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


 human heart as the author of "Queed." And 1t mounts to a climax unexpected, powerful, moving, q climax worthy of what we believe to be one of the most memorable and absorbing novels of recent years.
 Another interesting novel for mid summer reading is Bennett Malin' by Elsie Singhaster (Houghton Mit- flln company publishers, No. f, Park Row, Boston).
 The author tells this powerful story with simplicity, a sincerity, a warm and sturdy realism that re- new the readers confidence in Amer ican fiction. Three generations of Malins bound by inheritance and the same ambition, sometimes bowed by failure, sometimes grasping at suc- cess, are woven together into one of the strangest and strongest of con- temporary novels.
 J. H. Burroughs and the out-of-
 Doors
 With midsummer allurements and the call of the open" in the heart of every man, interesting read ing pertaining to such things is found in My Boyhood" by John H. Burroughs Doubleday Page & Co., publishers. Garden City, N. Y.).
 My Boyhood" was written by the author for his son Julian several years ago-being a record of his childhood.
 It is picture of the self-con- tained. self sufficient life on his fathers farm where they raised their own food. made most of their own clothes and thought their own thoughts; a picture of tapping the sugar bushes in gusty April. of burning stumps on dry mid-spring days, going after the corn and hitching sheep or the old dog to the wheel of the churning machine. He sketches in vivid coloring the little. unpainted schoolhouse by the creek, a mile and half journey from home. It was an adventurous jour ney in summer with the allurements of field and woods, but a battle in winter through the snow tracked by the squirrels, skunks and foxes that haunted the little boys imagi- nation. It is amazing that an ola man could think himself back into the psychology of. childhood with such fidelity.
 John Burroughs was the last of the great Americans who belonged to the age of Whitman and Elmer son.
 Bob, Son of Battle" by Alfred Olivant with a note" by William Lyon Phelps Doubleday Page & Co.,, publishers, Garden City, N. Y), is an- other story which has for its atmos- phere the "out- -of-doors"-and there fore makes good summer reading.
 The story of Bob Son of Battle" is the story of shepherds and their dogs on the bleak moors of northern England, and particularly of "Owd Bob, the last and best of the Gray Dogs of Kenmuir."
 In the decade since 1t was pub lished this story has become a clas- sic in animal literature.
 Prof. William Lyon Phelps, in an enthusiastic personal statement, de- clared 1t to be the best story sof it's kind the world has ever seen"
 Still another novel breathing the summer time atmosphere of the "open" Is "In the Favor of Kings" Hawthorne Daniel. Doubleday Page & Co, publishers, Garden City New York;.
 The theme of the story has to do with that time in history when white men stood at the brink of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado nearly a century before the Mayflower, with her load of Pilgrims. sailed from England to the New World This book Is the story of Francisco Cor onado and the band of men who set off from conquered Mexico to find the seven cities of Cibola and the land of Quivera where they dis covered not gold and jewels but trib- ulation adventures, aud reward, all there in setting of strangeness and beauty where new wonders and old passions combine to create romance. The story starts and ends in Spain. the vivid, magnificent Spain of Charles V, but the major part of it is in Mexico.
 Mrs. Gaskell,s Progeny.
 In "A Vagrant Tune" written by Bryan T. Holland (Small Maynard & Co. publishers. Boston, the grand Gaskell who wrote that wonderful book "Cranford" touches delight fully charming chord.
 The story Is full of wit and humor for there's no doubt in anybody's mind but that Euphemia is funny. She has a dry wit and a quick tongue which keep the reader busy keeping up with her. The book is one whose idea has been little used. There are not many who can write about old people in such a way that readers will recommend the book to others to take on their vaoation-nor are so many of the English setting books which have been coming outsas del- icately and humorously written. Not only Is the book written well. but there is plot, delicate portrayal of an old woman who has meant nothing in the life of any one except her maid, and the combination is very satisfactory.
 In There Goes the Groom" by Gordon Arthur Smith F. P. Dutton & Co. publishers, New York City) delectable reading.
 There Goes the Groom" relates the story of four old bachelors keep house together. A lively young nephew of marriageable age Is one of their responsibilities: so they form themselves into committee to marry him off to a charming and en- tirely suitable girl.
 The tangled web of cross purpose and adventure into which the four kindly conspirators find themselves plunged proves as stimulating as it is unexpected. At any rate it IS full of good clean, wholesome fun for the reader.
 highly diverting. breezy and quite delightful American story. full of go and good sense.
 Love and Diana" by Concord Mer- rell (Thomas Seltzer. publishers. No, West Fiftieth street. New York city) one finds story of romance. love and adventure. beginning m England and eliminating in the deserts of South Africa. The heroine a wealthy society girl. lightly en- gages herself to a nobleman she does not love. because she thinks herself incapable of love. The right mar