BOOK OF THE WEEK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1930, Page 17 (Supplement)

BOOK OF THE WEEK.

REALISM AND TRAGEDY.

(By

C.E.)

"The Mountain Tavern and Other Stories," by Liam O’Elaherty: Jonathan Caipe, London, through Avery and Sons, Ltd., New Plymouth.

With a book of short stories a fortnight ago, a~ book of anecdotes last week, and this week another volume of short stories and literary sketches, this eblumn is -in danger of being overburdened with literature of this type. The experience certainly is unusual. In the ordinary course one may go a long time without encountering a new book of short stories, for it seems that few publishers have faith in them. Yet some of the English critics have been remarking on the tremendous increase in the popularity of x the short story, and in Some quarters it is maintained with much fervour that the short story and literary sketch should be accepted as a distinctive form of art. Some publishers at any rate have had the satisfaction of late of reckoning the sales of short story volumes in thousand*? instead of hundreds. ' Mr. Liam O’Flaherty certainly appears to be among those who' would give the short story and the literary sketch a definite place in the literature of the times. This, very ruthless interpreter and delineator of Irish life obviously works with a purpose whether he essays to achieve it in a full . length novel or by other means, and in his present volume he probably presents more sides of that objective than he has done previously. Mr. o’Fl.iherty is undoubtedIly an artist—not an artist of beauty as those whose names are great in literature have been, but rather of the literary school which one may best describe as complementary to the modern school of art which puzzles us with its weird flights of fancy. The keynote of his work sccnis to bo hii elemental savagery. • A writer of remarkable power, he exhibits his strength chiefly in the portrayal of (fiercely barbaric emotions. Often he produces the rankest melodrama; his wild flights of fancy reach an almost incredible conception of violence; Ilia pen shed# vitriol iiiist-ead of ink. Yet he is a wonderfully delicate analyst of the very simplest things, and in his quieter mood he. reveals the keenest power of perception, aiid the shrewdest ability to paint a vivid picture. In the twenty stories ' and sketches comprising ‘‘The Mountain Tavein Mr. O’Flaherty seems ’to have worked to a definite plan. His publishers tell us that he lias attenipted to perfect the experiments he has previously made with the short story; that, is, expert-,' meats in depicting the physical aspects of some striking and almost momentary iucidcpt in order to get the full dramatic and emotional effects by vividness and tension. That seems to me a very fair assessment, and I am bound to say that in a number of instances the experiments prove well worth while. “The Blackbird’s Mate” is a .very wood example. This little sketch only fills nine pages. It is the story of the mating of two blackbirds, their nesting ! and the hen’s sitting. As .a lesson in nature, study it is' remarkable for its detail, and it works up to a tragic climax in the most natural way. The language and the style are exactly suited to the subject—far" more successfully, indeed, than in some of the essays —and the sympathy of the writer readily communicates itself to the reader. “Prey,” the story of an old ass ■ that ■ wanders away to die,, is another of these j intense nature studies; In the same L category comes “Birth,” . the story; of I the birth of a calf. The. people con-cerned-are told of in the simplest fashion, and the description of the awakening of the cow’s mother instinct is highly realistic. Dealing with, such subjects as these, I Mr. O’Flaherty is a far better stylist than some of his earlier books have indicated him to be. There is more beauty, in his language and less of the- distortion of phrase-making by- which he i "seemed often to endeavour to obtain • effect. His most frequent trick was the piling.iip of a mass of intensely staccato, passages. He still employs this device to an extent, but the exercise of a measure of restraint has given it a new value. Mr. O’Flaherty belongs to the modern cult' that prides itself on using “o-ood, round Anglo-Saxon” instead of the more refined words that served a generation ago. To be* honest about it, one grows weary of reading the word “belly.” Even rocks must have bellies if they come within Mr. O’Flaherty’s (•purview. The one really surprising thing in the book is that in his description of a woman’s travail—almost unbelievably the theme of a- story—Mr. O’Flaherty for once uses, “stomach” instead of ./‘belly.” This story, “The Ditch,” is , the most repulsive of- the collection, and one can only wonder what strange kink. ,in the author’s mind persuaded him to write it. The beauty of motherhood has inspired many a writer and painter to do noble work. Here is a man who takes for his subject a wronged woman, at best semi-civilised, in her hour of sorrow. Surely this kind of thin«r is mere pandering to that perverted taste, prevalent, no doubt, in certain circles to-day, which sees art and accomplishment in trying to shock Mrs. Grundy. A number of writers have been affecting this style, with the results that they have won a certain amount of praise from the ultramoderns and their books have sold freely among the morbidly curious. But unless I am a worse judge than I fancy the life of their books will be short. It seems to me a great pity that such a writer as Mr. OTlaherty should permit himself to pose as an elemental barbarian. He has command of language and wonderful descriptive power. . He can see beauty where less sensitive people would never dream of looking for it, and he can reveal it to others. Here and there he displays shrewd humour, and one or two of his short stories bear testimony to his ability as a satirist. If he would he could amuse us as well as inform us of the fine things that his /powerful imagination can envisage and portray. Perhaps his genius will gradate from its course of tragedy and horror to a more wholesome, refined and inspiriting outlook.