The Bookman's Corner

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 5, Issue 3, 1 September 1926, Page 66

The Bookman's Corner

Last Essays Of Joseph Q onrad A dmirers of Joseph Conrad will lx welcome the volume published by J. M. Dent and Sons, under the title of Last Essays. In the book are twenty essays, most of which were written after the publication of Notes on Life and Letters, and they comprise all Conrad’s important miscellaneous writings unpublished or uncollected at the time of his death. Richard Curie, a personal friend of Conrad, contributes the prefatory note. We imagine no collection of Conrad would be complete without this important volume. Our copy through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. r I 'o choose books that will interest younger children is at most times a difficult task. It has been the writer's experience that outside a few of the classics of child literature the field narrows rapidly in interest, many of the books recommended for children being quite unsuitable except in an abridged form. Whitcombe and Tombs forward a number of specimens of an excellent series of story readers that promise to fulfil a long-felt want in child literature. The series range from nursery rhymes for tinics to such books as Pickzeick, Treasure Island, Lorna Doonc, Geoffrey Hanilyn for children of twelve to fourteen years of age. There are some two hundred titles, all in an excellently abridged form. It is pleasing to note that a number of Maoriland stories are also included. Attractively printed, well illustrated, and low in price, we heartily commend the series to all in search of good reading for juveniles.

From the pen of "Sapper" comes a volume of short stories under the title of Word of Honour. The stories range from the breathlessly exciting to the frankly humorous. That the book is by “Sapper" is a quite sufficient index of its excellence. Hodder and Stoughton, through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. Followers of the royal and ancient * game will thoroughly enjoy Dodson's Golfing Year, a humorous interlude by A. Campbell Watson. Podson was a real dud. One night he goes to bed and wakes up with a strange conviction that his game was on the mend. It was; he progresses to club champion, he defeats every opponent, he finally achieves international fame, then— but all serious golfers should read this entertainingly frivolous book.-W. R. Chambers and Sons, through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. |3erhaps you have already made * the acquaintance of Father Brown, the little parish priest of the moon-like, chubby face, and the shabby clothes. Mr. C. K. Chesterton has created many characters, but few as intriguing and surprising as the reverend Father. In the Incredulity of Path-

er Brown, the cleric, for all his innocent looks a most astute observer, comes into contact with numerous mysterious occurrences, murders mostly, which are attributed to, and on the surface look very much like, the work of occult influences. How Father Brown applies logic and commonsense in revealing the human agencies at work makes particularly interesting reading. We rather think Mr. Chesterton is hitting at followers of Conan Doyle, but this adds zest to the reading of these improbabilities. Cassell and Co., through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.

lorious .-Ipolio, by E. Barrington. is a romantic adaptation of the life of Byron to fiction. The author endeavours to reconstruct the period in which the great poet lived, and the people with whom he came into contact, and more particularly those who directly'- influenced his stormy and tragic life. It is not surprising that Byron has been singled out for this distinction, as there is undoubtedly sufficient in his career to go to the making of several novels. It is, perhaps, unfortunate that a little more stress than is necessary is laid on what might be termed regrettable incidents the frailties of the man were surely sufficiently overshadowed bv the great-

ness of the poet. However, the author gives us what purports to be a realistic picture, and on the whole succeeds very well. — Harraps, through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. Tn a quietly, semi-satirical, semihumorous vein, Gurney Slade gives in Ships That Pass in the Night Clubs a very good picture of the hectic after-war night life of London as evidenced in the activities of night clubs. Of course, there is a love interest with one Wybig Ginning, a young Australian squatter, as hero who. invalided from the front, meets “the only one” as a

visitor to the hospital. He returns to Australia without, however, an introduction, cannot settle down, and decides to go “Home” again in an endeavour to trace the young lady. He finally meets her at a night club and incidentally fulfills a stipulation laid down by his father before his departure from the Antipodes and wins twenty thousand pounds by stealing a hear, this enabling him to wed his lady. An outstanding character is the “Hoogli Man.” Cunning's entertaining friend. A most improbable plot but all the same a most whimsical and entertaining story.—Cassell and Co., through Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.

3 T iam O’Flaherty is certainly one of the most outstanding of our younger writers, and he particularly excels in the field of short-story telling. The Tent comprises twentynine stories, most of which have for a theme some aspect of Irish peasant life. There is no doubt that O’Flaherty can write. Nothing seems to escape his observation. He has a wonderful and forceful vocabulary and a most remarkable dramatic instinct. This volume is a worthy follower of Spring Souring, the author’s previous book. - Jonathan Cape, through Whitcombe & Tombs Limited.