The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-04
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 REALW OF BOOKS


A INA KATHARINE GREEN. the A author of popular detective stories, 1 has this to say about the detective of fiction: "I question if the average reader has ever noted the difficulties at tending the handling of a detective in a natural way-that is. the detective as he is forced to be and to work The natural detective either by profession or by force Of circumstances can only work lip to hls capacity, with the facts as known and developed before him. This applies espe- cially to the detective of a police force who can proceed only on constituted lines The supernatural detective of fc- tion is an impossible creature with self imposed faculties supernaturally devel- opcd for supernatural purposes. The earth and it's people are his toy, and of course he makes merry with them for our own diversion and we are diverted
 As for Ter own detectives Mrs Green believes in making them subject To or dnary human limitations. In "The May ors Wife her latest story, for example the detective is a young woman, who ac- tually makes very feminine mistakes and goes off ou wrong scents But this does not make her career any the less di- verting, while the story gains apprecia- bly, in reality.
 E. Phillips Oppenheim, the popular and QIOtllE IukHeu duAiitif 0llV llsia IAfN sailed for home after q brief visit to this country, was asked how he was able to devise such good plots.
 "I have made it q hobby for many years to frequent the cafes in all the cities which l visit on my travels, he replied. 'I make the acquaintance of the maitre d'hotel whenever possible, and in my conversation with him, and by studying the types represented among the patrons good idea for story inevl- tably suggests itself The rest is eompar- atvely easy. l write scarcely line, but dictate the whole SQ900 or 940OO words 10 my secretary in rather long lnSfllmehts. Then, of course, comes the reVlslon ana later the reading and correcting of proofs By refraining from writing short storles and by condning myself to the writing of complete novels, l have no difficulty Tn producing two books each year.
 MT. Oppenheim like his father and grandfather is a native of England having been born in London forty years ago. He is typical Englishman m ap- pearanoe, speech and action.
 Among the English tributes to Profess sor Walter Raleigh's biography oi "Shakespeare" and the book has been received with remarkable enthusiasm none is happier than that of the veteran Professor Dowden, himself one of the most distinguished living Shakespearian critics Writing in the Nation, Professor Dowden says: When an illustrious namesake of Professor Walter Ralelsh returned from his voyage of l595 in search of the golden Manoa, --e brought With him certain humps of white spar, on the outside of which appeared some smah grains of gold One explorer Of the auriferous region, whose book Of Voyas- ing appears appropriately on shakes- peare's birthday, is more fortunate; ne has reached Manoa. and brought Dack gold with out the quartz. The lmlls oI a volume ini the English Men Of Lett lers Series have perhaps helped to exclude the cargo of heavy learning and labored ny pothesis which is the pride of some mef- chant adventures. Professor Raleigh has felt over again, with pene- trative imagination and fine ntelllgence' the beauty and the greatness of Snake speare's poetry; he has placed these In their proper environment, and by virtue of q rare charm of style. enabled us to see with his eyes a most harmonious vision
 The American citizen of century hence. who should happen upon copy of "The Comedy of I.ife' would find il pictofially and otherwise very vivid