New-York tribune., 1922-11-05
Tribune's News and Reviews of Books and Authors
Shop Talk

JOHN BUCHAN, who has just
brought out four-volume History OF
the Great War; was writer OF ro-
mances in peace time, but he was in the
war from the beginning, and rose
through various grades OF rank TO be
liaison officer between the French and
British armies, and finally Director OF
Information in the British Foreign
Office Hence he was thoroughly
qualified for his big task, as much Of
the secret history of the war passed
through his hands while it was in the
making.
The author of Command which is
to say WILLIAM McFEE, should know
his subject If any author does. He
writes Of the sea and seafaring men
mostly, and he was born at soa, on q
three masted, square-rigged sailing
vessel of which his father was designer
builder. owner and master. AS a boy
McFee had two ambitions--to be al en~
gineer and to go to sea. He combined
them in time; but he got his apprcn-
ticeship in great engineering house
ashore But before he went to sea he
tried writing. At the end of his first
month as an author he had earned SIS,
and on the strength of that he lived for
time in Chelsea, among the London
literary and artistic set. Wearying oil
this, he went to sea as third engineer
on tramp steamer; but in spare mo-
ments he worked on a novel. Since
then he has arrived as novelist, but
he continues to be an engineer.
To visualize the scenes of "Bible
Stories in Bible Language" MRS
LORINDA MUNSON BRYANT made a
tour of Palestine, going part Of the way
by motor car. In Jerusalem her hotel
room overlooked the Jaffa gate, where
pilgrims from all over the world enter
the Holy City.
After twenty-six years A. =. HOUS--
MAN is having another volume of
poetry published, to be called "Last
Poems" He is remembered as the
author of "a Shropshire Lad" The
latter was held for almost ten years
before it was given to the public.
Although the University of Michigan
intended to have new incumbent
yearly for their fellowship in Creative
Art, they are now inviting ROBERT
FROST, their first choice, to serve a
second term. Mr.. Frost is understood
to have acceded to the request.
HERBERT G. POINTING. author of
"In Lotus Land: Japan spent three
years in Japan, travelling and making
photographs all over the island king
dom. Mr.. Popting is by profession an
artist photographer. He has been
around the world twice, went to the
&c
tions and has also lived for a number
ferent times.
HENRY KITCHELL WEBSTER is,
among other things, descendant of
Noah Webster, the photographer. His
father, however, was manufacturer
and an oldtime resident Of Chicago.
The elder Mr.. Webster died very re-
Gently, and in his will he left a double
legacy to his novelist son because he
considered that occupation extra
hazardous financially, in spite of his
sons prosperity. Mr.. Towner Webster
always encouraged his gifted son to
write, and gave him q study at home
when Henry returned from college.
Henry had studied law, but his father
declared he should follow his natural
DenC, TeRdTuleSS OIL ms dCduemiC CIdiH-
ing. Mr.. Towner Webster was noted
standing nature, and was greatly loved
by his family and his many friends.
Count lila TOLsTOY has given
his full approval to the publication of
the autobiography of his mother,
COUNTESS TOLSTOY, the wife of the
great Leo. He says the book is "truth-
full and sincere" Count lila Tolstoy
has been living in America, at South
bury, Conn, for some years past.
The author of Behind the Mirrors
has emerged from his anonymity. He
is CLINTON w. GILBERT, and is we'll
known in Washington as correspondent
for Philadelphia paper.
"This Freedom" has been taken up
seriously by the Women's City Club, of
Boston, which requested it's members
to read the book and come prepared
to spend an evening discussing it.
From the dosshouses of White
chapel to the Kings own club, all that
THOMAS BURKE writes of in "The
London Spy" his latest book, he has
himself seen and known at first hand
he knows London from top to bottom
having dined in Mayfair and starved
in Limehouse, or perhaps the reverse
since he is now an established auth or
after having spent years of struggle
I and penury.
Harper & Bros. are receiving large
number of entries for their $4,000
Prize Novel Competition; and say that
the outstanding feature of these is
that they are surprisingly we'll written
in most cases. A good many "biogra-
phical novels" have been submitted
and few of the oldtime stock melo-
dramatic plots are in evidence. In
general, they reflect a high quality of
imagination. Novels of locality, too
there are, and very good ones. The
Judging will be close. The quality of
freshness will be rated as most de-
sirable by the judges, who are JESSE
LYNCH WILLIAMS, president of the
Authors League, HENRY SEIDEI.
CANBY, CARL VAN DOREN, and the
heads OF Harper's own staff.
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