The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-08
BOOKS i'm BRIEF REVIEW
= LuM PUDDING" the lat


Morley to be put into
book form. contains the felicitous
subtitle. "Of Divers Ingredients,
Discreetiy Blended and Seasoned"
Much Of the volume concerns It.
self with books and bookish peo-
pie. but the genial philosopher
writes with equal interest on such
widely divergent topics as suburban
life. tadpoles. women. children and
dogs.
The portion Of the book which
carries the most appeal to us, how
ever, are those chapters wherein
are set down the doings of the
Three Hours for Lunch Club, an
aggregation Of lovable vagabonds
who prowl about in the most out
of-the-way neighbC GODS, osten.
sibly I'm search Of new places In
which to eat. but In reality, We
strongly suspect. for the purpose
OF discovering subjects on which to
make the most atrocious of -puns.
Despite our Qualifying adjective,
we have the highest regard for
puns and the punster. Many the
brief lunch period shared with those
most prosaic persons. the sports
editor and the head of the foreign
advertising department. have been
enriched by our own modest con.
tributions to the literature of the
pun.
That we have derived more pleas
ure therefrom than either the
sports or advertising fellow is not
to the point. In fact. we strongly
suspect they have a secret envy in
their bosoms for our facility in the
manufacture Of puns. but 30 far
they have succeeded admirably in
concealing their pleasure.
Nevertheless. we feel that this
establishes a strong bond of In.
terest linking us In spirit with
the Three Hours for Lunch Club.
The members are just the sort we
would like to know. and because
we have not the pleasure of &C.
quaintance with the club or its
presiding deity. we pay herewith
our tribute Of praise for Its ef-
forts to exalt the lunch hour from
dull business Of eating and drink.
ing to a resemblance of those do
hghtful gatherings Of coffee house
wits in the England Of the period
Of Lamb, Hazlitt ct al.
Christopher Morley, who In one
Of the best-known culumnists in
America, has in addition to Plum
Pudding" written volumes bear
ing such appealing titles as "shan-
dygaff." "Parnassus on wheels,"
The Haunted Book Shop" ana
"Pipefuls." With each volume his
reputation a. q humorist has In.
creased and to his overwhelming
circle Of readers Plum Pudding
win como a. welcome addition.
R1No LARDNER. who created .
school Of humor all his own,
has added one more to his delightful
list In Tho Big Town." recently
published by Bobbs Merrill. and It's
the sort Of thing that viii appeal even
to the person who admitted he's pref
udiced against stories written in the
great American style of slang. It
relates the experiences Of q small
town couple. lately the recipients of
. legacy. whose one problem lies In
the finding Of . suitable husband
for the wife's sister. who decide that
by going to New York they will not
only accomplish this object, but win
get q chance to sec for themselves
real life In the big town."
Their adventures in New York
provide laughs at the rate Of at least
ono a page and the illustrations by
May Wilson Preston have caught
the full humor Of every situation
pictured. Lardner's style grows on
one to such an extent as to force
the admission that his drolleries are
really worth while.
MARIE CoRELLI's newest book
THE Secret Power" while pro-
viding an interesting and fantastic
tale, fails to reveal a return Of those
abilities which in her earlier works
fairly enthrslled the attention Of the
reader in the grip Of their fascina-
ton.
1.-THE Secret Power" Doubleday,
Page & Coz has for it's principal
MEISTr i'm MMWNES