The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
"rHE BOOK OF EVELYN.

THE BOOK OF EVELYN
By Geraldine Bonner. Illustrated by
Arthur William Brown. The Bobbs.
Merrill company. publishers, Indiana
polls.
Geraldine Bonner has always seemed
to have a sympathy. unusual in a wom-
an, for the demi-monde. Her heroine in
that very entertaining story, ''Rich Men 8
Children was a woman of this walk of
life.
Evelyn" Lizzie Harris, or Liza Bona
ventura as she chooses to call her
self for her career in grand opera. is
not precisely that type of woman, but
in general ways she belongs to the same
order. She is. however. lovable and in
most ways admirable. In her Miss Bon
ner has created a remarkably strong
character, and though she is not the
heroine of the story-for the heroine is
the narrrator--she is the moving spirit.
Her one step aside has been due en-
tirely to a great love, fused with an
artists passion for the development OF
her talent, a combination of forces too
strong for her to withstand.
OF the way in which the story Is told
by the little brown-haired widow of
33-Evefyn Drake-who, with her lin
tied income and aristocratic connec-
tions, feels herself ground between the
upper and the neither millstones of New
York life, too much praise cannot be
given. The autobiographical manner
that tells so much and telsl 1t without
the padding that one has grown TO look
for; the many clever feminine touches
that show the places and tho people,
the occasional fugitive humor and that
compelling. absorbing characterization
Of Bonaventura. render the work not
only distinctive, but beyond ordinary y
criticism. Miss Bonner has the knack
pf rnaLinU tho 0rdinarv thin O n
take on the livest interest. And in this
story her ability in this line is marked
The character fascinate the roader by
the new and changing combinations
they present. Her locale---New York
is alive with the stir OF life. The en-
vironment is magnetic. The whole story
possesses a wonderful appeal
And the problem! 1t is one that Is
bound to interest any one who UNDER
stands the complexities of modern life
Evelyn, coming to live in a boarding
house In the upper Seventies in Goth
am, after years Of UNHAPPY marriage
and ofreign exile, makes the acquaint-
ance of Bonaventura, the singer. who
later becomes famous as an operatic
star. She comes to love the singer She
learns the secret Of her life-the story
that Bonaventura, imposing, beautiful,
vibrant Bonaventura. has come into the
life Of the man whom Evelyn herself
loves and whom she had expected to
bring to her the pleasure and tho af-
fection which she had so missed during
her first matrimonial experience
Vested with the secret that would turn
the man from Bonaventura and cause
him to cast her away forever Evelyn
sees way TO insure her own victory in
this battle of hearts. But her gentle,
high-brel, honorable nature revolts. Does
she tell? Has a woman a keener, finer
n IN q
The truthfulness, the subtlety, tho ex-
actness of the psychology is beyond
question. The narrative, told In the first
person, preserves all the flavor that such
a woman as Evelyn would impart
Te Book Of Evelyn is a fine, closely
woven piece Of fiction, With no dropped
stitches. no Earring colors, and of the
finest literary fabric.
AUNT OLIVIA IN BOHEMIA"
By Leslie Moore; George H. Doarn Com
pany, publishers. New York.
Aunt Olive IN Bohemia by Iesio
Moore, sounds the joyous note of youth
and gladness, in relating the part which
dear old lady played as fairy god
mother" to six young artists. The story
bubbles over with love and laughter
It 10 the fascinating and romantic story
Of the affairs and love affairs OF the
members of an artist colony into which
strayed Aunt Olive, the eccentric old
lady who becomes the giver Of '-rhe
Wonderful Chance" and the arbitsr of
destinies. The story is flled with tho
most attractive and lovable bohemians
THE EUGENIC MOTHER AND BABY"
BY w. Grant Hague. NJ. D. The Hague
Publishing company, publishers, S53
Fifth avenue. New York
THE Eugenic Mother and Baby" by W.
Grant Hague, M. D.--A popular but au-
thoritative text book on eugenics and
sex-hygiene and complete household
medical guide brought up to date is based
on the cusenfc standard and designed to
enable parents intelligsntly to cooperate
with their family physician. As indis-
penseble to the conscientious and ambi-