1934-01-26 — Page 7

E

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1934.

LITERARY NOTES

NEW OWEN RUTTER

TRAVEL BOOK

What To See In The West Indies.

COMPREHENSIVE VOLUME

If Crab No Walk. By Owen Rufter. (Hutchinson, 188.).

Bee

The title, we are told, is from a negro proverb: "If crab no' walk, he

nothing." Mr. Rutter has walked extensively and seen a great deal, and he has talent in making his readers aware of the quality of the things that come under his observation.

have

The discerning eye that he took: to Borneo and elsewhere has been as keen as ever in this present West Indian journey. Nothing escapes him. His fellow-travellers on the voyage out, the men and women of the islands, the birds and beasts, the climate, industries, education, sport: all these things are observed and act down in s best thing to making the trip.

If you are fortunate enough to have the trip ahead, you will find that Mr. Rutter is more than a dilettante describer. His book is full of practical advice which can- not fail to make a visit more in- teresting and profitable.

!

WINE MERCHANT AS

AUTHOR,

Thriller With Vintage

As Background.

Mr. Clerihew, Wine

Merchant.

By H. Warner Allen. (Methuen,

78. 6d.).

The author of this book is him- welf

a wine merchant, and his thriller unrolla Itself against a background of Amoroso, Perrier Jouet, Mouton 1868, and St. Julien.

Mr. Clerihew thinks all the more

of Ariadne when he discovers that she deterts in her wine a slight taint] of cork. "What a wonderful palate: you must have!" Small wonder that as he cuts her free on the last page from the ropes with which villains have bound her, and pours down her throat "a teaspoonful of his finest cognac," they should real

made to be

that they

ise mater.

were

gence of the twain.

5

THE CHINA MAI

Police are shown examining the arsenal of guns and bullet- proof vests found in the Chicag o apartment which was the scene of one of the most desperate gun battles between police and gangsters in the city's history. Three desperadoes, all escaped convicts, were shot to death in the battle. Inset, one of the vie torious police raiders looking over the body of a slain gangster.

Women Novelists

The Lead

Take

Best First Novels Of 1933

From Feminine Pens

FICTION WILL BENEFIT FROM CHANGE

(By HOWARD SPRING).

All the best first novels this year have been written by women.

I have in mind nine books, and cannot think, of nine, or even six or four, frst novels by men that are worthy to stand alongside them.

AFTERMATH OF

WAR

Study Of A Farmer's Family.

Renewal By Ambrose `South.

(Grayson, 78. 64).

You must not go to the novels of Ambrose South if you want easy sentimentality. The work is near the bone of naturalism but a pro- found sympathy redeems it from mere harsh photography. Hugh Canley, war-wrecked, seeing in his dreams the true and ghastly pro (portions of the things which, when he fought for them, were distorted through the romantic catchwords: that clothed them; Clara, his over- worked and worried little wife; their children, growing up

and feeling the pull in this direction and that which ultimately, severed them from their parents: these are the figures in this study of a farmer's family.

It is usual for a novelist to find. la background.easier than a fore

ground;; a setting which

seems

true enough, peopled by uncon- Įvincing characters, is often found,

Here my difficulty is to realise the conditions in which the Canley family lived. The people them- selves are magnificently portrayed, but they stand out in the fore- ground of a canvas that has little' details.

Despite this, which seems to me a fault, I sincerely commend "Re- newal" as the work of a novelist who understands men and women and is willing to eschew cheap and i easy roads to popularity.

POPULAR BOOK REVISED

Sir James Jeans has revised and enlarged his popular work, "The Universe Around Us,” for = new edition announced by the Card bridge Press.

other quarters through the me- |dium of coals and blanketa:

It was all done from the woman's heads this year, and that is but the anglo; and the interesting thing beginning of the story. There is about fiction written by women to- no heed to go too far back, to con- day is that the woman's angle is sider the achievement of writers going, going, and in many

can still detect in a like Storm Jameson and Sheila gone. You Kaye-Smith.. Look at the last few good deal of fiction and pon-fiction

written by women, the maenad-!

caden

but their

A wine merchant and a woman The nine books are not, by any years. with a palate! But there is an ex-means, all masterpieces; though Miss Marguerite Steen has writ-shriek that proclaims a love of be- citing run, with a bound trail of one, I believe, is. I mean Miss He-ten four or five books all of which ing abackled to the railings in choice bouquet, before the conver-len Waddell's "Peter Abelard." But are notable; one of which-"Stal-Parliament-square; but, for better

all of them have some distinguish-Hon"-is memorable. Miss Doreen or worse, could these women ing touch, some witty essence, some Wallace has not attracted public see it, the shackles are at sensitive apprehension of human attenton to the same extent; but feet. The "emancipation of wo- relationships, or, at the lowest, ashe has written four novels of men" has been achieved.

A woman's experience of life in downright competence, that I have which three have a fidelity to the

wide as a mug's and her ex- not found this year in first novels country scene and an understand-jas by men.

ing of the countryman's mind perience in fiction bonds to differ Elizabeth Cambridge has writ- which Hardy would not have found no whit from a. man's expression. For the first time, this field of pro- ten "Hostages to Fortune," a book negligible.

Miss Naomi Jacob has shown us fit and glory lies open to the saxes which gives us, inside out, a mid-

THRILLS OF MOTOR RACING.

Two New Books On Road And Track.

Barre Combat. By

(Heinemann, 76.

(John Miles, 68).

Both these books are concerned Old

20

Lyndon. 6d.). Flat dle-class family growing up in the in her books about the Gollantz on equal terms, and women Out. By G. E. T. Eyston. country with post-war problems family something nearly akin to a laying hold of the booty with both

"Fanfare hands. harassing every step it takes. "The Jewish Forsyte Saga.

Man Dies," by Elizabeth for Tin Trumpets" and "The Flow- For my part, I think fiction in the the Sprigge, is not greatly imaginative ering Thorn" reveal Miss Margery long run will greatly benefit from with motor-racing. In both story is retold of famous races on but is a thoroughly workmanlike Sharp as a gay observer of the mo- the change. The woman writer in famous tracks, in this country and book exploiting the old theme of dern scene: and Miss E. Arnot Ro- the past was so often a cackling abroad. Sir Malcolm Campbell, in disruptive influences assailing aborteon has the power to cram her pest who could not take her posi a foreword to Mr. Eyston's book, cohesive family. Sybil Fountain, books with beauty, both of the thing tion with a natural ease and

developed into that abominable; speaks of "us who crowd space into in "The Echoing Man," has concen-seen and the thing felt.

an intensive exploration. Apart altogether from the quality thing a blue-stocking; or someone time," and that striking phrase tratied

upon one individual and with sur- of women's work in filetion, one is like Mrs. Humphry Ward, in whose goes to the root of the matter.

The attempt to crowd more and gical precision has exhibited him struck by the quantity of it. I was work an icy streak suggested a life looking through a long publisher's that was mainly an intellectual ex- more space into less and less and in section.

The mental and spiritual distur- announcement recently and saw ercise, less time is what the books deal

a that 75 per cent of the novels were

Jane Austen Bupreme. with. The dangers, the exhilara-bance of an adolescent girl in tions, the endurances and the school where all seems right but by women. There is no doubt that

There in a new case about, the achievements are all set forth in something is profoundly wrong has the regiment of women has camped way which makes either of these been conveyed with great subt-conclusively in this field and, atwoman novelist." She is no longer books treasurable to those who find lety by Antonis White in "Frost in the moment, is flying some impres-surprised and a little self-conscious jat finding herself where she is. The a thrill in speed.

May." "Tandem" shows Violet Tre-aive banners.

[world is here as much as ̈ ́any fusia (who has written novelė, be- fore this in French, though not in That women should do well in man's, and blithely she has gone English) to be a witty comments-fiction is no new thing. There has up and possessed the land. tor on the lives of the rich. naver been an English woman poet Shall we find, with these women

ROMANTIC TALE OF MEXICO.

Gay First Novel.

Victorian Writers.

A. R. Craig, "When Adam Wapt," of the first rank; there has never what we have found with most wo- has not only brilliantly unfolded been an English woman dramatist men writers of the past; that out of the South American scene but has of any note at all. But women the body of their achievement little The Kindly Gods. By Eileen examined a most trying personal have always "kept their end up in remains that one wishes to go back Dwyer. (Hutchinson, 7s. 6d.). relationship: that of a woman hap- the writing of Action. Walter to 7 For myself, I and that Jane of the Austen alone, among great women Miss Dwyer in this first, novel Py in a well-paid job with a miser Scott was clearly aware has told a good romantic tale of able, jealous, unemployed husband. points where Jane Austen had him novelists, sustains, the test of rea- "The Wooden Doctor," by Mar-beaten; and we to-day are more dability through and through. Mexico. The life on a great estate glad Evans, has a touch of the neu- clearly aware of them than Scott George Ellot boils down to very through several generations is rasthenic greatness of "Wuthering himself ever was, --..

little: Villette", and "Wathering portrayed; and though there are

Heights" and finally there is “We George Eliot, the Brontas and Heights alone, remain to me of all passages which are highly rouged, the general impression left on there Spolled," by Phyllis Paul. When Mrs, Gaakel!' made a pretty good the Brontes wrote; Mr. Gaskell'a mind of one who knows nothing of this book appeared I disliked it, show in Victorian times; but what considerable output leaves me not- and said so. There was a mixing we go from' all these people was hing but an occasional call at her the country is that the author has of Intentions, a too-obvious repro- an essentially, feminine comment pretty confectioner's shop “

"Cran- maintainad a fair degree of Inte

duction of old stuff about "fey on life. From Jane Austen we got ford." grity and given us such a tale of characters. But there persists in the dellelous, cattiness of a life. I do not find this shrinkage when intrigue and hot-blooded clash"as might well have arisen among half-my mind echoes. I had not expect spent in the shelf; from George I think of the work of Fielding su

ed and a conviction that Misa Paul Ellot, the ponderous resolve to be Smollett, Hardy and Dickens; I do Will do something worth while if taken seriously of a woman who, not find it so severs in the cass of abe can shake of a certain pre- stuffed with learning, waS, Thackeray and Trollope, or clousness.

mined to "show em:"

have to day, omen writers,

tamed and lawless men."

ANCIENT ITALY

The Beat Nine Novellata.“ Brontest leave out the

nina novel- Anne) L.), some

“Ancient Itály' and Hodern, Ra-]! Here, then, are Ugion” is" a „volums by Dr.E BL

Conway, band on his biblical loc: [ngali ture, which the Cambridge.Press 14

'to stand | ihriska); and pati

Bet #bether

"

THE

ELECTROMATIC

BRITISH MADE

.....

FULLY AUTOMATIC, ALL ELECTRIC

OIL BURNER

Sole Agents for Hong Kong & China.

DODWELL & CO.,

& CO., LTD.

HONG KONG, CANTON, SHANGHAL HANKOW, FOOCHOW & CHUNG KING.

If your boiler is still consuming coal or coke, it demanda some- one's constant attention.

Someone has to shovel tons of fuel, remove ashes, which means increased expenditure. In addition someone has to spend extra time keeping things clean -- further expense that could be saved.

A building that is either too hot or too cold affects both health, temperament and efficiency.

The "Electromatic" fully automatic Oil Burner is in reality antomalle weather. It provides an even heat at whatever tempera- ture you choose, which is maintained automatically, day and night, summer and winter. It starts itself, runs itself and stops itself as though a man stood controlling it for 24 hours a day,

It is absolutely safe and reliable, clean and economical; it means that all your heating and hot water problems have now ceased to exist. The "Electromatic" Oil Burner deals with them all efficiently and consistently.

If you are experiencing trouble with either central heating or domestic hot water installations, let us tell you what it will cost to change over fuel oil, and further, what it will cost to run.,

If you are installing new plants don't decide on solid fuel unti you have seen the "Electromatic” in operation.

Distinction

WD. & H. O. Wills Gold Finke Cl

the crosm of the crop

i tens distinction in quality hat they could scaccaly fell to com patronage of those who app added coolness, wrectness sad mildi

a traditional Englishs cigarette of quality.

GOLD FLAKE

CIGARETTES

BPISTOE. J LONDON.