Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-13
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
&c. nj.

Years. Carl Sandburg. Harcourt,
Brace q Co.
TOO big q book too long 9 back
track to trail, too many old years to-
relive.
with the whole world on the jump
ahead. going God knows where or
why toward some Irresistible, illu-
sive. competitive goal, there II no time
at all left for the arts of leisure. No
time to read and think, to loaf and
play. No time to sit at ease the long
day through, watching the rivers go
by; no power to melt ones spirit into
the wondrous beauty of the green
earth, into the SteadfaStness OF its
founded depths. Play. nowadays. Is
but a. pretext for the highest possible
speed between points. Reading Is
little more than the quick seizure OF
pellets of concentrated Information.
Thinking IS as d rule a mere engage
ment OF the senses. Loafing-b but
there Is no such thing at all.
Nine hundred pages OF book are
about 800 too many for this hurrying
world. But were 1t not for its plain
misfit with the surrounding headlong
haste-wha& q book this would Pc.
siorial sturdy rebel against the prevail
ing speed spirit Of the present! WHAT
an adventure Of the heart waits the
reader herei What q triumph for the
poet turned painter steps out toWaTu
those whose values are expressed IN
other, currency than that or sneef
haste In the pursuit OF life!
- 4 -
The book was 80 years acgrowing.
For this long time it was both the
dream and purpose Of Carl Sandburg
TO paint a certain portrait Of Abraham
Lincoln. And here is that portrait.
Sandb,rg as q boy lived down in
Knox County, where, year In ana year
out. he heard talk about Lincoln from
the men and women who had ealen
with him. given him a bed overnighL.
heard his Jokes and lingo. remembered
his silence and his mobile face. Ana
II came II seem to this listening boy
and man as IL the spirit OF Lincoln
| fingered down In. that Knox county
neighborhood, as II It still fingered n
| the soil and sun Of the place. IN tne
rain and the crops and the rlvsr
| trade, In the ways Of the peopis
| Themselves going about their nomely
occupations and rare diversions. IL
| became q passion with him to get INTO
closer touch with that spirit, there
where both were so much at nome
And so, over and over, he talked Win
| the old friends Of Knox County about
| lincoln. II Is quite conceivable that.
being q poet Of the farm and work
shop. he talked too, with the ianu
itself and with Its growing crops, WITH
| the trees. with the roadways ano
/ waterways that Lincoln traVeIeu,
| catherine, no doubt, many an answer
from these In satisfaction Of his uIl'
ceasing quest.
He pondered. the folklore that had
| grown up about Lincoln. And IN as
l RAJ. as q poet could make this possible
which Is very Tar indeed-he seated
himself within the spirit OF Abraham
lincoln. quietly sensing the soul or the
4 man. sending out gentle sensitive
| fingers toward the sources or Lincoln :
Unborn melancholy, letting his mlno
/ alone to ind Its way toward the true
l fountain Of Lsncoln's manifest mys'
e From this familiar home ground d
.vnIorati on, carl sandburg began
reaching out. backward and forward
| FOR the full So years Of Lincoln
ire that led up to the point Of the
presidency. His argument was tnat
| Z. ~ cos.ld project Lincoln from many
4 t,rlyafas ~ view as people Knew him y
fhat Illinois setting throughout all
the wears Of his real making, then
4 this ought to give fuller under
i standing OF those last momentous Iour
wears. Such the reason for quite
4 remarkable work Of search ana re
search, that covers every knoWn
source Of information and discovers
i r,9a,,v 4 noint hitherto unknown o.
i looked up0n as unimportant and there
i fore negligible. Everything pertain
ing Il, Abraham Lincoln, nearby OF
ear an. takes on value with the par
ficular explorer in the heart and mine
i If .. man who had chosen Tor Its pur
1 noses ont of the rough trails OF pioneer
Il life. AS mere research, as the plaiI
and Iaborious collecting Of material
the study is a thing to command TN
respect Of those trained to profes
sional investigation.
i gathering the material Of a life
even the life Of LincQln. Is not, now
lever. the point in this case. II Is tn
use OF that material that counts her'
SO tremendously. To handle worus-
l selecting and grouping them-so as .
i evoke living men and women, TO se
/ these about their daily pursuits In
viyidness that recreates the pioneer
sIHfe OF this country, to center al
of these upon a central figure in ful
i measure OF explanation and interpre
fafion---such is the triumph. or q par
of the triumph, of Carl, Sandburg, II
Lfhis portrayal OF Lincoln and the n
4 fIuence that produced him.
But the vitality Of this projection
Il great as It is, Is not ell. Throughoui
Il the story Is q poem simple. oeauIl
| ful. touching. Rough and crude IN Y
externals here and there because TN
theme Is crude with the new NE 9
/ the west. uncouth in expression some
times because the people were cheer
il fuilv Ilnlettered, it Is nevertheless
Il noeIn of simplicity and beauty, with
sadnass running through it that Y
draUn or from the nature or Lincoli
hin,aeif. II was q time of hardship, o
Ia ri az scant fare, of sickness ant
i deafh. These all stand beside the DO,
N MS growing years and stamp hi
later life indelibly. A hundred pic
tures step out before one here, each
i contribution to the growth OF Lincoln
i from boy to man. Surely one va
Enow the great man better TOR thi
se,svice 1T the hands Of an inspire.
Follower. The book is q treasure 70
N fha few who have time Tor #.
should be the daily reading Tor thos
Fl who can snatch but q minute here an,
I there from the press Of things AM
Il more things.
| n LINCOLN WERE HERE. Johi
Wesley Hill. g. =. Putnam's sons
Al very ingenious and useful stud!
of Lincoln IN the character BY which
he Is now known the world over: ~ 7. =
plan OF the book IS to face ADranan
TSncoln upon some OF the politica
nrollerne 81 the present. For In
q sfance to face Lincoln upon the DIFF
fIcuities of prohibition enforcement
mon law enforcement generally
n IlIanr rnvarnment Ownership, upol