1958-05-31 — Page 14

THE BOOK

BOOK PAGE

JKSE KESEDA

THE CHINA "MAIL, SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1958.'

predicts that a little novel (it、runs to

to only 159 pages) will bring^success this year to a new woman writer

The stark stuff of a childhood

goes into

a winner

FROM a cold Scottish from a drab alley where

Futbito gape shove the cobbies and loud-mouthed women gossin

and brawl, comes a tender and tragic story.

It is the story of Janie, aged eight, the small heroine of an extraordinary new book. The title; THE WHITE BIRD PASSES, by Jessie Kesson (Chatto, 12s. 6d.).

This novel has appeared quietly, without any brassy blaring of publicity. The author, a woman of 40, has never had a book published before. Her book is only 159 pages long.

Yet I predict that before the summer is out there will be thousands who will value Janie's tale far more than such ton-weight eples as By Love Possessed.

is simple

The story enough. It describes how Jane lives in an alley tene- ment. with her tough, pretty, widowed mother. It describes the shadowy gods

by

A SEASON WITH MAMMON

ROBERT PITMAN

who move through Janic's much about meals for Janle. life--the Cruelty Inspector, But she has other qualities. A the Free Boot Ticket Man. Alerce loyalty binds her to her of the child against the rest It describes friendlier world. figures, such ម Mysle Walsh, plump woman of the tut way she constantly feeds the And in a strange and wonder- streets, whose room awes child's mind. little Janie with its odours

of scent and Phulnana pow- der.

THE SHADOWS

At Janie's school the girls are But Janic's mother of offered a shilling for the best Mysle's profession

local cathedral. 100, Her essuy on the family, living on a distant farm, Liza promptly takes Janle off to

She

have disowned her. In slum. see it. She tells her how it was Jund squalor her Tragedy is once burned by ralders.

fires the le girl's imagination Well, you may say, there's with talk of monks and priests.

worked out.

nothing new about a story k that. There have always been pathetic books abit childhood in Scotland's slums.

DIFFERENT

Yet already the shadows ure moving in on Liza and Janie, Back at the alley they learn that the Cruelty Man has been ask- ing questions about Janie.

Ta

Then comes a blue summons slip alleging that Janie in need of care and protection.

prize

But there are things which nuke The White Bird Passes utterly different. Things which At the sight of that blue slip, is forgotten. moke you feel; This is it. the ensay This is childhood. This is real." They know that Janie will be

Take the moment at Janie'r anken off to an orphanage. school, when a nurse appears at the classroom doorway.

Jaale knows what it means

at once. The nurte has a list of

Nemes To Be Examined.

Junie cries: "We'll go owly, Mum, miles and miles away

MARTYN GOFF

hn

DOES TRE (OVER MATTER?

W

[VIIGIS of these two barels would you be templed to huy7_Taka Martyn Fight's A Senson With Mammon (Put HAM 11.,This story of a Jewish Bim tycoon Intelligent, fronte. the

ta

powerful. And cover tells you sa mechi. Bat now turnto Nadia Legrand's The Sever Rainbow Tina Colours (MaemiliasI, 12 d.), In booksho you might push it neide a typist'a novelette. You would be mistaken. It is sharp. clever book kind of who dant concerning tove and character. The

thing anly

Wrong--- THE COVER

RAINBOW

HAS SEVEN COLOURS

+

Larry

Adler Leaves His Mouth-Organ Behind

RECORD by PETER BUCHAN

good in

he

How mol Larry Ader? le ho still just a mouth-

ly,

The contrast in two records issued this week supplies the answer.

The first record is a brillɗht He st speaks with a clipped long-player on which Adler has American accent, but he has no recorded for the first time with wish to leave his home in Norta 1 full, 75-strong symphony London. orchestra.

In

The basic reason:

Ds a Jew the other reissue of he feels at home in Britain and recordings made exnelly 20 years not "different,” ago when Alder was playing in

.

a Paris Jazz cellar-he is team- He Boys: "The terrifying

Jed with guitarist Django Rein- thing about America la the urge

hardt

and the Quintet of the to conform.

formity Hot Club de France,

clothes, religion,

Since those carly recorda were made Adier has become a musician for in advance of the stature of his instrument,

Sú

In

They want con- everything-ideas.

"Boston (Adler's home town) is not the place for a Jew. Just as there are places in the South where life is dimoult for Romn Catholics.

"We

preach

in

Says Adler: "I don't suppose that In my lifetime the mouth-

tolerance organ will be treated serious Instrument except in a America, but everyone—even |few places.*'

the most intelligent Americans in less tolerant than Euro- peans,"

The places? "Israel there they don't feel

audience and perhaps a greater

acceptance

of the mouth-organ serious instrument,

Adler could have made more money by staying in America. night the girls In the dormitozy for: Janie to be allowed home. I then learned, what actually anything strange about it as would have bad a wider

the concert Instrument, Then there's Janie about the food. For For years Janie has been telling happened to Janie. After ridge for breakfast, fish on the girle in the dormitory about orphanage she was sent to work Australia. And strangely enough Sundays, "And

op her pretty mother.

on a form. She worked in the I've noticed in recent months Christmas morning," ·Says *

cattle-shod. At the age of 18 that in India the reaction is the But when Liza comes she is she married the cattle-man, same." voice.

deformed by disease. Her checks And now, at 40 she has written of Christmas a are hollow. Her sight is falling, a book.

Serious now Her plea is turned down,

Al menilon

together. Where nobody will panic seizes Janie. Upright in ever find us. They can't take bed sho asks: "When will I get home? I've asked everybody. me away from you if they can't The Court Man and the Vigi- And us."

Desperately Liza takes the lance Officer. They all let on child's advice. By dusk they stip they don't hear me," away from the lane. Together, the tall woman and her little girl, they cross the dark roads ind fields to a doss-house in the next town. But the police are ready for them there.

And so Janie is taken to the orphanage 100 miles away. That

++++*Quote of

4ORSETS were never

" of male fashion

sixteenth,

In the Afteenth, and eighteenth centuries, and there was a fresh out. Waint- burst of masculine squeezing

"When you're 10, most likely," And Janie A girl tells her. sobs; "But that's ages. That's just years and years. I'm not nine yet. Not till October."

Angrily she atrides away, to tell herself; leaving Janie

without "My Mam went away knowing that I love her, words wouldn't come i was getting on the bus. then it was too late."

BY CHANCE

But if the mouth-organ has not made much advance, Adler

Fer, you see, Jante is Jessie has.

There is no doubt that Adier and Adler afone has been res- ponsible for its acceptance ́al all-and it would not have hap- pened Adler had not veered to more serious music.

But he has lighter side.

not deserted the His new record

The Kesson herself. The woman who He started his career in this with the bla orchestra consists sho has written this brilliant and country as a music-hall artist. of a "heavy" side on which tra And beautiful book is the girl who Now he is a serious

begged McPhee,

tobacco

Beulah for

artist-and à composer.

concert plays a Rumanian Fantasy and Rumanian Rhapsody (Larry Adler, Fe, 33 r..), with 'IT'S TRUE..... Sho now. lives with her hus- Says Adler: "I had always composer Franels Chagria con-

band in North London. He is a improvised tunes on the mouth- dueling.

Landon building organ, but I had never thought The other and far the better But her worst day, has not

Such is the story of The White labourer on Years

sites.

of arrangements of at doing it seriously. Then one consists Later Liza Bird Passes. But there is some yet come, comes to the orphanage to plead thing eise that is remarkable But how did she get from a day Ingrid Bergman, who had Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, eattle-man's cottage to the world always been trying to get me to Bizet's Carmen, 3 Granades about this book. Ils author,

Kesson ex-write something down, insisted Spanish dance, and of books? Mrs

Ravel's Bolero. A that I did. Last week I had lunch with plained: "By chance I met the week+IHITE

Jessie Kesson. In a husky SRB.C. woman on a train. She "We were in Berlin making Adler has changed immensely -voice she told me: "I've called liked my voice. I got a letter) nim. She was, going out to since he made his recording

to come for

(Larry Adler, an lunch. Just before she went she with Reinhardt the book a novel. But it's true.. asking me

audition. Igaven talk on the suid: "Write a tune. before I Columbia, 45 r.p.., extended- every word of it."

B.B.C. in Scotland. It was that come back.'"

play). That record shows off his As we chatted. I learned that which gave me the idea of

technical brilliance as an har- Janle

was a real child who writing a book."

monica player. lived in the Humà of Eigin 'in' Jessie Kesson looked round

restaurant. the 1920's. I learned that Mysle, the

She told me Walsh really committed suicide "You know, I've always wanted in her sweet-smelling room, that to be taken out to lunch. But Janie and her mother really fed this is the first time it's ever work on for Max Bygraves. into the countryside away from happened. It's grand" the magistrates and the polleo,

Jesale Kesson said: "But I've given the book a happy ending. I've Fald · that the trustees finally sent Janio to college. That didn't happen at all"

"A West End firm of cor- Dei specialists claimed to supply gentlemen all over the country, not only young military officers,

but also university, professors, coun. try squires, and clergymen of mature age." -

in the nine- teenth. 'Sent for tallor and recorded an. stay-maker,

in his diary, English officer воод atter

TAIL Waterloo. F orders included: 'Cumber. land corset with a whalebone back. The last pair gave way in stooping to plek up Lady B's glove."

[[||||||ja

From THE PEACOCK'S by PeartBinder (Harrap, 258.). An amusing and extremely readable sur- vcy of the stern sex's dress, its beards, jewellery, and 'cosmeties through the ages.

||~|~|~||~||~|~|~Z~+~+++

VIGNETTES OF LIFE

IT'S A PITY THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS

WISHING FOR A DESERT ISLAND

CAN'T BE ACCOMMODATED,

And the result?

"I wrote down my drst fune." As a composer Adler's biggest success was the musle for the

old-crock flim Genculeve,

Now he has another Aim to

The new one with the big orchestra shows he has added musicianship amounting, almost to genius, And his choice of, flems shows Adler's wide love for music and musical instru- ments.

There is only one instrument he doesn't like the church

What is he like, this American Then she said: "1'1 remam-Jew who found fame by playing ber that train journey all my what was once a child's toy?

lfe. You see, I was going to see At 43, he is tiny and slim, my mother for the last time. both tinier and slimmer than orgon. She was dying in the workche oppears on a concert plat- Baye Adler: "It gives me an

form or on TV, house at Elgin."

inferiority complex."

All Alone

By Harry Weinert

WHAT DO YOU MEAN,

NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE..

AGAIN? THE BABY WAS

WITH YOU, WASN'T HE ?.”

She dirty

will bone-comb Janie's halt and rub it with a lotion that will make the olher children sniff and giggle.

Desperately, the little father- less girl shuts her eyes, It isn't amirse at the door, she tell herself. It is the head master. He is going to say: "Excuse me. but I would like to speak to my daughter for a moment, if you don't mind." And how surprised everyone is gong lo be when

he puts his arm round Janie's shoulder because she has really been his daughter all the time.

Or take Janie's quarrel with McPhee, the woman

*Beulate

Anker.

Thin with hunger. Janle watches Beulah cooking rice lo her cavaran on the town green In return for a saucer-full the old woman persuades her to go ul and beg tobacco. She telli Jatle: "Say it's for your Grand- mother, Jante. Her that's just at death's door. 'Say It's the last thing she'll need from man." But when Janie returns with a twist she says that the man who gave it wrote down her name in a book. She says that she gave Beulah's name too. She explains: "1 Just couldn't give my Grandmother's name. She doesn't smoke, she's a lady, you see."

TOO FAR

And

Hoors Beulah: "A lody is So its Grandmother is a ladyl But the McPhee has to feed it. The Indy Grandmother doesn' give you rice, does she? Na No fear of that." And the whole pathos of childhood fills le Janie's reply as she blurla out:-

"My Grandmother gives me soup. She gives me it in a blue. bowl with roses round it. And aspoon which shines like any-

"My face looks twice as fat when I look at it in her shining Epoon. When we have, pudding to get another clean spoon.,

"She would give me rice, too, if I stayed with her. But it's too far away for me to stay. with her It's away In the country, In Grandmother's country." But more than Beulah than scented McPhee, more Myale Walsh (who sets the alloy ngo by hanging herself. It i Janie's mother Liza who dominates this amazing book.

Liza is hard-bitten and Immoral. She doesn't bother

IF THOSE BADDIES SHOW UP

I'LL FIX EM ?

THAT TERRIBLE“ FEELING

OF ISOLATION AFTER THE CHICKEN ALA KING - WHEN YOU. HAVE TO GET ON YOUR FEET 'AND'MAKE

A SPEECH.

ALL ALONE

WITH A BOX OF BUTTER CREAMS, TELEVISION,

A GOOD BOOK, ALL THE LATEST HIT RECORDS

AND A NEW PARTY DRESS

RARING TO GO PLACES.

SHE'S..... PERFECTLY

CONTENT

TO BE

ALONE

WITH A

GOOD BOOK—

PREFERABLY

MA

CHECK BOOK.

COPE. IN 17 GENERAL FRATORIS

CORP. MжQIED BUDHIS RISARÝDDI,

ALWAYS COMPLAINING..

IT'S CHEAPER..

TO KEEP -PARRAKEETS THAN A HUSBAND

AND YOU.KNOW WHERE THEY

ARE AT NIGHT..

ALL ALONE —' FOR THE FIRST