Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1922-12-22
May Sinclair. MIR Washington Of
WyeL" and Mary Olivier"

Wyek" and Mary Olivier"
There Is a doctrine familiar to stu
dents Of psychology that warns:
When person 9eaas TO be unsei-
fish. beware Of him. for he is then en-
sefiHa the dangerous class" May
Sinclair ir two novels, Mary Olivier
ard SIR Waddingtou II WICK. pre-
SCENTS studies In eg0fism that shed in
terestiug reflections up0n this doc
trHe Tina $50 books are startling be-
their franEHess To some the books,
especially the former. wi,l actually be
repaIslve
aHary Olivier" might well be- used
g. text book IN abnormal psychoi-
oey. Even rs styie Is neurotic. It
sentences are short snd jerky; it
jumps, it twiuges, it witches It is
the recording Of the thoughts Of a
strange woman. just A. those thoughts
flashed through her strange mind.
There are no inhihlti0as; everything
is st down The story is Of a wom-
an Who attempts to adjust herself to
the world OF a philosophical twist
Of mind she seeks and strives for Re
atty She yearus for The Hature-of
things in-themselves Il reeounts her
life IN all its details from infancy TO
middle age. from her childhood adj
ventures 20 the unfortunate liaisIon IN
which she found dreary sort Of hap
piness The influences Of childhood
experiences upon later life are de-
veloped in a manner that should de-
light the most fervid Freudiau. and IN
way that viii make any careful
reader pause and think. Childhood
doubts that are vital and painful are
intimately recorded. a. well as the
harsh reception these doubts receive
when given expression Thoughts on
being born. thoughts on the universe
and its destiny. thoughts on parental
love. thoughts on the shortcomings Of
mother and father al these tor
mented the mind Of the sensitive Mary
Olivier They Rnawed her inner be
ing until she suffered
Mr. Washington. the hero Of the
other novel IS "a self conferred and i'm
possible middle aged man who sees
the world with himself as its pivot.
As the story opens, Barbara Madden
has been engaged as his secretary.
Full Of youth and charm, she attracts
his interest. and vanity blinds him TO
the fact that she il completely indif
ferent 70 him An affair with wom-
an IN the village Is saved from trag=
edy for Mr. WaddHft0H through the
r. senrcefuIHess Of the young girl,
VINO. with Mrs Waddinston thorough
iy understands him. Finally, rcaliz-
iuR MS secretary Is IN love. he thinks
it must be with him. and the eamatie
scene Of the book follow
or the two. as far as the story alone
IS concerned, Mr. Waddington" will
probably appeal to i wider circle Of
readers. But from the point Of excel
leuee in writing. and IN character an
Mgs. Mary Olivier" Dis far the su-
Iorlar MARY Olivier" contains some
truly great writing Il Is difficult, in
decd. 90 iaY open the human mind for
observation, and set May Sinclair has
done this with unbelievable success
Tile psychology is sound and precise
Tbe eharaetefizati9n- are Yieid-in
-hurt. it is remarkable book To be
sure II Is realistic, and contains moth
iug of the spirit of Pollyanna. 1t Is
grim, and sordid, and ugly the life
story Of girl IN whose family there
IS streak Of insanity and hereditary
heart trouble. II is not recommended
for those who dislike unpleasant read
ing. But those who rcycl IN painstak.
lng analysis Of human motives and ae-
tous will find in Mary Olivier"
work that will absorb them for each
Of its three hundred aud eighty pages