Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-17
BOOK NOTES

world, the exclusive distribution
OF which In this territory will be
tnroush The Herald, is the only en-
Siy SiIeiy new American atlas which
mas been made in the last FIVE
years. The various geographical changes
| In this period have been more
important than at any previous neriod
of corresponding length. The mans i'm
this work have been very carefully
compiled from the latest official sources.
with additions and Corrections ~ date
of publication. Too much emphasis
cannot be placed on the fact that IN is
not a rehash of old or lnconpr,,ous
plates, but thoroughly modern, mi
form and reliable series OF new plates.
Among the new features are q new
map of the world on the equivalent
projection, a new four-page railroad and
trade center map of the United States
and Canada, the naming of places on
state maps I'm type according to size
of cities, geographical changes down
| to the end of 1906, a very fine section
Especially devoted to Los Angeles, a full
account, Illustrated, Of the San Fran
| cisco earthquake, etc. The marginal
| indlces add greatly to the ready ref
Grence qualities of the publication, and
IL should be noted that all figures are
from the latest returns. comparison
of the present population figures of
German towns with the old census fig
ures used in other American aliases
Will show the Importance of these
changes. These marginal indices enable
you instantly to tell the population of
any state or nation, the size of cities,
and the like. The Descriptive and
Pictorial Gazetteer is another new
feature. Here are over one hundred
pages, set in large, clear type, three
columns to the page, and devoted to
wide variety OF geographical facts,
which no office or home should be
| n lrh hah hot ,,,iII
find set down and described in detail
every country, mountain, river, sea-
island, and other physical aspects of
the globe. 1t must also be remembered
that the index-gazetteer, Immediately
preceding it, supplies a large amount
of additional knowledge relating to
cities and towns; thus the book as a
whole becomes modern cyclopedia
of the world, its people, products and
progress.
Pictorial Atlas of the World. Los
Angeles Published by The Herald.
"Moon-Face and other Stories" is
the title given Jack London's latest
book Just why the publishers chose
Moon-Face as the leading story of the
collection is beyond comprehension The
story Is the poorest one in the group.
The incident Of the dog and the dyna-
mite is neither entirely new nor bril-
liantly handled. 1t Is only when one
|
realization comes that this is really the
work Of Americas greatest short story
writer. There the author treads safe
and sure ground. The gold seeker is
real, live healthy creation. The
canyon appeals strongly to the reader
and every line Is convincing. One fin
ishes the story of the tragedy without
consciousness of tragedy, so Justly
has fate dealt with the claim jumper,
| so satisfactory Is the ending of the
extremely clever tale. When London
writes of the woods and mountains
the scene lacks nothing. When he
writes Of cities and men who dwell
therein he wanders darkly. This mas
ter of modern story. telling fails dis
mally to convince the initiated when
he deals with newspaper offices. His
inability to write news item is anus
newspaper office when he essays
Local Color is woefully weak. In
Amateur Night" he does better, but
has the usual hazy conception of the
great reporter. THE Shadow and the
Flash" is, for the sort. a remarkably
well done story and has the finish and
touch of a Poe. But, one asks why
does the man who wrote the Odyssey
of the North" write such things? Why
does he who saw "The People of the
such morbid stories as "Planchette?"
Many thousands who look to Jack
London for the great" book will be
disappointed with these short stories.
There are, however, thousands of 9TH
ers who seek only to be amused who
will find an hours enjoyment with this
book
Moon-Face and Other Stories. BY
Jack London. New York: The Mac
milan company.
Father Pink" by Alfred Wilson Bar
rett, author of 1.-THE Silver Pin" is a
lively narrative of the willy machina-
tions of a seemingly good-natured and
harmless priest, who has schemes of
his own for the benefit of favorite
niece. Large property rights are in
Volved, together with boarded pile of
diamonds which have been singularly
concealed for safe keeping. The hand
of the woman whose property is thus at
stake is sought by two eager rivals,
whose fortunes are involved in the plot.
The custody of the diamonds when at
last found, gives rise to exciting COM
plications with the priest. Father Pink,
as the cleverest actor in the drama. 1t
is by no means an ordinary man who
can elude obviously certain capture by
backing into cage of trained lions
with whom he had previously made
friends for that purpose, and then re-
treating, without possible pursuit,
Through a secret passage.
rett. Cambridge: Small, Maynard &
Co. $3.50.
"The Altogether New Cynic's Calen-
dar of Revised Wisdom for 1907 re-
sembles the former "Cynic's Calendar"
in its spontaneous gayety; otherwise it
keeps its pledge of altogether new
ness" The three authors, Ethel Watts
Mumford Grant, oliver Herford and
Addison c. Miner, having found out
that proverbs are just as true and much
more amusing when turned inside out
or upside down. have continued the
revision of the wisdom of the ages after
this original recipe. "Contentment,"
reads one of their new cynicisms, "is
the smother of invention" 1t certainly
has not smothered theirs. The illustra-
tions gayly printed in red and black are
hardly less diverting than the text.
"The First Cynic' and 1.-THE First Quar-
rel" are quite as clever as "rhe First
Monday" of the last years volume, the