Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-17
~ BOOK CHAT ~

B. L. Putnam Weale, whose 1.-THE Re-
shaping of the Far East" proved a
valuable volume of discussion Of the
Japanese war. has further eluci-
dated the same subject in ponderous
sequel, 1.-The Truce in the East and Its
Aftermath" In it's pages many ques-
tions are dealt with, but in way that
may cause considerable pain TO those
who think that the far east problem Is
as good as settled. The author thinks
not, and he does not hesitate to put
down good reasons why this is true.
The Manchurian question. he declares,
is still acute, though In new and
subtle form; the problem of Korea is
serious. and the rise of Japan as a
military power is threatening. The
book is one for careful perusal and
thought.
The Truce in the East and It's After
math. BY B. L. Putnam Weale. New
York: The Macmillan company. Los
Angeles: c.. c. Parker.
lie Chevalier de Maison- Rouge" by
Dumas, introduces the reader to the
most moving events of the revolution,
those Of the famous year 1893. The
scene is laid largely in the Temple.
the prison Of the royal family, ana
cobbler Simon, and the sufferings OF
the young prince. The book presents
also the terrible struggle between the
Montagnards and the Girondists for
the control of the government.
LIE Chevalier de Maison-Rouge. BY
| Dumas New York: American BOOK
company.
| In the first Of Israel Zangwilrs coilec-
tion of stories, Ghetto Comedies" an
1 in finding
| a model from whose face he might paint
his own conception of Christ and the
| haunting sadness and mystery OF mis-
personality. He did not find him In
the gaudy church, but among the poor
Jewish russians "despised and re-
iected of men," "Israel was the man
of sorrows" The outcome Of the story
tells of a race which has persisted
sublimely, but has been sordldly per
yerted' 1.-THE Yiddish Hamlet" is the
story of q poet who translated Ham
| let" into modern views. The play Oh
| "Hamlet" without the ghost to meet
| the demands of modern skepticism fur
nishes a curious comedy. The Luft-
mensch' is the story of philanthroplc
! experiment. "The Bearer of the Bur-
dens'' was a humble agent in the greaI
| economic process by which caston
clothes are rejuvenated. 1t Is story
of pathetic interest. 1t tells OF tne
coming of an unwelcome child and OF
the light she brought to lonely nome
| The tales possess a warm human ap
peal. Mr.. Zangwill, with his vision OF
the profound depths of the heart' com
bines sense of humor. He looks WIFI
sunny charity on monotonous and one
sided lives.
! while these tales are called comedies
| RI, v often border on tragedy. The book
| is a notable addition to the series. MT.
Zan9will has written 1.-THE Children OF
the Ghetto" and Ghetto Tragedies,
and his books are quoted as tne
classics of the ghetto" =,
Ghetto Comedies. BY Israel langwlli.
New York: The Macmillan company
Los Angeles: c. c. Parker.
"The Long Road" about which John
| Oxenbarn writes so entertainingly, IS
the path which Russian exiles tread
| across the steppes to their banishment
in Siberia. This, then. is tale OF
Russian life. 1t opens with a boy walk
! ing wearily along this trail Oh sorrow
and woe, and the oppressive atmos-
phere is seldom banisheo, even III lhe
story's brighter parts.
THE Long Road. BY John Oxenham.
New York: The Macmillan company.
! Los Angeles: c. G. Parker.
That one's mental state-one's
thoughts IL YOU please-has direct
bearing on ones health in nearly all
cases is now admitted. But that one
| can cure illness by thought alone is still
| a moot question. Just how rar men,
talitv controls health must be settled
every man for himself. In Practical
Health" wherein L. e. Whipple sus-
tains the mental healing theory IN its
entirety, one who makes claims TO
nationality will find much Tor argu-
ment.
mund Whipple. New York: The Meta
physical Publishing company
! A valuable addition to the literature
| of notable Americans is the two-volume
| edition Of "The Life Of Letters of Ed
win Lawrence Godlxin," edited by Rollo
Ogden. Mr.. Godkin was for many years
editor of the Evening Post of New
York city, a newspaper as necessary TO
tbe denizens of Washington square,
Cramercy park, Irving place and other
like neighborhoods as is the Bible. he
was also a writer of books-a series
begun with History of Hungary
when he was only 21. Mr.. Godkin was
conservative of the conservatives
| and IN these yellow days his newspaper
is GENERALLY voted heavy and dull, but
he spoke his mind plainly in 1t, and in
Language as forcible as 1t was elegant.
This collection of his letters gives one
an admirable sidelight on many of his
opinions, his views and his positions.
life and Letters OF Edwin Lawrence
Godkin Edited by Rollo Ogden. New
York: The Macmillan company. Los
Angeles: c. c. Parker.
In 1.-THE Spirit of American Govern
ment" Prof. ]. Allen Smith of Seattle
puts forth the rather startling premise
that the American constitution was cre-
ated with the end in view OF minority
rule. Then he goes on to argue that.
this being the case-and in actual prac-