The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-28
ZANE GREY NOVEL
P0R TRAY AL
OF WEST
'Wanderer of WasteIand" Is
Story Of Adam Larey's
Struggle for Life and Soul
IN American Desert.

" y ~
-. Wanderer Of the Waste
land" embodies even more
than any OF. his other books the
main quality which has made for
his success-an intense sincerity.
It also gives more wildly than
any at his other novels an un-
forgetable picture Of Western life
which could be portrayed only by
one who. has become q part OF
the atmosphere gone under the
skins Of the men and women
there, and absorbed by years Of
contact. the standards 'and ideals
OF natures elemental children.
''Wanderer OF the Wasteland"
IL the story of Adam Lareys
struggle for his life and for his
soul on. the American desert.
Zane Grey knows the desert. He
knows the men who crawl over
it like ants, each man separated
from his kind for some reason
known to himself--the lure Of
gold or the need Of hide, or the
longing to forget or the call of
adventure or the hate OF the
world or the love Of a woman.
Adam is a boy when he hides
in a desert, believing that he had
shot his brother in a quarrel over
a Mexican girl. He escapes to the
wasteland not only to avoid pun
ishment but to expiate his crime.
He finds starvation, adventure,
romance and manhood there.
The chapter Of Adams struggle
with starvation and the idyl which
follows ii. could well be preserved
as q short story. He becomes a
stalking spectre whose keen eye
an insect could not have es-
capped. He finds that to starvea
is nothing, but that to eat while
starving is he'll. The stray rat
or bird or lizard or rattlesnake he
could kill only revive the gnaw-
ing pains tearing at his vitaIs by
lifting him out of the coma of
approaching death. He is rescued
by the daughter of q wandering
Indian. and passes idyliic months
with Charley Jim and Della.
Adam lie destined to be loved
by all women who look upon
him, and Della is no exception.
In fact, "Wanderer of the Waste
land" ID not only the story of
expiation, but OF the manner in
which a boys heart passes through
the various, experiences of ro-
nance and passion into love.
First there is a very youthful
fancy, then there is a pretty
Mexican girl; next Della: an un-
happy recluse OF Death Valley;
Genie, his ward, and finally the
love which brings him back to
civilization.
q
Nature lovers will thoroughly
enjoy "Wanderer of the Waste
land" Consider the following
paragraph which shows Adams
struggle with nature for life:
Ills instinct was to hunt.
Doves and blackbirds visited the
stream, and a covey of desert
quail seemed tame; but, owing to
overeagerness and clumsiness, he
did not succeed in killing single
one. He followed them from
place to place, all over the
oasis, until he lost sight Of them.
He baited his two traps with
cactus fruit and set them, and he
prowled into every nook and
Granny Of the canyon oasis. Liz
ards, rattlesnakes. rats, ground
squirrels rustled from his stealthy
steps. 1t amazed him how wary
they were. The day passed more
swiftly than had yesterday. It's
close found him 80 tired he COULD
scarcely stand, and with a gnaw 4
ing hunger growing worse. Thu
moment he lay down sleej
claimed him. j.
Next day he had more an .,
better opportunities to secui
meat, but he failed through has
and poor judgment and inaccl
acy. His lessons were severe a
they taught him the stern NJ
of perfection. That day he 70
a hawk poise high over a 81
dart down swiftly, to rise s<
a squealing rat in it's Gig
Again he saw a shrike, mai
dull gray and black, sail -
from a tree, fly very low &
an open space of ground to p \
detection, and pounce upa
lizard. Likewise he saw a hd =
toad shoot out an extraordfy
long and almost invisible Fe
to snatch a bee from r..
In these actions Adam divifals
first proof of the perfectof
desert hunters. They did 1tli.