The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-26
Some Books fora Rainy Day and Nice Long Influenza
 While Some Few Are Really Worth While and of Value

thing or two) but book for men in world of men no padding, under stand; no bunk just a human docu- ment, reminiscent of Balzac and 1.o1a -and other disciples of realisin-viit- ten by secretary of society who. in this offering, thinks clearly and sees straight
 Then along came slangy. clever, nice Miss Edna Ferber's new voh me of Short Stories" entitled Cheerful By Request" which story, by the way, is not by any manner of means the best in the collection; The Tough Guy The Woman Who Tried to be Good, The Booker Up-the- Back" !" Sophie as She Nigh Have Been" and Shore Leave" are classics.
 adore Julia of the Lady's maid staff at the hotel in The Hooker-up-the- Back" and her wise philosophy; witt ness her observations of the lady in Number Two-Eighteen" at the hotel, who goes swinging out into the hallway bedecked in cerise satin and feathers. Julia observes her and makes one of the most characteristic remarks of her ladys maid career:
 Life, says the quintesscent Julia, Ito that woman is just one darned pair Of long white gloves after another. Look at her. Why is it that kind of face is always wearing sables and diamonds? sables and diamonds, indeed though, seem small enough reward for carry ing around mug like that!
 And then l read a bright little war story, Green and Cav" by somebody named Lee Holt; also The Magnificent Ambersons, Booth Tarl1ingtons latest novel; our own Mary Johnstons 'sFoes, a vivid tale of the Scottish moors and rebellion, told in her happiest style.
 l read the The Book of Ruth Tine Book of Esther" and 'The Proverbs, dwelling especially upon the thirty first and last chapter of the last named, re- calling one of the most beautiful sermons 1 have ever heard preached which had that chapter as it's texts-the praise and properties of a good woman, and then I've read the ninety-first Psalm every day-through friend of mine who has friend who is a Christian Scientist who tolG her of it's especial significance dur. ing famine and pestilence; and partic- ularly of it's bearing upon Christian Science--the founde ton rock of this re- ligious movement.
 And now comes a little volume of tre- mendous interest,"" Secretary Baker at the Isront'-a vivid, stirring narrative Of the secretary's visit lover There" writ- ten by his secretary Ralph A. Hayes; and then with all this polyglot, incon- sruous, lot of reading I injected bit of Marcus AureIius'-- than whom none
 is more desirable for sanity and gen. nne hard old common or garden var riety of sense; whenever l get to fly ing too high in literary circles l drop back to Friend Marcus" and 1 find myself suddenly "jerked up as it were, and made to see things in very prac- tical way.
 "The White Flame of France" is a charming book by Maude Bedford War ren, giving this clever womans experi- ehces during the early stages of the war and written in a most pleasing, exhii- arating style. Ameie Rives-the Princess Troubetzkey-to whom we always look for something sensational, from the time her first book, "The Quick or the Dead" was published and which shocked the ever fastdious to a degree-until the present day-presents The Ghost Gar den" in a very tame and un-Amelie Rives-like manner while volume of Alice Hogan Rice's Short Stories,' which she calls Miss MinlS's Soldier and Other Stories" is diverting enough for either saint or sinner.