The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-23

have been accepted as authoritative.
 The Queen of Sheba" by Phin- meas A. Crutch co. P. Futnam's Sons, publishers. New York city) is quiro different from anything one could imagine this book to be.
 It possesses the interest of au- thentic history, the lure of romance, the charm of masterful style. And yet the delighted reader soon enough realizes that 1t Is neither history, romance, nor literary biography, but instead subtle satire.
 It Is the story, of course, of Balkis, Queen of Sheba. It Is written by one blessed with the ability to write supplemented with an overwhelming sense of humor-an author, who, for the present has adopted the nom de plume of Phinneas A. Crutch
 Some of the diary of Baikis will be happily familiar, in a distorted fashion. to the readers of Margot Much of the biography Is not, to say the least. unreminiscent of Strachey And then the so-nearly authentic tale merges into sea-going burlesque of "The Sheik." Satirical, chuckling, notable literary humor, all of it.
 Tn Psychic Vein
 Communication With the Next World" edited by Estelle W. Stead George II. Doran company. publish CTS, New York city), is subtitled "The Right and Wrong Methods" a text book given by William T. Stead from Beyond the Veil"
 In 1912 William T. Stead went down on the Titanic. Later in the same year his daughter received the following message from him.
 When l see for myself the extra ordinary difficulties in getting mes- sages through from this side. 1 mar vel, not that we got so little but that we got as much as we did in our searchings when 1 was with you. For 1t is you, your conditions which make the barrier. Preconceived ideas, sticking like wedges in your mind. preconceived prejudices and superstitions-all these must be hammered and battered down before the two worlds can combine"
 It Is in an effort to break down this barrier that he has transmitted through a medium this little treatise on the right method of communica- tion.
 Included in the book Is a sympos- ium of opinions upon its value from such men as Sir Oliver Lodge, Rev. G. Vale Owen, Dr. Ellis T. Powell, LIB, D., Sc, and others.
 Our Navy at War" by Josephus Daniels (George H. Doran company, publishers, New York city). comes long enough after the war to seem almost new-its well written pages and accurate data making 1t a read able book-as well as one of edu- cational value.
 It will be recalled by the well in formed that on April 2, 1917, not a single order had to be given to pass the United States navy from a peace to war basis Five minutes after President Wilson signed the resolu- tion the message of war was re- ceived by the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Radio and cable carried it to Panama Honolulu and the Asiatic By the time the extras were on the street the United States navy was ready for war.
 The work of the years that fol- lowed proved the worth and power of efficiency. It is the well oiled wheel that makes no noise and re- ceives no attention. For the people of the United States therefore Mir. Daniels. formerly Secretary of the Navy, has recorded the great achieve ment of their navy in the World war
 Peter" by E. F. ("Dodo") Benson (George II. Doran company pub fishers. New Tory city), is delightful summer reading.
 The Peters of this world are the tcpmost flowers of society. They gre those young men whom hostesses are delighted to board and lodge for the sake of their very real personal charm. And no one more than the Peters themselves know better their high market value, or facts with more honest cynicism the parasitic position they bear to society
 Peter had more than the surface charm that he dealt out to pay for his dinner. his seat at the opera He kept inviolate a place in the back of his brain where he faced facts and walked by his lone" Nellie was just the same kind of girl and their can