The age-herald., 1898-02-27
attractive style and the readers atten tion is easily held from first page to last


 Lafcadia Hearn, who writes so delight fully and intimately of the far east has just published another work which will doubtless prove a charming addition to his already long list.
 "Gleanngs in Buddha Fields," studies of hand and soul in the far east. Mir. Hearn, writer of Irish and Greek parentage, long a resident of New Orleans, now resides in Japan, where he took unto himself a. Jap anese wife. At present he is the lecturer on English literature in the Imperial Uni versity of Japan. gifted and thought full man and writer he has had peculiar and rare opportunities for seeing and knowing the inner life of the fascinating people of Japan. His books are not only filled with information and afford a deep insight into the things described, but they are all writ ten in the most delightful way, with a style that is simply bewitching. In his Gleanings in Buddha Fields" MT. Hearn touches upon many topics of especial inter- est and closes with a long chapter on the much discussed topic "Nirvana." He says that there still widely prevails in Eu- rope and America the idea that Nirvana signifies to Buddhist minds, neither more nor less than absolute nothingness-com- plete annihilation. This idea is erroneous, he says; but it is erroneous only because it contains half of Q truth, and of the other half no suspicion yet exists in the average western mind.
 Mrs. Barr's admirable work is so we'll known that it has long ceased to be neces- sary to speak of it's quality.
 "The Kings Highway" differs from the mass of the authors work, in that it deals with modern American society and touches upon the question of international mar riages. In real life, however, it is the mother who generally considers the com mercial value of title. But in this book it is the grim, shrewd, moneymaking father who offers the price for the title, and who tries preaching down a daugh- ter's heart" But a girls waywardness must be considered, as it often compels at- tention in real life, and an humble lover be- longing to no other than natures nobil- ity'' increases the interest in the affairs du occur making of the whole a most readable book.
 Miss Katrina Trask is woman of wealth and of high social position, but she has steadily for a number of years now de- voted the highest and most intellectual DOT ton of her powers to the production of strong and ennobling literature in the form of poems and stories. Her three idylls of the post-Arthurian period were gathered under the title of Under King Constan- tine" and were received with enthusiasm. "John Leighton, Jr." Is her first novel, and it fully confirms and carries out the best characteristics of the writer; and knowing ones say it will make its way in the world, like its hero, strongly and honestly, without any professional fitting. The young hero, John, Jr., breaks with his father and goes out into the world to make his own way, penniless. He makes it, and the recital of events which made his success possible is always interesting to readers in this "self- made country.
 Amilie Rives, now the Princess Trou- 1ofx hoe af faxy tIar h lie in a long while with one of her quaintly original works of fiction. Though she now gives to the world small volume in dainty binding of yellow and green. "A Damse Errant' is most appropriately named, for this damsel is surely depart ure from the usual run but then it would not be like Amilie Rives did she not give us something novel and new. The scene of