Evening star., 1922-10-29

O'Brien, author of Mystic Isles of
the South Seas" etc. illustrated.
New York: The Century Company.
<f A TOLLS OF THE SUN" 10 q
triumphant denial of the
general current notion that
the South sea Islands have
been done to death, written out. re-
duced to a tiresome monotony Of ex-
travagant repetition. Here 10 4 mar
ratiye that is as fresh in effect as II
no other one had intervened since
Herman Melville lost his heart to the
South seas and captfvated readers
with tales Of that surrender. And this.
too. in spite OF the fact that Mr..
O'Brien himself has already written
two exceedingly popular books on
this absorbing theme. Many months
ago. in order to enrich experience still
further In a region Of irresistible lure
to him, this author moved eastward,
out from the familiar Tahitian center.
to the Paumotus group and from
there northward to the Marquesas.
This is the story of that adventuring
among the coral islands Of these
archipelagoes. Anecdotes. descrip-
IlOHbs VI ldCl-lhC6Cs Wy
the hundred. embody the natural
beauty Of the atolls and set Upon
them, in most lifelike fashion. the
natives. the traders, the missionaries,
the occasional white castaway drifted
to this far region. The pearl oyster
industry, the coacoanut and coprn
business give chapters Of solid sub
stance here. Half memories and frag-
ments Of forgotten fact give back
ground to the government and re-
ligion OF these Islanders Dominant
characters. like old Mapuhi, are very
much alive here. The whole is car
ried forward with personal zest and
speech that is always beautifully
simple and very often deeply poetic
unconsciously poetic. one thinks. This
story Is just shade ripper. a degree
more completes 1t should be-than
anything else that Frederick O'Brien
has done: That is saying a great deal,
one admits.
THE TURKS AND EUROPE. BY Gas
ton Gaillard. London: Thomas
Murby & Co.
"It would be a great mistake to
in the future, and to believe that the
portant part in Europe" This state
ment closes the short summary of
Turkish history. as this is calculated
to bear upon the future of European
affairs. Beyond this initial step the
study deals with Turkey during and
since the world war. In substance.
it Is the work OF a competent his
torian. In spirit. it Is a vigorous de-
fense OF the Turks against ii host Of
enemies. This defense explains Tur-
keys part in the war. 1t gives. in
full, the neglect and injustice accord
ed this country the CONFER
ence. 1t discusses the treaty with
Turkey and sets out the dismember-
ment of the Ottoman empire which
the treaty imposed. Then it moves
forward to look over the Moslem
affiliations of Turkey with the Slavs
and to forecast some of the possible
results Of this situation. Despite its
extreme bias toward the Turk. the
book is an authoritative body of his
toric fact. projected in vigorous and
striking manner. 1t meets a very
general current interest in theme
with which every days press is now
actively concerned. 1t is designed to
give a background OF knowledge and
illumination to events that are now
very much the daily concern of the
world itself.
POLAND REBORN. By Roy Devereux.
author of "Sidelights on South
Africa" etc. illustrated. New
York: h. +. DuttOn q co.
Poland has bad name. Russia. 'Prus-
sia and Austria looked out for that years
ago. Powerful nations, engaged in the
business of swallowing smaller peoples
always make out a good case for them
selves. This case runs, generally. to the
effect that these weak peoples were due
to be swallowed. that nothing else would
do for them. So, in the course OF time.
Poland came to stand as romantic
country. filled with impractical trouble
makers a nuisance to the rest of Europe.
pose Of Mrs Devereux to show that the
Poles are, in actually, practical peo-
pie, struggling with real problems, which
they are trying to solve in patriotic
consistency Of action-not by visions and
dreams, To meet this purpose squarely
midst of its difficulties. These include.
first and foremost. a nation whose very
existence is menaced by Russia at the
easts and Germany upon the west It's
difficulties include. also, an organised
system Of persecution directed against
free exercise Of religious forms Of cere-
monies. the shutting of Of production,
the curtailment of commerce and the
constant overlordship Of the obnoxious
foreigner. This survey Of the full round
of Polish life. supplemented BY a sketch
OF fOlanQ unhappy past. ID calculated
to define the significant place Of this ma
ton in the future that the whole Of Eu-
rope is preparing for itself. That the
author is an advocate-an ardent and
Informed advocate-of this beset nation
stands clear from it's first page to the
last. This fact. however, does not take
away from the plain substance Of the
discussion. nor from the authors clear
outlook. 1t adds to the impressive effect
Of her treatment, naturally. A reliable
and useful book. A very readable one.
besides.
THE STRANGE ATTRACTION. BY
Jane Mander. author Of THE Pas
sionate Puritan" etc. New York: {:
Dodd. Mead G. Co.
The title of a novel is the only lie.
gitimate piece of advertising in which
authors may indulge. And they. as a
rule, are singularly dull toward this
important item in their work. Clearly,
a course of training in this direction
would do the majority of them no end
of good. Right here is case in point.
Under vague and unimpressive title
is an admirable piece of fiction-time-
ly. consistent, interesting. Its back
ground alone Is enough to commend
the story to readers in search OF fresh
fields. Jane Mander is lifelong New
Zealander and the setting of this
modern instance is an intimate and
feeling portrayal of the face OF that