The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-18
BOOK NOTICES.

Homeric Stories by Frederic Alden
Hall. Lett. D. The American Book
Company New York. Cloth, rs cents.
This is a charming collection of sto-
ries for young people, and the volume
contains a number of fine illustrations.
There is no better way for young peo-
pie TO get a glimpse of Homer than
these stories afford. They are charm
ingly told and are deeply interesting.
Even men and women of mature years
will read them with pleasure, and a
feeling that they are getting an insight
of Homeric literature.
"Singoalla," a Romance Written in
Swedish by Viktor Rydberg and now
translated into English by AXel Jo-
sephsson. Red cloth binding; oeckle
edges. Price s1.25. The Grafton Press,
New York city. This work is a trans
lation of a well-known thirteenth CEN
fury romance, written by the greatest
writer that Sweden ever produced, Vik-
tor Rydberg. The author of this trans
lation is Axel Josephsson, who was
born and educated in Sweden and came
to this country some years ago. He is
a graduate of the Columbian Univer-
District OF Columbia. The time of the
story of "Singoalla' is at the begin
lllng of the thirteenth century, and the
action is laid in and around one of the
old castles in the Province of Smaland
IN the midst of the forests The heroine
is gypsy who falls in love with the
young son of the lord of the manor. In
beautiful language the author tells us
of the. secret tryst OF the lovers: of
nd H1-af 10
separation. The interest of the reader
III Singoalla's fate is never allowed to
lag, and the unexpected appearance of
the son of Singoalla and Erland is one
of its climaXes. The scene of the muir
der in the forest and the subsequent
appearance of the Black Death or
plague are wildly drawn. The book is
so far out of the ordinary that it may
be expected to meet with great success.
There are q number of Illustrations by
Carl LARSON. the Swedish painter,
which are taken from the de luxe edi-
ton of the book published III Sweden a
few Years ago.
THE Louisiana Purchase, and the
Exploration and Early History of the
West" by Ripley Hitchcock. 12mo., 349
pages. Price, $1.25. CHM & Co..
publishers, New York city. This book
form a clear and simple history of the
discovery the acquisition, and the ear
lier stages of the building of the West
The first part carries the history from
the discovery of Columbus through the
periods of Spanish and French ascen-
dency and ends with a vivid account
of the dramatic incidents which culmi-
mated in the Louisiana purchase. Then
follows in an abbreviated form the
narrative of the wonderful journey of
Lewis and Clark. To the general
reader this convenient summary of a
long narrative, with a careful identi-
fication of the route and all impor-
tant points, will be peculiarly interest
ing. The third part of this history
sketches the important exploration of
the West; the journeys of men like
Pike, Hunt, and Fremont. In addi-
ton it pictures characteristic types;
the trapper the soldier. the miner, and
the cowboy. In the closing chapters
something is said of the political and
economic development involved in the
permanent occupation and settlement
of the West. The book is attractively
bound and contains numerous illus
trations chiefly drawn from early
sources"