The Washington times., 1922-05-07
Our Own
Book Review

author 10 not entirely clear
= as TO the purpose of this
great work. No doubt II Is meant
10 I'LL a mission, and 1t does nll this
mission when used to prop up q
three-legged parlor-sofa. Once
lost In the intricacies OF the plot
the reader rarely is the same again.
1t seems to rouse oil the latent pas.
sion In a persons being. Many
people have had to abandon it for
the reason that It has affected
their nerves. Briefly. the story u
that OF q man with q nickel. who
chased wrong numbers all over the
city until he was finally discovered
fainting in q telephone booth. The
circulation has reached a million.
rhe blood pressure more than that
1t Is strictly humorous publica-
tion with a strong touch OF satire.
EXCELSIOR COOKBOOK A
handy little volume through which
the author should become very pop.
ular. The plot pleases one and all.
II is one of the most daring books
published In recent years. consider.
ing present prices. It deals with
a phase OF life with which many
persons have not been acquainted
since the war. and touches boldly
on such delicate subjects a. porter.
house steak and ruffed grouse. Al.
though the book seems hardly nee
essary Just at this time. the treat.
ment OF the subject 10 pleasing.
Strangely enough. the Excelsior
Cook Book does not tell how to cook
excelsior. wherein It misses an i'm.
portant duty at this time.
CITY DIRECTORY-This marvel.
Gus work. which weighs in the
nelghborhood of eighteen pounds.
is one Of the heaviest contributions
to literature this season. Some Of
the best-known people in New York
are mentioned as heroes and hero.
ines by name. and no attempt II
made to disguise their identities.
It chats entertainingly Of the occu.
pations Of some Of our best-known
Americans. and while the biograph-
ical sketches are brief. they are
very much to the point. The ad.
dresses Of the heroes and heroines.
all New York people. arc given. 90
that II tho reader wishes to fnd
them he can look elsewhere The
action of the plot 10 rather thin.
but the author makes up for this
by q clarity OF style.
AUTOMOBILE BLUE BOOK
This book shows how far an author
can so-if hs has an automobile.
Those who delight In travel will
find in 1t great reading around the
oil lamp in a $32 apartment. II 10
particularly interesting to those
who do not own automo mobiles. Those
who do own them never read II.
HOO'S-HOO - This funny little
volume. like the City Directory, re.
viewed earlier, deals almost OK.
clusively with the personal equa.
tion. The author uses as h!s hero
ines and heroes real human beings.
or. at least, they were human be:
fore he begins to invest their lives
With his literary touch. He Law.
ishes upon them all the praise to
Itch they are entitled. and seldom
disparases them to any extent.
Their good points are brought out
and their faults are mentioned only
casually, II at all. He has a way
Of finding the good in men. which
Is really remarkable. Although the
story at times relates feats Of
achievement almost unbelievable,
the authors style is so compelling
that we are prone to believe him.
It Is much lighter work than its
big brother. the City Directory
weighing only a scant pound.