Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-14
BOOK NOTES

II DQVOVM IWOH Id I
|
The American girl-God bless herl-
has been the subject Of many an art
| lists brushes or pencil, and each new
| depicter of her beauty has formed his
own concept Of her. Thus Is had the
Gibson girl, the Fisher girl the Wen
zelli girl, the Leydendecker girl and so
on. But one man has created so many
types of her that he really seems en-
titled to rank as her real portrayer par
excellence-Howard Chandler Christy.
Thus one may not cavil with him when
he chooses for the title of his newest
| girl-book "The American Girl" There-
! in he has drawn her In so many ana
varied phases that each devotee may
easily find his own especial ideal; and
each pose OF this wondrous creature
seems happier than the preceding
Artistically, the book Is a gem; as a
specimen of Typographical art 1t Is
superb. It's formal is much more sensi-
BILE than is usual in girl books; 1t much
resembles an ordinary volume in shape
and size. The text explains and char
acterizes the pictures excellently.
The American Girl. BY Howard
Chandler Christy. New York: Moffatt,
Yard & Co. $3.50 net.
Books of real travel, written by real
rather than what they Gull from Bae-
deker. are always interesting.
Through Scandinavia to Moscow" by
! William Seymour Edwards, is such q
book 1t is made up of series of let
ters written by him while taking the
journey. noted, and is profusely Illus
| trated from views taken by his cam
era. Thus 1t has the charm of person.
ality and intimacy, making up there
what it lacks In literary establishment.
Through Scandinavia to Moscow. BY
William Seymour Edwards. Cincinnati:
The Robert Clarke Co
In "Jane Cable" his latest novel,
George Barr McCutcheon has really
come into his own; he has written a
real book of which he well may be
proud. This young author of the I'm
diana school, has hitherto turned out
several volumes, in somewhat undue
! haste, and each has shown an improve
ment, despite it's glaring faults of con-
struction, diction and common sense.
In the process of literary travail, one
| by one he has eliminated his amateur
ish characteristics, steadily progressing
| toward the Parnassan heights, till now,
in Jane Cable he is well within the
shadow of the mount. He has con-
ceived a real plot. not of startling
novelty-truly, the birth mystery theme
has been worked overmuch-but con-
sistent. He has laid his story in Chi
cago, and he gives a good portrait of
that Grass, banaI and conceited town.
with its atmosphere of pork and money
aristocracy. He pictures a right lovable
girl and decent chap. Then he takes
them far afield, to the Philippines, let's
him fight the little brown brother, and
permits , her to nurse him back to
strengthened love. And it all ends
well, and that is proper. Mr.. Nc
1ta11 h fcrIat of hfc
book; it is not perfect nor will it set
the world afire. but it may reach the
ranks of the "best Sellers" and it GER
tainly shows his decided literary ad-
vance.
Jane Gable. BY George Barr Nc
Cutcheon. New York: Dodd, Mead
e. Co.
"Old Cronnack," by Joseph Haldane,
is problem novel of more than ordin-
ary worth. 1t tells Of the futile at
tempt on the part of materialist to
overpower in the woman he loves her
scruples and faith. Joseph Haldine tells
the story. His love for Alice, a feature
from the first chapter to the last, COM
pacts the whole history into a strong
dramatic unity. We soon realize that
Joseph is no mere story teller, but the
greatest of the characters-tense, i'm
petuous, strong willed, a poet, a lover
of nature, with hatred of iniquity.
He is materialist. When this rises
between him and Alice he sets his
strong will to overcome her Scruple.
At the end of four years his stout heart
and iron purpose break down into de-
spair. But the most striking feature
is the portrayal of the effect upon 10
of life's tragedies. Something of this
appears in Aeschylus' "Prometheus, in
Shakespeare's Hamlet and Lear"
and in Job. The present work boldly
grapples with the theme. The reader
will find the problem faced without
equivocation.
Old Cronnack. BY Joseph Haldane.
New York: Decker Publishing Co.
1.-TWO Little Friends in Norway" is
the first volume of 1.-TWO Little Friends
Series,'' by Margaret Sidney, author of
the famous Pepper Books" etc. Ev-
cry one knows of the popularity of the
Pepper Books" and it is good news
that their author has enthusiastically
entered upon new series of books in
an entirely different field, but with the
same elements of interest that have
endeared her previous books to hun
dreds of thousands.
Two Little Friends in Norway. BY
Margaret Sidney. Boston: Lothrop,
Lee & Shepard company.
"Krausz's Complete Automobile Rec
| otu Is ueSlSIleQ TO IurnlSn the autOiSL
with a complete record of expenditures
and other information that will inter-
est every motorist.
The book is arranged in columns, SO
that the exact cost for any item can
be Immediately ascertained for any
particular day or week.
To adequately describe "Krausz's A
B c of Motoring would be to give the
entire contents of the book.
The fact that the introduction has
been written by John Farson, president
of the American Automobile associa-
tion, is a guarantee that the work is
practical and up to date. The informa-
tion given in the body of the book cam
not fail to prove of interest and value
to the motorist, the novice and the
layman. The work proves that the
author has had actual experience with
the automobile business in all it's diff
ferent phases.
Krausz's Complete Automobile Rec
ord. Krausz's A b c of Motoring. Chi
cago: Laird e. Lee.
Trail and Trading Post" is a COM