New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-08
Three War Novels
Delightful in Spite of Their
Tragic Theme
TIE SMITHS ~ WAR TINE Be- kess Howard
INN M .n- The John Lane lolply.


EMILY DOES HEB REsT p Mrs HorA'e IreH'-
.ett l2mo. -. 3oS Tie John Lane Company
TIE MKT or KIN RS Nellie i Mct.u1s lime,
pp ass. The Houghtnn Minin Company.
Verify, these arc DAYS Of paradoXeA
One could hardly believe that there
could be written book dealing with
the war to which the term delightful
might be appropriately applied, and yet
here are three Of them
Keble Towards story has something
Of the same charm which characterii1les
the opening chapters OF Mr.. BrltllhS
Sees Ii Through" before Mr.. Wells grew
ponderous with religious problems.
Both reflect in 8 charming fashion ing
lish country life, but Keble Howard
STYLE is quite different from that Oh
Wells. II is much lighter and more
whimsical. The Smiths especially
Ralph, are so typically BRUSH that u
seems almost incredible that an Eng
ishman could have seen the amusing
foibles Of his own stoid middle claS5
with such a discerning eye, ana shouiu
have dared TO depict them. But IL Is
sincerely TO be hoped that TINS Chal-
acterization will not preJudlGe you
against Ralph Smith. a more delght-
seldom trod the pages Of fiction. lou
can't Iaucb At him. except in the pleas
ant indulgent fashion IN which you
sn,ile st the foibles Of those you love;
You do chuckle a bit with his wife ana
his children, and even his old Iamliy
servants. who manage him so cleVeriy
without his suspecting IT. mere IS
something lovable about the sturdy hg-
ure which stands publicly for stern IN
compromising justice, and prlVately nc
ouiesces in and administers true char
ity and brotherly love. Ralph Is lht
best type of Englishman, like the incest
Englishman you have ever known; ana
VIC owe a debt Of gratitude TO Mr. How
ard for having added him TO tne por,
traits of fiction. The story IS DIVIDED
into series of incidents. We presume
hey we're first published seriaily. mere
is pathos, too, in them, and bit OF
drama. ,.,.-
Perhaps there is no more abiding
curiosity in the American mind thah
the desire TO know how the nations
(which really are in it, are taxing inc
var. how those which have been IN .
volved so much longer than we nave
are meeting and standing up under tns
strain. We get an idea OF TINS, as IL
affects England, in the book JUST re-
viewed, and from Emily Does her
Best" glimpse Of conditions IN the
distant colonies. We have an honest
picture of the true English directness
the spirit which has striven word,
lessly, doggedly, in the trenches ana
has accomplished things while other
nations were talking in JACK trevor
Ward, when he rushes OIL from
future with the woman he loves, de-
claring, AT last I'm going to take
hand. go. ] don't want 10 do single
thing except go straight home ana put
In wherever / can" But although one
must admit that Jacks wife comes III
for considerable interest, the story 10
really that of Emily Trevor-Hlli, VINO
is quite as engagingly British as tne
Ralph Smiths" The amusing way III
which Emily's downrightness ana
singleness of purpose involve her III
complications, to say nothing OF a Ger
man plot, must be read 10 DC apple-
ciated.
In "The Next of Kin" we have a wei
written and appealing picture OF war
conditions in Canada, which must DC
of particular moment to Americans
since il is more than likely they soon
will be duplicated in our own country.
The book is a series of sketches' "hi5h
are written with insight, and yet WIN
that restraint which Is high form o.
drama. The bravery Of the Canaoian
lads who are ready and eager 10 lay
down their lives for their mother couh-
trv. and the courage and selt-sacrlhce
If the women, who, with fearless eyes,
hut with a sob in their throatS' oiu
farewell to the sons and husbands
whom they may never see AGAIN
enthusiastically recorded. ms Is
hook which has a message TOT men;
hut il will have an Irresistible appeal
TO women women VINO, haIihB "oi
for all the sorrow II brings 70 women
are vet with a smile sendlng lortn
their sons to battle for world lloerty'
women who are bidding a cheerful goa,
speed TO the men whom they ioVe' anu lS
to solace themselves are turning WIZ
untiring energy, qulckened minus any
busv fingers TO the war work when
bslns them over the agonizing walt
for the mail, with its message OF tenn
norarv relief from anxiety or of over
con read this book without an upllft,
a renewed desire to help; no hun,an
being can read il without having ms
deepest sympathies stirred; and II Is
simple, unpretentious little DOOR, al'eT
all. s,
When one has been overfed on a
d;o. If German atrocities, terrible
slaughter and unbelievable suffering
oo natter how true-such books as
these. with their human touch their
anneaI N the best in one, their traces
81 bnmor. their stanch courage and
yaraity come 10 the ordinary reader
W. N'N'' LnnIirr, halr