Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-06-04
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Basil King Is perhaps the most
modest novelist In the world, though
but little shrinking would go q
long way toward making anyone eligi-
bic among the few candidates for that
distinction. lie has not only declined
TO write interviews with himself,
claim a distant relationship with some
prominent parsonage purioin anec-
dotes and tell them In the first person
but--mirabile dictu--he has been
known 10 refuse newspapers and
magazines q photograph Of himself. It
Is indeed violation OF tradition not
10 have q striking picture In an un-
characteristic pose taken when q new
buOk Is published Long ago, when
the books BY the author OF The In
ner shrine were published, these
novels were recognized as not with
out the points associated with the pa
tient craftsman and the sincerity Of
one with strong religious feeling
Were the author an Englishman In
stead Of Canadian, and were his
books imported TO the beating of TOM
toms. he might, as many who are not
Ills equals have done, become a fad.
We're he more blatantly religious, In
stead Of deeply and dignifiedly so, and
could his publishers boast that $3.50.
200 was spent for advertising purposes
IN ten months, and were his photo
graph, together with that OF his fami-
", distributed TO all who ordered
copy Of his latest book. Basil King
might have a larger following than
now belongs TO him
His lntest book, "'The Side of the
Angels, Is easily among his best. The
story, stripped of word texture and
adjournment, has the novelty of View
point aud complication which iusti
fies the telling OF It, In other words.
he has a story 10 tell, which, though
II IL q variation Of a shopworn thome,
Is complicated without being tangled,
and not without certain sensational
aspects, but without sensational treat |
mcDt.
Thor Masterman returns to his ma
tive New England village, where his
family has lived for generations. with
medical degrees from distinguished !
universities Of Europe, ana is on the
verge OF coming into a substantial iu- |
hcfitance left by his grandfather "A
honeficence upon which his half
brother, claude, looks with unmallic- |
cious jealousy, obviously, Thor is the |
character upon which Mr.. Kings af |
fiction has conferred and Thor Is |
shown AS attractively manly and hon |
est. But artlstically. he has accom- I
pllshod something more difficult IN
presentation of Claude. Claude is not |
q weakling -he simply lacks strength, /.
lie is not selfish he ismply is wholly |
incapable of understanding the gen |
crosby of his brother. Among the !
families old as the Mastormans is tho
Fays. 10 whom Kosie belongs, but the |
tNys were not shrewd enough to hold {
on to their property and So dropped I
into the oliver social caste Saving I
that both mon love her is not 10 con- I
vey adequately that this Is no COM |
monpiace situation; nor Ia the tense
ness of the complication expressed by /
disclosing that Thor marries Lois VIII
loughhy despite recent reverses OF her
father She Is an admirable woman
aud admirably drawn, and Is not With.
out an inkiing which becomes some-
thing more Of Thor's regard for Rosie
How the theme Is worked out 20 an
finish IS the secret Of the
author, revealed by the reading OF 1t
other New Rocks: Twin Sisters"
Justus Miles Founan; "Hehoid The
woman Hare 7'Sevonteen Booth
Nan of Music Noun
tain Spearman