BOOK CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 219, 15 September 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

BOOK CORNER

THE NOBLE RED MAN.—.Tamo Oliver Curwood, for whom it is claimed —and believably—that he wrote si:; “best sellers” in six years, has written a second historical romance which will bo especially welcomed by those who read “The Black Hunter.” Air Curwood has drawn from living character , for he assures us that among those who take part in this story of the hiih'en town of the Indians, Alarie Antoinette Tonteur and her fierce old father lived and loved as he describes; that Cat her ine Bulan and her valiant son were real flesh and blood; that Tiaoga and Shirdas, Silver Heels and "Wood Pigeon, and Alary Daghlen The Thrush are not creatures of fancy, and that, in fact. “The Plains of Abraham,” like “The Black Hunter,” is largely a romance of life as it was lived, and not as it might have been lived. It only requires to be known that this new romance is in print to create a demand for it, because .Tames Oliver Curwood knows the Red Idians as only one of Indian blood may. “Aly great greatgrandmother was a Mohawk.” says the author, “and it is with pardonable pride and satisfaction that I find myself able to present to the public an occasional evidence of the nobler side of Indian character, suppressed through a period of centuries by the white man’s egoism and prejudice. The Indian was the greatest of all patriots, the greatest of ail lovers of his country. Despoiled, subjugated, annihilated, he died a savage. Aly copy of this fascinating book from the publishers, Hodder and Stough ton, London, through their Sydney agent, W. S. Smart. THE RUNAGATES CLUB—John Buchan has provided some fine entertainment in The Ruagatc’s Club, published by Hodder and Stoughton. London (my copy from TV. S. Smart, Sydney agent). This new volume is a record of the stories told at the Runagate’s Club, a group of fifteen men who had queer tasks during the War. Among the members are old characters, whom readers of Buchan’s stories will recollenct, including Richard Hannay, Lord Lamarcha, and Sandy Arbuthnot. Though one or two chapters deal with experiences of the war, the collection covers a wide area, both geographical and spiritual, and all are thrilling.

“WOMEN ARE ?”—Some time ago Alueno de Afesquita (one is inclined to regard that as an assumed name), wrote an unblushing attack on the sterner sex entitled “Alon Are Pigs.” To this, C. Nichol has replied with “Women Are f” Afen who were resentful of the barbed darts of the writer calling herself Buono de Mcsquita, will be satisfied that in Atr Nicol’s reply the lady has been given a Roland for her Oliver. It is all very amusing. Published by the Cornstalk Publishing Co., Sydney. Aly copy is from Angus and Robertson, Sydney.

ZANE GREY’S “ELDORADO.”— New Zealand will receive a widespread advertisement now that Hodder and Stoughton have published a 3s 6d edition of Zane Grey’s “Tales of the Angler’s Eldorado—New Zealand.” This edition has all the photographs that were printed -with the first expensive edition—or most of them—the only difference being that the pictures are now smaller. At the price, it is an extremely cheap book and will be rushed by thousands who could not afford the first edition. Aly copy from W. S. Smart, the publishers Sydney agent.

HORSESHOE NAlLS.—There, is. a story about a blacksmith who charged a farthing for the first nail, a halfpenny for the second and so on, until riches, beyond wildest dreams, were his. Taking inspiration from the achievement, four city clerks, tied down to the tedious round of a monotonous life on the poorest of pay, launch out into business—any and every sort of business that appealed to them on the spur of the moment. Their escapades cover a wide field, and the monotony of the past gives place to life crammed with humour, adventure and romance. A bright tale this, well told by George Weston. Aly copy comes from W. S. Smart who is the Sydney agent of Messrs Hodder and Stoughton, the publishers

LIFE STEPS IN.—Ruby AL Ayres has added to an already 1 ng list of successful love stories in this tale, which finds Cupid at cross-purposes. Vain Alolly Hambledon, returning to England from Rhodesia to await her husband, strikes up “an affair” with an attractive male passenger. Once home she engages as a nurse for her crippled child her old school friend ‘‘Ana” Fabian. Complications arise on the return of Alolly's husband, and nurse and father, thrown constantly into one another’s company, find themselves fighting a love which rises unbidden between them. Alolly’s desertion fits in with her pleasure-loving character, and the way is made clear for Ana to achieve happiness. But, on the eve of a long cherished desire “Life (or is it death?) Stops In.” Hodder and Stoughton are the publishers and my copy is from their Sydney agent, W. S. Smart.

A MAKER OF FROCKS,—The story opens in England with the mysterious disappearance of Lady Alary Worcester. Her lover Dennis Afalcoliu, traces her to Paris, and finds that she is involved in the smuggling of drugs. Strange figures flit across the scene and murder, and, worse, stalk the streets; but Lady Alary, while wrestling with a sinister mystery, finds the love which makes all things possible. For those who like a stirring love talc wrapped in mystery, this is an appealing story. By Edward C. Davies. Published by Hodder and Stoughton. Aly copy is from the Sydney agent, TV. S. Smart.

THE SUN-HAWK.—This is the thrilling story of Dick Stanhope, an English lad, who takes service under tho tempestuous Count Front inac, the gallant Sun-hawk of Louis the Sun King, and follows him across the ocean to Canada and to advanture that makes the heart stand still. Beset by Indians,

hampered by politicians, and thwarted by the blind bigotry of the Court of Versailles, the little band of warriors pits itself grimly against fate and lights on bravely for the sake of France, of Luu is, of love, and all that tho world holds dear. The story is engrossing and fascinating, and it is told with all the skill and unsurpassed enthusiasm for which Mr Chambers is famous. Published by Cassell and Co. London, whence conies my ropy of this splendid yarn. AN ABUSIVE OF CROMWELL.—The “new biography,’ 1 so much in vogue nowadays, might b< defined as ho presentation of the fact! and circumstances of the subject’s liffl in such a wav that the story will tell, itself, without interpretation by thf biographer. Thus skillfully contrivod< the drama requires no Chinese stagfl manager to move properties, no Greek chorus to point the moral. By this test, Air Stirling’s “Cromwell” is not “now,” despite the publisher’s claims. A good half of tho text is devoted to the interpretations and moralisings of the biographer. Aft Taylor despises Cromwell and is continually anxious lost some reader should fail to share his contempt. The space remaining is too restricted to permit of a full length portrait of the subject. What tho reader sees, therefore, is an occasional flash of Cromwell in some grotesque or malignant posture—the fleeting ghost of an obscene nightmare. The Lord Protector, Mr Taylor tells us, was a “morbid sentimentalist,” a “visionary,” a “mystic,” an “exceedingly neurotic person” and a “timid mind” and an “oily, complacent conscience.” The reader will be astonished to learn that tho squire of Huntingdon was “not an Englishman,” but an “alien,” a Welshman (although the author can adduce no more than onpsixteenth of Welsh blood); and that although he “could lead a cavalry charge.” he was, by comparison with a really accomplished General, like Monk, “an exceedingly lucky and somewhat ignorant and blundering fellow.” Yet amid the rain of abusive epi« thets this Cromwell looms as a strangely impressive figure. One feels that tho man, of whom the author shows but a distorted shadow, must have been a very solid reality. The slow-witted country gentlemen who sat through whole sessions of Parliament hardly opening hrs mouth, and so for as the record reveals not understanding what all the fuss was about; the meticulous farmer who, once he had been assigned a clear task (that of organising a local troop of cavalry) executed the job promptly and efficiently and came back asking for harder work to do; the amateur Colonel who took it for granted that the business of the soldier is to win battles; the amateur statesman who took it for granted that the function of victories is to secure concrete political results; the puzzled citizen gradually realising that there was no one in England who had a clear idea of what to do with the power which had been acquired; the patient nego* tiator labouring for months to find some workable compromise with Charles; the unwilling politician groping for some practical method of ruling England and when (but not before) compromise appeared hopeless, being transformed into a primitive energy with no thought save to obtain concrete results—this figure gradually acquires a surprisingly modern, pragmatie character. The reader is tempted to risk a guess that there was some unexplained consistency in this apparently contradictory and irrational man.

Air Taylor delights to point out that the will of God, as revealed to his very humble and violent servant, was strangely inconsistent and varied. Yet in one respect, at least, it never deviated. It sought on every occasion to consolidate and increase the material and military power of the English Nation. As in Bismarck’s gibe two centuries later the Englishman when he spoke of God meant cotton, so Cromwell when he spoke of God meant England. This is the very quintessence of militant Protestant nationalism definitely merging from feudalism. “This people,” said Cromwell once, “are as the apple of His eye.” And Alilton, in the makes the astounding statement that when God wills “some great and new period,” He reveals himself “as His manner is, first to His Englishmen.” It is no mere coincidence that Cromwell is forever quoting the Old, rather than the New Testament, and the Jehovah who was the protector of His peculiar people. Air Taylor asserts that Cromwell’s “only legacy to the nation was a standing army.” To this the historian will add, as Alacaulay pointed out, a few other items, to wit:—■ Unquestioned English command of the sea; unassailable commercial supremacy of England in Europe; the definite establishment of the United Kingdom (however unsatisfactory as regards Ireland); the founding of the official British Empire; the successful assertion of British diplomacy priority in Europe; and, paradoxically enough, the supremacy of Parliament over the Crown. In Air Taylor’s view the Cromwellian system collapsed “like a pack of cards.’’ But perhaps, rather was it thrust away like the scaffolding of a well constructed building when it is no longer needed. CLIPPINGS—F. Benson, who has lately achieviij success in the field of 'biography, has written “The Life of Aiuibiudes” for Ernest Penn. “Alemories of Three Reigns,” the reminiscences of Lady Raglan, isfrom Nash and Grayson. A volume of Rosetti letters adlircssod to F. S. Ellis, the publisher, is announced for immediate issue by the Scholartis Press. Beatrice Kean Seymour’s new novel, “Youth RidfCs Out,’”’ is announced by Chapman and Hall. The new “Chester-Belloc,” a portmanteau word for a story by Air Hilaire Belloc, with drawings by Air G. K. Chesterton, is called “But Soft— We are Observed ” Arrowsmith are the publishers. “We Forget Because We Must,” W. B. Alaxwell's new novel, is putj4 lished by Hutchinson.