The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-17
HUDSON'SNOVEL
OFF THE PRESS
Philosophy, Religion, Satire,
Wit and Love Story Mingle
in Able Pierre.

"Abbe Pierre" a nOvel written by DIR.
y. W. Hudson, professor Of philosophy in
the University, is off the press and will
be on sale at local stores about April 81.
The.novel is the first written by Doctor
Hudson. He has written several books
dealing with philosophical problems and
text books.
'Abbe Pierre is published by the d.
Appleton & Co.. of New York. The book
is not about the war nor does ii concern
it in any way. The scene is laid in Aig-
nan, little village in Cascony, France.
The main character is Able Pierre Glenn
ent and the theme of the story is taken
from the writings of Able Pierre to his
lifelong friend, Able Rivoire.
Henry Satterlee, who read the book
from proofs said: "The descriptions Of the
landscapes have the dainty lighiness of
an exquisite water color. Their delicate
beauty arouses the same emotions as
those evoked by reading the beautiful
scenes of La Princess Lointaine' by Ros-
iand. And that brings to mind the fact
that this country, this CascOny, 'quaintest
corner of Lovely France in which the
scene of this story is laid, is also the scene
Of Rostand's most famous play, 'Cyrano
de Bergerac. This, too, was the home of
the great French writer and philosopher,
Mon,aigne, to whom the author makes
frequent references. 1t is also the home
Of DArtagnan, made famous by Dumas
in his Three Musketeers.'
In picturing commonplace things. the
author equals Maupassant for vividness.
Take for instance his description of the
geese: Entering the road from some barn.
yard just ahead is a herd of slow-moving
cows, or, perhaps, flock of ducks. or
geese. And what wonderful geese they
are! Stately, pOrtly, dignified, immense
in size, strutting leisurely along the road
in the sunshine, like aristocratic dowagers
out for an afternoon walk. One could
almost imagine them lifting their lorg-
nettes haughtily as they pass!' Although
the quality of the writing reminds one Of
some OF the great French writers, the STYLE
is purely that of Hudson, and those who
know Doctor Hudson know what that
means
The intense love of the Able for his
Laiive town permeates the story. Although
philosophy and religion have their place
in the book, subtle humor, a slight bit of
satire and delightful love story are also
TO be found.
In the story Doctor Hudson SAYS: "Our
human intellects are like lamps of va.
rious degrees of intensity; some are
brighter than others, but all cast shad.
ows. In one description of the French
village the author says: There are the
fields, many of them vineyards. slopips
in every direction and of every geometric
pattern, bordered with hegdes, dotted with
whife-walled houses. their red-tiled roofs
mcllowed brown by time; trees every.
where, none so conspicuous as the tall
outstanding poplar, following the devious
ways of the little streams; everything is
green, green, green, except the winding
white roads. leading uphill, and downhill.
and tar away toward the lofty Pyrenees.
Just visible through the delicate violet
haze that floats along the southern edge
OF the world like thin veil. Those who
made this Gascony landscape were uu.
consciously making poetry
"Abbe. Pierre" is not illustrated bu,
several pictures of the French village
brought back by Doctor Hudson, are be.
ing displayed in local store. They show
The whlte,plastered houses with their red.
Tiled roofs. Some of the plaster is off and
from underneath one can see The Stone
end wood structures of the quaint houses
told about in "Abbe Pierr.-