Evening star., 1923-08-12

background of experience and remem-
brance implies the sharing OF an abund-
ance. Listen student at West Point.
soldier for two years. college pro-
fessor. magazine editor. novelist, and.
finally. diplomat IN stretch from
Persia to Spain including Greece. Ru-
mania, Serbia. Switzerland. Standing
on the high points OF experience in
these various fields. this writer pictures
countries and peoples, outlook and Gus
toms, social tendencies, political drifts
all in an easy and communicable way
that brings far things near, and en-
dows remote peoples and personalities
with the immediacy of direct contact
and the appeal of the living presence.
A beautifully intimate book. closeup
of innumerable persons and places about
whom and which interest is unfailingly
keen. And TO this interest the writer
responds in a variety and warmth or
disclosure that bespeaks A permanent
value and wide contacts for this book
of recollectionS.
Harris Hawthorne Wilder. Phi. d,
professor of zoology. Smith Col
Iege. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
This Is notably a time when learn
ing Is making an attempt TO bring
order out Of the various confusions
that confront the average man. and
ings in a multitudinous world. AS
evidence of such effort Outlines" of
this branch of knowledge and OF that
are being freely offered to gather re-
lated sets of facts into comprehen-
sive and easily apprehended wholes.
The book in hand stands as one of
these-an outline of the story of man
prior to the period OF recorded his
tory. BY way of approach to this
theme the author explains the mod
ment that makes such study not
only possible. but dependable besides.
The explorer. the eScavator. the
archeologist are the potent forces IN
this particular process. to which is
added the work OF the scientist in
rounding up the full record OF man.
Prof Wilder's work includes not only
the pre-history OF man in Europe, but
using this as basis. il covers, besides,
the round world. also, giving an in
elusive view whose various parts
serve to check and balance one an
other in a finely corroborative whole.
book that. specially fitted to the
use of students. stands also as one
calculated to give excellent service
to the general reader who Is interest
ed in this amazing progress Of man
toward the present.
THE HOPE OF THE VARIANT. By
John George Gehring, NJ. D., Sc. D.
New York: Charles Scribners Sons.
What is a variant? Who is the
variant? DR.. Gehring sets off by
explaining that, to some degree. we
are all variants from perfect type.
The purpose of this study, however.
is to select those who are so far out
of the zone Of the normal as to exist
under a permanent handicap in the
business of efficient and happy living.
Then he sets down the most common
of the causes that have produced the
variant-poor bodies, nerves. bad hab-
it's. improper training and any num-
ber Of other causes. The supreme
point Is, What to do with the vari-
ant?'' The body OF the study goes
into an answer to this question. At
the bottom is, of course, such physi-
cal treatment as the actualitfes OF
the case suggest. Upon this basis is
then built the training of the mind.
largely through some sort of con-
genial occupation, toward the bright
outlook, toward optimism. with sug-
gestion and autosuggestion as the
work. The doctor gives innumerable
examples, vivid and concrete, Of one
or another Of the aspects of variancy
coupled with the specific treatment
hope and a degree Of efficiency to the
patient A competent study that Of
fers innumerable suggestions to the
normal man in addition to its special
! consideration to the man below nor
NAL.
THE FLORENTINE DAGGER. BY
Ben Hecht. New York: Boni &
Liveright.
Ben Hecht said that the detective
story had now become as completely
standardized as the Ford motor
building, and that, therefore, they
could be turned out with something
of the speed that delivers a flivver q
minute to the highway. And to make
good his contention, he agreed to
write one of these tales in twice the
time that it would take to read IT,.
At that, he overallowed time for
himself, since any one can read 1.-THE
Florentine Dagger" in an hour-but
let US not be captious. for ten hours
Is. after all, a lightning stroke of
novel-making. One can see the author
gasolining and new-ribboning his
machine and scraping together the
terry and rush it through into the
in character and method hobnob here
and the delight of the reader. A
murder that ties itself into knots of
bepuzzlement which, beginning to un-
tie, turn around and tie them selves
tighter than ever. Tho dagger, of
course, plays a leading part, sup
ported by a crucihx and q church1y
candlestick. Things move about in
the darkness and strange shadows
fall without supporting substance.
Hollow laugh -er and hoarse oratory
do yeOman service in this general