Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-16
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.
"Mystlc isles Of tho south Sens :

"Mystic isles OF tho South Seas" by
Frederick O'Brien. author Of White
Shadows of the South Seas Illus
trated from Photographic New YORK
City: The Century Co, 3b5 Fourth
avenue, Price. a5. net.
MIR. OBrien, In an Introductory note,
says: This is n simple record Of my
days and nights. my thoughts and
dreams. in the mystic isles OF the South
Seas, written without authority d
science or cxactitude Of knowledge.
These are merely the. vivid Impressions
of my life in Tahiti and Mooroa, tho
merriest, most fascinating world OF all
the cosmos: OF the songs / sang, the
dances / danced. the men and women,
white and tawny. with whom ! was joy
ous or melancholy. the adventures at
sea or on the reef. upon the sapphire
lagoon. and on the silver beaches Of
tho most beautiful of tropics. In this
volume are no discoveries unless la the
heart of the human. I went to The
islands below the equator with one
thought-to play. All that 1 have set
down here Is the profit of that spirit.
stephenson gave some enhancing
pictures of these South Sea Islands
upon which he ended. most pathetically,
a life that has left its lasting Impress
upon the world. Other writer's have
pictured their spell upon the mind and
their wondrous scenic beauties. Mr..
OBrlen. In this book. shows these mys-
tic islands az his playground. and
paints vivid pictures Of their entranc-
ing beauties. with faithful portraits OF
those with whom he 30 thoroughly en-
joyed himself in his hours Of play.
In point of time this new book prop
erly comes before the authors White
Shadows of the South Seas" which hap
pened to be published frst. for 1t Is an
account Of Mr. OBrien's life among the
people Of Tahiti. where he lived before
he went tn tho Marquesas tho scene Of
White shadows" and he actually wrote
Mystic Isles" first That was several
years ago: he recently revisited Tahiti
TO check up his material. and then wrote
the book over again.
Travelers approaching Tahiti catch
the fine faint fragrance of its millions
of flowers before they rec the green
hued land OF romance and charm. And
Tahiti--the capital island Of France 8
Pacific p0sHessionH-- is tho Hcene Of
most of Mystic Isles OF tho South Seas.
and the author makes the reader see
and feel H.
Mystic Isles Of the South seas'' Is a
hook of that happiness for which most
| humans long a simple un-warrnef ex-
! Isteuce with time 70 dream. 70 sieep. 70
think. 10 feel even timo to play. u
soft airs. waving palms. a surge of wide
| waters against a coral reef inside oi
which is peace. IN IL are gentle. won
/ derful pla yInates men and women-ths
women as frankly friendly as the men
/ and not ono nf either who dare moi
stick a rose behind the ear In il is
| tho place whore Rui" or Robert Louis
| stevenson. lived in the house Of Ori-a-
/ Ori. and the fine dignifled savage him
/ aslf with whom the beloved writer
changed namoa as q brother pledge
| The facts ~ old monuments. language
| nd legends have sympathetic Iight
/ thrown On them. and the story of the
scourge of the whites upon this happS
| life Is passionately told
Like his White Shadows" Mr
| OBricns new volume is more than I
| marvellous travel book: il also Is hu-
NOR and romance. and many Of ia
chapters have the narrative drive. th'
| lyrical phrase ard the dramatic sus
pense Of first Lass fiction IL is thick
" set with Illustrations from photo.
| graphs.
Received of the publishers