Books Literary Gossip

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160812, 20 November 1920, Page 7

Books Literary Gossip

Yet another version of the quatrains of Omar Khayyam is published. It is a new translation by 0. A, Shrubsole. Mr Shrubsole defends his new translation on the ground that FitzGerald’s contains only about a sixth of the quatrains, and did not attempt to keep close to the original. His rendering of a familiar quatrain is as follows: A loaf and some mutton and wine j With these in the shade of a tree We two in the desert will dine— No sultan’s feast better can be.

This is perhaps fidelity at the expense of romance. Mutton is unpoetical;' in the desert it would probably be cold without salad, or hot without mint sauce.

William de Morgan left another .tinfinished novel besides “The Old Madhouse,” whifch was finished by his wife and published last year. The second work, announced by Mr Heinemaan, under the title “The Old Man’s Youth,” is a long, leisurely story reminiscent of the author’s earlier books, “Joseph VanCe” and “Alice-for-Short.”

Messrs Constable’s autumn list, strong in books of biography and reminiscence, includes “The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie,” completed by himself and brought down to within a year or two of his death. • Mr Walter Siche\ writes to the Times Literary Supplement apropos of the threatened coal strike in, Great Britain; The dialogue between the two servingmen in “Romeo and Juliet” is much to the point?— Sampson; Gregory, o’ my word, we’ll not carry coals. Gregory: No, for then we should be, colliers. Sampson; I mean, an’ we be in choler, we’ll draw. Gregory;Ay, while you live, draw your neck but o’ the collar. Sampson: I strike quickly, being moved. Gregory: But thou art not quickly moved to strike. Sampson: A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Gregory; The quarrel. is between our masters and us, their men. Sampson; ’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids. “The Mysteries of a Great City” is the work of a popular and prolific writer, William Le Quex, published by Hodder and Stoughton (through H. I. Jones and Son). The book carries a collection of twelve adventures of Raoul Becq, of the French detective and secret service. They are all thrilling and mysterious yarns of the' underworld of Paris, of jewel robberies, of intrigue, and of plots in the upper circles of high society in France. No modern writer knows more of international intrigue than William Le Quex, and he is absorbingly interesting in his latest work.

Angus and Eobertson are to be heartily congratulated upon the very fine production “Little Bagged Blossom,” which gives more about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. May Gibbs, the author* ess of this quaint book, is now known and welcomed as one of the foremost writers of children’s books. The publication is dedicated to “All children — big or little, round or flat, long or short —who love animals and flowers, are kind to insects, and try to be good.” And we are eure that all good children, will more than welcome this really excellent 'Bust-rated; story-book. As a matter of fact, tbe letterpress, combined with the interesting and amusing illustrations, make "Bagged Blossom” a book of books for presentation purposes. -The picture of a bluegum baby on the cover is a specimen of wonderful picturing. Qur copy comes through H. I. Jones and Son.-

“Castle Vane,” by J. H. M. Abbott. (Through H. I. Jones and Son.) Originally published as a serial story, "Castle Vane,”..a romance of the bushranging days on the Upper Hunter,, by J. H. M. Abbott, is republished by Angus and Robertson, Sydney, and a good book it makes. It will be of very special interest to all who like reading about tire convict days of Australia, to which country hundreds of men were deported from the Home Land for most trivial offences. “Castle Vane” is based on fact, and deals with some outlaws who were eventually caught and paid the forfeit of their lives on the scaffold at the rear of Sydney Gaol. These men terminated a long series of systematic) burglaries and bushranging by the more heinous crime of deliberate murder. The story has much to do with Major John Hillary Vane, of H.M. 146 th Regiment, and a private named Richard Delane, who was ordered by the major to receive a flogging because he had attended an emergency called parade with . a couple of buttons off his tunic. Upon the day of the Military Court proceedings Private Delane, upon receiving sentence, struck the major on the nose and escaned from the barracks. He was

Or INTEREST TO LOVERS OF READING.

I’escued by a Jew, who ran a secondhand bookshop, but who was nominally the head of a gang of outlaws known as the. Free Company. Delane Was forced to either join the Free Company or go back to barracks and receive the 'flogging, and the extra punishment for cracking his major, aji old t;rant, on the nose. He reluctantly chose the Free Company, and it was really through his efforts that the bushranging / gang was brought to trial, and Major Vane’s life and possessions, including a beautiful daughter, were saved. There is a pleasing romance running through the book, and the story, giving an insight into the early history of New South Wales, should be greatly welcomed. “Castlo Vane” is a good novel.

“Churstons,” by Paul Trent. (Through H. I. Jones and Son.) From the publishing house of Ward, Lock, and Co. there has come to H. I. Jones and Son a supply of Paul Trent’s new story,''“Churstons,” which is a decided improvement on some of Trent’s previous books. Mark Lenridge is o' young mechanical inventor, and specialised in aeroplanes. He was chief engineer and manager for Churston’s, one of the most reliable and modern factories of the Old Land?* Old Churston, who, by the way, had a decidedly interesting and good-looking daughter, presumably at a girls’ college in another part of the country, had promised his manager an interest in the business, but before he could carry out his intentions he died, leaving his daughter sole executrix. Instead of being at college, as thought, she had been qualifying as an aeroplane expert* and as a flyer she had few equals. When she arrived back home she took charge of the works, and being of rather % dominating character, she began to assert her authority over Lendridge, with the result that there was a quarrel. Lendridge resigned the management, but Miss Churston, realising the worth of the man, persuaded him to keep on with Churston’s. The break, however, came a little .later, and Lendridge joined another rival firm. Though he was offered a partnership, he turned it down, accepting the position of manager of the works only. When he left Churstons he discovered that he loved Miss Churston, and he felt that the only way to make her more womanly to look after a home instead of engineering works was to practically break' the firm. Further improvement to the Lendridge aeroplane brought this about, and the cruel and humiliating part to Betty Churston was that the Churston works had to pass into other hands. She had staked all and had lost. Not quite that, however. Lendridge bought the works, unknown to Betty, and explanations which followed terminated in Betty assuming domestic control, with Mark Lendridge doing his duty at the head of Churston’s in turning out Churston aeroplanes for the Imperial Government. The firm, therefore, did not lose its identity, and two hearts were reunited. The book is quite a readable one, and, as already indicated, an improvement on some of Paul Trent’s recent works of fiction.

"Kindred of the Duet/' by Peter Kyne, (Through A. D. Willis, Ltd.) An advance copy of Peter Kyne’a latest book, “Kindred of the Dust,” shows that this popular author is still maintaining a very high standard of literature. “The Valley of Giants,” which, by the way, has been picturised and is showing at the Opera House tonight, was ,a wonderfully good book, and it is claimed that this new novel, "Kindred Dust,” is equally as strong. It is a love story of the Great West, and of a man's belief in the woman he loves. Peter Kyne has certainly reached the top rung of fame in this new story of his, and it proves him to be a master of his art, a writer whose pen drips with the tears, sorrows, hopes, and triumphs of as human and sympathetic a set of folk as one will find in any novel.