Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-03
IRWIN COBB CUT
UP FOR AMUSEMENT
OF CHRISTMAS FOLKS
He Tells All About 1t in
His Little Book Speak
ing Of Operations"
OTHER GIFT BOOKS
Including Picture Books and Liter
airy Essays and Criticism

There are gift books and gift books.
but II irwin Cobb's dedication OF Speak
ing of Operations" is any sign. this new
little volume from George II. Doran,
New York. ought to appeal to n varied
line of buyers Cobb respectfully in
who have already been operated on and
those who have not yet been operated
on"
speaking of Operations" should be
very good fun at Christmas or at any
other time. II skips the Eruesome side
OF Mr.. Cobbs recent adventures in doc
torland and stays on more amusing ana
wholesome subjects, such as his first full
meal: 1T was the white of an egg. For
dessert l licked a stamp. On the
occasion of the next feast the diet was
varied. 1 had sip Of one of those fer
mented milk products. You probably
know the sort of thing I mean. Even
before you've swallowed it, 1t tastes as
though 1t had already disagreed with
you"
The only possible hitch about giving
speaking Of Operations" TO friend
is that he has probably read 1t in the
Saturday Evening Post.
Not everybody wants picture books or
humor or calendars for Christmas.
There is a real field for little volumes
OF literary criticism. This year II is very
comfortably filled by the writer's OF the
Day Series from Henry Holt Company,
New York. IL contains five quite un-
usual little books of literary interpreta-
ton. The unusualness is based on the
fact that each author dealt with is con-
sldered by one of his rising young literary
rivals. Thus there Is a racy little book
by W. l.. George on Anatolo France,
which Is more interesting for Its spirited
writing perhaps than for its matter. j. u.
nrH nd
readable account OF H. G.. Wells. F. J.
Harvey parton has easily the best Of the
series in his book on Arnold Bennett. II is
both literary and social criticism. The
newest volume deals with Rudyard Kip
ling In 1t John Palmer, the most bril-
liant of the younger dramatic critics,
makes very good case for the Kipling
imaginative writing, but fails somehow
to prove his point that the same gentle
man is no jingoistc tory.
Dodd Mead & Co. New York. have just
imported three excellent volumes Of criti-
cal appreciation, which from their largo
and handsome formal are particularly
suited for Christmas gifts. +. =. Howe, a
discerning English critic. contributes
thorough study of Bernard shaw W. b.
Yeats is handled sympathetically by For
rest Reid, author of THE Gentle Lover"
Una Taylor sums up a much summcd-up
man, Maurice Maeterlinck, and succeeds
in being very readable, in spite of a score
of predecessors.
George II. Doran Company. New York,
has issued during the last few months a
very interesting little series called The
Art and Craft of Letters" Some of the
volumes have been reviewed at more
length in the columns of the EVENING |
LEDGER, but the series of eight little
books is worth recapitulation. In Com
edy." John Palmer goes deeply and sug-
gestively into the field opened up by
George Meredith and Henri Bergson. Gill
bert Cannan's Satire" treats n kindred
subject while Christopher Stone has many
amusing things to say concerning Par |
ody." p. p. Howe writes on Criticism;
Frank Sidgwick. on The Ballad; r. II. |
Breton, on History; Lasceles Aber- |
crombie, on THE Epic" and Orlo Will |
Jams, on THE Essay"