New-York tribune., 1914-11-28
BOOKS IN PRAISE OF
THE GOLDEN STATE
California: Her Natural Beauties Romance History,
Achievements and Opportunities Celebrated by
Her Enthusiastic Children

others near, least o. all the ten millions
whom Mr.. James calls 20 happiness,
prosperity and success. Mrs. Austin,
too, wanders from the coast 10 the red
woods and the mountains, but she
leaves US in the sage-brush country
with the reflection that "a man may not
find wealth there, nor too much OF
food even, but he often finds himself,
which is much more important" One
is likely 10 find himself for a space in
Mrs. Austin's company in the country
of her birth and her worshipping allie
glance. California has many moods, and
this is the highest one of them all, and
the most enduring. No more sensitive
Interpretation Of it could be written. IL
takes possession of It's reader
Mr.. Sutton Palmer's colOred Illus
trations, thirty-two in number, have
been excellently reproduced Some Of
them harmonic remarkably well with
the mood of the textile fr0ntispiece
picture Of the Three Brothers in the
Yosemite Valley, for instance; the
brooding mountains over Bernardino,
with the gay riot of flowers in the fore
ground; the russets and reds Of syca-
mores in a coast range canyon, the
patina of time on the missions, the col
oring of some old Spanish garden. The
publishers have done their best for this
wooing book.
Mrs. Atherton is undoubtedly the
most widely known Californian OF our
day. II her success has been won
chiefly in the East and in Europe, she
remains enthusiastically faithful 10 her
native state, from which. indeed, she
has drawn the material for some OF her
best books. She has always been more
or less the historian Of California in
her fiction, with a decided preference
for the romantic days Before the
Gringo Came" the days Of the Span
/ iard's Splendid Idle Forties" but she
now gives US an intimate" history OF
California, which, while historically
correct, has the readable quality OF
her novels, and their picturesqueness
Taking a hint from Diedrich Knick-
erbocker, she begins, If not with the
creation of the world, at least with the
paleozoic era, some 30,000000 years
ago, but rapidly progresses TO her real
point of departure, the foundation OF
the missions by that great historical
figure, Padre Junipero Sera. There
after one reads on with unhagging in
terest Mrs. Atherton remembers that
she is a feminist long enough 70 cele-
brate an early case OF woman's revolt
in the wife of one OF the Spanish Gov
ernors. Sonora FACES, who "has the
honor 10 be the first woman named IN
the history Of California" though
probably hers was only case Of
nerves and idleness' Then the rarra-
tive enters upon its full swing with the
Bear Flag revolution The chapters
dealing with the gold rush and the san
Francisco OF its day prove how mex
hsustble Is the interest OF that period.
Thence we are carried all the way,
through much politics, 70 the undong
Of Ruef.
In an appendix we have list Of men
and women identified with Cal fornia's
artistic life-poets, novelists, painters,
actors and actresses, prime donne-
| Sibyl Sanderson, Emma Nevada and
/ Naudo Fly -dancers-lsadora Duncan
/ and Maude Alen-one architect, and
several newspaper writers. : nee
conclu les Mrs A,herton, california
embarked upon her daedal sea she has
turned out artists lusng the word
genericallv) al such a rate that u Is
simpler 20 write a history than 10 keep
track Of any but those that have won
a national reputation"
4 most satisfactory general history,
sufficient for the information OF all
but native Californians, whom, the au-
thor homes, IL will lead TO study the
details whose outline alone she gives
There are numerous illustrations,
among them some reproductions Of in
teresting cd prints.