Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-31
New Books Y
go In ReWeM!za

Novel with Mysterious Title.
The publishers of 1.-The Catfish an
nounce that this book has been rec
commended by one of their pro1es-
sional readers as picture OF lie so
remarkable that it places the author
in. the first rank among realistic nov
elists. Naturally distrustful of SUI
perlatives, the firm prefers particu-
lar request for the unbiased judgment
of the reviewer. The request Is
couched in language that stamps IL
as genuine. Moreover, the book itseiI
is proof of the keen instinct OF the
aforementioned reader and explains
the uuandary with which the publish
ers confess they are faced. THE Cat
fish" is, indeed, a frank, vivid por-
trayal of the character of man porn
with a complex nature, with the soul
of an idealist, endowed with the dell
cacy of some among women ana YET
through his very idealism, awake to
the romance and inspiration of facts.
AS one reads the book a spirit OF sad
ness rises in the heart. It's dissection
of the mysterious dawning of highly
constituted nature in youth, its can
did presentment of the dangers that
surround such a being, are sure to
recall to the mind of many an mag
NATIVE man his own struggle as ne
energies into adolescence. Love, pas
sion, hate and jealousy, the allure
ment of women, the fall, repentance,
recovery; and, finally, the triumph OF
the manly elements of such nature
are each, in their turn, painted, and
their effect described with analytical
power of singular intensity In the
character of George Tracy there are
vivid reminders of the strange mex
plicable mental conflicts of Rousseau,
but without a trace of his depravity.
In 1.-THE Confessions" of that won
derful man there are passages that.
might easily and appositely be put
into the mouth of George Tracy.
And, when his hero yields to the pas
sionate, voluptuous call of the woman
who tempts him, it is Inevitable that
the reader should imagine that the
author had fallen back upon Nine de
Warens for model for Mrs. Lorimer,
or to a character in lie Roman du
Cure" In this character of Mrs.
Lorimer and in that of Mary Fest
ing, the author proves how closely
he has studied human nature. The
first is the type of woman whose SEN
suousness is dominant and whose
power over man is irresistible, but
only for the moment; the other is the
spiritually attractive creature. whose
influence, once felt, can never be
shaken. But such women are rare,
indeed and Mary Testing is
beautiful example. Not less subtle is
the authors analysis of parental love,
especially of that passion of the
mother for her son, of her silent but
not the less powerful appeal for the
confidence of the youth and man who
| had lain once as a babe upon her
breast It is quite unnecessary to say
| that the book is not fit or meant for
the girl or the youth, whose know
ledge of life is fragmentary, but
whose curiosity is devouring. To the
gross nature, also, there would be
! but one passage over which a mo-
ment would be spent; to the being of
refinement and psychological depth
| the book would serve both as a foun-
tain of pleasure and as an Indictment
to tears. Lastly, to the discerning
reader I will leave the solution of
the riddle of the title with such aid as
may be obtained from the quotation
on the title page, namely:
| For the Catfish Is the Demon of
the Deep. and Keeps Things Lively"
THE CATFISH" BY Charles Mar
riott, author of THE Lapse of Vivien
| Eady" etc. etc The Bobbs- Mers1e
| Company, Indianapolis, Ind.
/ View of Japan and Her People.
Many years ago there appeared a
book by an American writer called
Japan as 1t Was and Is" 1t is
| forgotten, as is its author. Yet this
book first gave the people of the Uni
| ted States an idea of the renaissance
of Japan and of the character of the
| Japanese. To those who have seen
this book or have watched the de-
velopment of the nation In peace
and war; 1t will be interesting to