Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-22

to them and New England society, who
should be suddenly transported to these
American activities from distant and cult
nred groups of foreign society. The novel
really is a treatise on the new Boston born
OF The old Boston, when there was less
tolerance, more moral heroism and social
martyrdom. There is the same run of
clever wit and keen humor running
through this very fat volume in two parts,
that is characteristic of Mr.. James best
efforts. The book is not wholly satisfying;
indeed, Its close leaves the reader in that
eXpectant state when the curtain is run
down on a play in which all the characters
have not been disposed of according to our
" notion" of the thing" The novelist
has been purposeful in this; he has left a
good deal TO the readers own judgment as
to what the developments should be, and
has thereby enhanced the interest we have
taken in his creations.
From c. S. Houghton, Sacramento, we
have the latest odd conceit yet evolved
from the ingenuity of the publishers. 1t is
strangely, handsomely-cove quarto,
with charming illuminated outer page,
entitled the Message of the Blue Bird
told to me to tell to Others by Irene Z.
jerome. The title card is held to the COW
ers by two skeins Of parti-colored silk
thread woven through holes and appearing
again on the reverse side, and returning to
the front are caught in heavy double bow
knots. The inner pages are on heavy
enameled boards, in quaint type with deli
cate engravings, landscapes and flower
pieces, in most of which the blue bird APP
pears. 1t is really an Easter song. but the
book is a charming bit of handsome work
for any time, since it is a dainty combina-
ton of song and illustration with poetic
taste and artistic excellence, distinguishing
every page, and published by Lee & Shep-
ard, Boston.
Madame lie Mainttnon," an etude by
j. Cotter Morrison, is Il small parchment
cover, quarto, issued by Scribner d Wei
ford, New York. 1t is consideration of
the fairest of women in the politics of
France in monarchical eras. OF these
Madame de Maintenon is judged in the
durability of her influence and the length
of her reign without parallel. Her extra
ordinary career is sketched in the most
skillful manner in eighty-siX small pages
of large type. 1t is altogether the happiest
short monograph concerning that remark
able woman, half-nun, halfqueen, we have
met with
From c. S Houghton, Sacramento. we
have Nos. u, Is, IA and Is of Cassell & Co.'S
admirable National Library" These cap
tal books sell at but 10 cents per volume,
one being issued each week. Thus, for So
year, small library of choice standard
literature can be had. Nos u and Is COM
prise the Adventures of Baron Trencll :"
No. Ia is the Lady of the Lake, and No.
Is is Selections from the Table Talk of
Martin Luther"
"a Roman Gentleman Under the EN-
pire" by Havnel Waters Preston King
Rudewald," by Helen Gray Cone "Valen-
tines Chance" by Lille Chace Wyman
A Glimpse at 1856" by Edward Stanwood;
the Statute of Lief Erikson," by Henry
Van Brunt the Coup de Grace" by An
drew Heldbrooke;" and consideration
by the editor of books by James, Crawford
and Howells, together with the usual de-
partments.
The Sporting Mans Companion" is a
neat volume issued by Richard K Fox,
New York. 1t contains portraits of promi-
nent athletes, pugilists, jockeys, actors and
actresses. There are $50 pages of interest
ing sporting information, racing statistics,
prize-ring chronology, fast time at all styles
of going, baseball records and averages, and
it is unquestionably valuable to every
sporting man.
From G. p. Putnams Sons, New York
through A. l.. Bancroft 4 Co., San Fran
CISCO, we have Anna Katharine Green S
novel, Hand and Ring" She will be re-
membered best by that altogether remarka-
BILE and excellent novel, the Leavenworth
Case" and by the scarcely less skillful tale
" A Strange Disappearance" Hand and
Ring" is presented in cheap form-20 cents.
For Mamie's Sake" by g. Allen, is tale
of love and dynamite. He is a novelist of
the sensational order, yet by no means of
the unnatural in his conceptions OF charac-
ter and the motives for human action.
The new novel by this popular writer is
from the press of d. Appleton & Co., New
York, and is for sale by c. S. Houghton,
Sacramento, at % cents.
The volume reviewed last week and
warmly recommended. entitled Ameri-
can Political Ideas" by John Fiske, is for
sale by A. L. Bancroft Il Co., San Francis
co. and is from the press of Harper & Bros,
New York.
The Atlantic Monthly for June (Hough-
ton, Muffin IL Co., BOSTON, is at hand. Its
table of contents is especially inviting, and
embraces a paper on Honore de Balzac,"
by George Frederic Parsons.
The volume reviewed last week entitled
" American Diplomacy" by Eugene Schuy-
Ter, is for sale by C. S. Houghtou, Sacra-
mento. 1t is work of Il high order.
OF Harpers Franklin Square Library we
have Mrs. Annie Edwards novel entitled
" A Girton Girl 1t sells at 20 cents.