The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07
THE SOutherner"

"Tfe Southerner"
Being the autobiography of Nicholas Worth.
published By Doubleday, Page Co., New
This book. supposed to be the auto
biography of one Nicholas Worth, has
many interesting points. 1t is south
ern tale and is an attempt on the part
of the author to give an unbiased state
ment of the position and conditions
prevailing in the south. Nicholas
Worth. belongs to a prosperous family
living in the south. His father Is
union man, so does not go to war, but
Is forced to run his cloth mills for the
use of the confederate government Just
iIfter the war, while Nicholas is still a
Mttle child, his father IS killed by bur-
glars, and his mother takes upon her.
self the management of the mills. The
school days of the hero are rather tire
some to read; no detail is omitted and
he is very long winded. In the mill
tary school he is forced to fight for
his fathers name, for by the loyal
southerners he is considered traitor.
In the Methodist college, where he goes
later, he has many religious doubts.
which do not make interesting reading.
Then his grandfather, who is fine
old chap, broad minded and wise with
years. advises sending Nicholas to
Harvard. When he returns from Har-
ward he is still an ardent. patriotic
southerner. but his education and ex-
perience make him more critical Of con-
ditions than ever before and he decides
to devote his life to the work or re-
construction of his country.
The book tells this story, and every
problem of the south Is handled The
negro alone does not demand all the
attention. The southern people are full
49,
faults, but they make for weakness in
a nation. All of these characteristics
come in for criticism; the Dragging
colonel, always ready to make speech
full of rounded periods and nothing
else; the professional soldier, always
trading on his lost position; the race
problem orator, one of the most dan
gerous people at large. and the chival-
rous gentlemen, who treat women as IL
they were wax images and could never
have any intellect.
There is little story; the hero falls
in love and marries woman who is
thoroughly in sympathy with him and
his work, and his son-25 years later
decides to devote his life to the i'm
provement of his country, too. The
book is plainly manufactured auto
biography. 1t is easy to see where the
real events of his life have been dressed
up for purposes of fiction and where
certain incidents have been inserted to
point a moral. The book is poorly
constructed and does not hold the
reader. The story gets entirely away
from the author while he dreams and
moralizes.
The most serious criticism aside from
a purely literary one is the authors
absolute lack of a sense of humor.
Many a difficult situation has been
saved by the sense of humor, but this
author does not even know what it
means. He has ideas and makes some
keen observations on the south and its
conditions, ideas which. If embodied in
a set of serious articles, would be well
received; but put in the form of fiction
bore the reader to extinction.
>-~~--~~~~~~~
This is a rousing story of life in
military school and the five chums are
fine boys. All sides of school life.
from the strict military discipline to
athletics. are pictured by one who
about. The book is illustrated and we'll
printed and bound. Lothrop, Lee &
Shepard company. Boston S1.25.)
Mother fuckers Seven is the
title of book by Angelina w. Wray.
and more humanity appealing tale
one will hpnt hard to find. Here is a
gyman, who lost his life in an act of
heroisra, and seven children of vary
ing ages, all trying to get all they can
out of life in an economical way. 1t
is pretty close sailing at times but
the love of each other takes them all
through the trying times and helps
them TO overcome all obstacles Mother
Tucker and her seven deserve every
bit of good fortune which finally comes
to them. (Lothrop. Lee & Shepard COM
pany. Boston. sl.25)
The Boy With the IT, s. Survey" by
Francis Rolt- Wheeler, is the first vol
ume of u. S. Service Series" writ
ten along new lines. This book gives
United States geological survey, graph
ically woven into stirring narrative
that both pleases and interests. The
books are submitted to the chiefs OF va
rious bureaus in Washington TO insure
accuracy. and it is easy TO see that
boys will learn unconsciousIy much
that would never come under their
notice otherwise The illustrations
from photographs are of unusual ex-
cellence. tLothrop. Lee & Shepard
company Boston s1.50-)
The Lakeport series is now four in
number. for Edward Stratemeyer.
the autnor, ouers the Football Boys
of Lakeport." The heroes OF the base
bali field organized football eleven
and there were some very exciting
games for the Lake penIant. There
are other things besides football in the
story and some jolly times on the
water and on the island are graphically
depicted. Several new characters are
introduced. but none any finer than
those we have met at the Gun clutk"
Boat club and in the baseball
team 4Lothrop Lee & SheDard Conn