is.and, more than 250.000 copies have been sold. Mr Bridges’s admirers will be glad to know that the action of his new tale, “The Secret of the Creek,” ake that of “ Greensea Island,” takes place on the East Coast. * * * Among the more interesting forthcom-. ing books of reminiscences is “ The Mau Who Broke the Bank.” ’y Charles Coborn, the great comedian, who takes his title from his most popular song. It is not generally known that Mr Coborn is a devoted sidesman in a South London church. - * * * Two anonymius hooks by the late Lord Morley hav- recently been traced. They are : “ Modern Characteristics,” published in 1565, and “ Studies in Conduct,” lished in 1867. Book collectors would be advised to look among their shelves for them. * * * His Holiness the Pope has addressed a lengthy New Year message to the peoples of the world in the form of a special interview which Tit-Bits had the exclusive privilege of publishing recently through* out the British Empire. The Pontiff af-. firms his conviction that the world is steadily growing better and better. * * * Frederick O’Brien, who writes such highly picturesque books about the South

Spa Islands, is now busy on an autobiographical novel, for which his adventurous life should provide plenty of good material. And possibly we shall see on the hinema 'screen before long a film based on his book, “ White Shadows in the South Seas.” * * * A well-preserved copy of the first edition of Dr Johnson’s Dictionary is on view at the doctor’s old home in Gough square, Fleet street, London. Thanks to Mr Leicester Harmsworth, the house is now.a Johnson museum, open daily. The dictionary lies open for examination, and it is said that 99 per cent, of those who inspect the book turn first to “ Oats,” which the doctor defined as “ a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people ” —a definition which prompted a Scot to retort, “ Hence the excellence ©f Scotland's men and England’s horses.” * * * Twenty-five thousand miles of flying, over 21 countries, and over all the principal airways of Europe, have provided Mr Lowell Thomas with the material for a comprehensive book on “ European Skyways,” which will probably appear this season. In seven months of flying he made such cross-country trips as London to Asia Minor, Paris to Poland, Moscow to Spain, and from the Balkans to Scandinavia. * * * Even under prohibition New York seems to have a pretty hectic night life, to judge from Mr Stephen Graham's book on his “ New York Nights.” His survey ranged from Fifth Avenue to the haunts of the coloured people, from luxurious night clubs to “ dives ” and “ speak easies ” whence prohibition has not been entirely successful in expelling John Barleycorn. The fashionable world, the half world, and the underworld are displayed in this book. * * * “ The Six Proud Walkers ” is the striking and puzzling title of a new novel by Francis Deeding, an author whom some connoisseurs of the mystery story regard as destined to wear the mantle ©f Edgar Wallace. But one mantle will not be enough unless it is sufficiently large to cover two people. For Francis Beeding is a pseudonym which conceals the identity of two novelists. One or both evidently has a nice taste in titles, for “ The Six Proud Walkers ” is to be followed by a story called “ Pretty Sinister.” ** . * The Japanese vernacular newspapers have discovered that Miss Utako Hanazono, a geisha and a “ star ” of the singing and dancing profession, owns a library of about 5000 volumes. Miss Hanazono is known as the “ scholar geisha,” and is widely envied by her more or less unread sisters. She is said to possess a collection of writings on the geisha profession second to none in the Empire. She herself has written two books, entitled “ Sea Anemone ” and “ The Woman Cry,” which have attained considerable circulation. Both are in defence cf the geisha.

It has been announced that Lord Rosebery has presented to the City of Edinburgh the splendid library which it has been his great pleasure to collect during his long life. But it may be well to state that Lord Rosebery had already given away one portion of his collection: that relating to Australasia. When his friend and former private secretary, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson (now Lord Novar), war appointed Governor-General of Australia, in 1914, Lord Rosebery gave to him his books relating to this part of the world, thinking that they would be especially useful to him. These are now at Raith, Kirkcaldie, Lord Novar’s home in Scotland. * * * “Kensal Green,” in a new book called “Premature Epitaphs” (Cecil Palmer), writes t! is ’MrG. K. Chesterton:— Place on his hand the jewel, on his brow th.' diadem, Who in an age of miracles dared to believe in them. Chesterton companion His companions mourn. Chesterton crusader Leaves a cause forlorn. Chesterton the critic Plays no further heed. Chesterton the poet Lives while men shall read. Chesterton the dreamer Is by sleep beguiled ; And there enters Heaven Ch ‘ ’ton—the child. * * * When Mr Rutter was on the staff of the Daily Mail he was required to .obtain av interview on housing conditions with somebody well known. JR knew Mr Bernard Shaw very slightly, but wrote to him asking for an appointment: Shaw was not the, the world-famous dramatist he is novz, but even then he was a “ big noise,” as the Americans say, and I knew he would be a fine man to interview on the subject. . . I wrote to Shaw telling him what I wanted, and asking if he would consent. Two days later I received a long envelope, enclosing a typewritten “ interview ” on the housing problem, far wittier and more intelligent than I could possibly have manufactured even with his verbal aid, and—best of all a note inside saying: “ Make what use you like of the enclosed, and come to tea at 4 p.m on Thursday, when we can talk of ’ other things.”