Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-02

pany.
1HIS impressive and beautifully
illustrated volume is offered to
| the public by the Marine News
! for the purpose Of producing
an available and authentic account
of an important and promising ma
tional enterprise. Primarily, the work
concerns itself with the phenomenal
activity that the great war set up In
shipping interests. This activity is
described in good detail. Much of 1t
centered in the personal initiative and
| efficiency Of certain citizens These
/ prominent and active promoters OF
shipping interests are presented mere
in short Geographic sketches TO en-
| phasize the part taken by them ana
to recognize their service. The DOCK
goes back to sketch the early mer-
/ chant marine of the United states.
! This sketch sums the causes of Its
prosperity and usefulness; sums, also,
| the causes of it's decline to the zero
| mark The main purpose or the pup
! LEGATION is, however, to encourage
and stimulate the current interest IN
! reviving a national industry out OF
| the splendid beginnings that the war
produced in this country.
THE HISTORY OF THE A. HI' r. DJ
Shipley Thomas. Illustrated. New
York: George H. Doran Company.
This story of the A. e. F., from
Pershings arrival in France to the
armistice. will. one judges, make its
first appeal to the American soldler
serving overseas. By way or lts clear
precision and completeness the Tor .
eign service man is able TO connect
hi, own unit, and himself, up with the
entire body Of the American Army IN
France. Every battle in which the
American soldier fought is made
matter of record here. distinctive
and most helpful feature OF this part
of the history is the abundance OF
maps that define positions and move
ments in an impressively ob1ective
manner. The general reader and the
historian himself will also find SUD :
stantial value in this well-ordered
and exceptionally clear account OF the
thirty combat divisions ana the Lhlr
teen depot and replacement DIVISIONS
of the A. E. F. Capt. Thomas appears
to have had unusual opportunities Tor
the pursuit of this work-access 70
official information. wide circuit OF
personal activity and Observation, the
support Of substantial assis' Tha lit J
many dependable sources. inc VIII
ing itself is lean and strong. book
to win its own way without artincaai
support Of any sort.
LETTERS TO A NIECE; And Prayer
to the Virgin of Charities. BY
Henry Adams. Boston: Houghton.
Mifflin Company.
This book of Adams letters opens
with a chapter of memories by Henry
Adams. niece, to wnom me a, ,eatvr .
the letters is the Prayer" to the Vlr-
gin of Chartres. 1t is, however. the
letters themselves that give the DOCK
its chief attraction, since these pro
vide one more glimpse into the life
and attitude of one of the strangest
and most fascinating personalities IN
American life. These letters are writ
ten from the islands Of the PacinS1
from Honolulu, Samoa, Papeete, FIJI,
and. later from different places IN
Europe and. finally. from the H street
house in Washington. A spread out
field of observation. this and. in spots
relatively fresh field. 10 IL Mr
Adams applies his sophisticated ana
somewhat world-weary mind He is an
spontaneous lover of the life there or
anywhere. The flavor of these letters
is the flavor of his Education which
distils through his recurring phrase:
still, nothing matters much. De
sDite this settled indifference of out
look there is not so arresting writer
nor a more exciting one than TINS
man of no illusions. yet of so complete
an intellectual achievement.
IN THE DAYS OF THE COMET. By
n. G. Wells, author of "Tono-
Bungay," etc New York: George
II. Doran Company.
This is one of Mr.. Wells earlier
novels In 1t he has not yet reached
the place where all reformers sooner
or later find themselves-a pace VI
makeshift and compromise. Of secur-
ing his bit of good here and there
and over yonder as reluctant oppor-
tunity permits. Rather. is he in the
place and at the stage where ne
would make the world over In
minute And this is exactly what ne
does. A comet of ominous portent
appears in the heavens. This va
grant OF the skies Mr.. Wells nurses
along to use as searchfight Tor the
exposure Of the worlds wickedness-
a wickedness that bears the features
Of the present social conditions. when
the comet is ripe. SO to speak. its
fruitage is a food of green gas that
envelopes the world. In this blanket
of green vapors the peoples OF the
earth are purged Of their most bale
full besetments. Then the new day
dawns-a day in which the righteous
ness Of God and the God-likeness OF
nan take possession of all creation
A fanciful invention that projects
new golden age, the rediscovery of
lusts and enrnities of mankind.
THE LIGHT HEART. BY Maurice
Hewlett. author Of "Gudrid the
Fair" etc. New York: Henry Holt
& Co.
Hewlett rcscues Thormod of tho high
heart, Of the light heart, and sets him
before one, fair and strong, a max ed
figure of strength and simplicity. The
story here. so straight and clean in
line and definition. is the story of a
the story of David and Jonathan. Of
Damon and Pythias, of Amis and
Amile. There is a line of love event
between Thormod and a woman, this
Of his love Is not of that sort. AS the
,uthor says, "Thormod was no hand
with women. They were his pastime.
He gave his fancy to them for a while,
character Of Thormod is the heart of
the tale. and sworn brotherhood is
It's content. The story moves along in
l. striding advance of action, taking
INTO no account at all matters Of set
ting and atmosphere. Such tale Of
might, in those long-gone days. have
been passed by word of mouth from
generation to generation. with the
deed itself paramount. with the char
acter OF the nero uppeTmOSI, anu Win
no intent to adorn sheer strength
with futile trappings. This is the
spirit of Mr.. Hewletts revival of an
,ther Icelandic strong man. in the
'erson of Thormod of the light heart.
THE PRODIGAL VILLAGE. BY. Irving
Bachelor. author Of "A Man for
the Ages" etc. Indianapolis: The
Bobbs- Merrill Company.
This is the story Of a whole village
that furpad prodioaI fhro,,Oh o,,rs,Ift of