The Washington times., 1921-05-29
BY DON MARQUIS

THE OLD SOAK.
popularity. This new book is sure to
strengthen his hold upon his readers
(Barse & Hopkins).
FANNIE HURsT.s FIRST NOVEL.
Star Dust the first full-length
novel to come from the pen OF Fannie
Hurst. will add luster to name
which 1t is already impossible to
leave out of any discussion of the
vital figures in the contemporary
American literature. Here, in a
novel of 45s pages Of close type. Miss
Hurst has written a book which will
be welcomed by the most critical ad-
mirer of her short stories as heartily
as IL will be by those to whom II will
serve as introduction to her work.
Star Dust Is the story of Lilly
Becker who. as a little girl, wanted
by turns to be a great singer, a great
actress and a great author: but she
always returned to her first love
song. She thought that she was
ready to make any sacrifice to her
ambition. Later on she made them
all, but by that time her ambition
had taken another form. The only
child Of a middle-aged. middle class,
way between poverty and comfort.
Lilly was subtly different
From the FIRST she had a precocity
Of expression and Imagination which
disturbed her rigidly respectable par
ents as much as 1t puzzled them. Her
mother-fussy. hen-minded. un-under-
standing - nagged and wept and
petted and prayed by rote-she ran
through these various forms of pro-
test At her daughters difference
without any particular regard for
their fitness to the occasion. Her
father-bent. gray, and Quiet-with
tired, humorous eyes, was a better
companion. but even he had no sym
pathy with Lilly's aspirations. 1t
was not a period when careers foi
women were regarded favorably by
Trtuous business men and their wives.
A little parlor singing, now-that
always helped a girl with the young
men-but you didn't need any les
sons for that At nineteen Lilly
was ignorant, dissatisfied, and shy
wishing by day that she could be like
other girls, and dreaming by night
of triumphs in the world of which
she read,but never touched.
In thinking of "Star Dust" the old.
Ssiohe Aio'ohSu nuJCSINes CofDe 10
mind, and refuse to be displaced by
anything less wholehearted-grip-
ping. poignant. "big"-they fit the
book. II you are not sripped by the
intensity of Lilly's struggle. touched
by the poignancy of her failures-and
her success-it is not because Fannie
Hurst has failed to create a living
woman, endowed with all the capacity
for suffering. and rejoicing, that a
sensitive human being is heir to.
ABOUT BELGIUM.
Belgium. Old and New" BY Georye
Wharton Edwards. would be an orna-
ment to any library table. This vol
ume Is bound in fooled leather.
richly gilt and profusely illustrated
with color prints and engravings by
the author. IL the lavishness of the
makeup Is the first thing which comes
to mind in reviewing Belgium. Old
and New" 1t is because the size Of
the great volume rather frightens on
the casual reader. A pity. too, for
the book Is entertaining. illumi mating
and repays careful study.
Written as the result of years OF
observation and sympathetic. apprecia-
ton of the Belgian people, the volume
gives fascinating picture of that
smiling land which has been the
scene of so much of the bloodiest
fshting in history that 1t has become
known as "the cockpit OF Europe."
Taking up each of the important
cities OF Belgium in turn. the author
gives an outline of the historical
events with which that particular rec
ton of the country has been identin II
and paints graphic picture Of the
physical aspects of the town and
countryside past and present. Tho
characteristics of the Belgian people
are outlined with a sympathetic hand
and the reader is awakened to an APP
probation of the priceless treasures of
art which Belgium has given to the
world. No review of the book is co n
plete without further mention of the
charming reproductions
of the great cathedrals and beautiful
old Gothic buildings with which every
city of Belgium abounds. etc. which
add tremendously to the interest Of
the volume and which in themsel YES
would repay framing.
THREE NAMED ANNE.
THE Annes," by Marion Ames Tag
CART, represents the first full -fiedged
novel for grown ups" who demon
strates that she has quite as much
ability to please the elders as she did
the children In her previous works.
In the village of Cleavedge live
three Annes-one an aristocrauc old
lady. one young girl. and the other.
since Miss Taggart is
writing. a delicious child. 1t is the
second Anne about whom the story
revolves, for the blind poet whose
secretary she Ia, is in love with her.
as Is the nephew OF the oldest Anne,
the youngest Anne. the reader and
nearly everyone else. who comes in
contact with her. But there are two
exceptions-and these exceptions