Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29
REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS
Interest Social and Economic Questions Revealed
IN Fiction-Natural Beauty in the Sierras.
Gypsy Trails and Legends.
BY ADA GILBERT MYERS.

BY ADA GILBERT MYERS.
THE SILVER SPOON. BY John
Galsworthy, author of THE White
Monkey" etc New York Charles
Scribner'S Sons.
That the considerable mind of Eng
land is bent in deep concern upon it's
own internal situation is demonstrated
nowhere else more clearly than in
the work of its serious outstanding
novelists. There appears to be a
sort OF instructive concert Of action
among them. Their novels project
romance w:aase background Is Eng
land in its Slpsent political and in
dustrial and social aspect. The chief
characters in these stories represent
advocacy or opposition applied TO
some policy bearing upon the general
life Of the country. In lighter vein
these novels picture the quality OF
society, rejecting it's attitude toward
momentous trends in the national
life. All of these serious works count
time in England from the World War,
as this event shaped new conditions
and forecast an upheaval which each
day is seeing fulfilled.
The Silver Spoon" projects So
cial and political England that is. in
the main. either unawake to the true
situation or that is, on the other hand.
confident of its power To muddle
through a sin lie young man. the
chief figure in this romance. IS alive
to the necessity for measures THAI
take into direct account the new
world OF English life created by the
war. a member Of Parliament, he
strives to embody in definite plan,
measures that. To his thinking, arc
imperative in face of the present
crisis. These measures take account
of the loosening Of ella IS barriers. the
righteous claims of the workers. duty
toward the children of the country.
toward the whole future of the coun-
try itself. But this Nj. =. Is young
and untried and. as a matter of fact,
q bit colorless. So the elders advise
him against radicalism and counsel
reserve. Beside the handicap of youth
and ineXperience the man is in love
with his new wife. Here society links
up with politics. The wife is Fleur
Forsyte, whom we have already seen.
She finds nothing better than to en-.
gage in social rivalry with another
woman. Like cats they claw each
other One calls the other a Snob.
It's true. The other calls that one
immoral. And that's SO. \ suit at
law ensueS out of this caterwau ling.
The story ends with its ingloriouS
finale. Flcur t'orsyte runs away
around the world to get out of the
mess The second party to the suit
lakes stock of her rapid living to see
what it can still further do for her.
If this novel is a picture of England,
politically and socially, ii is not Il
bright picture. If it is a study of
human reactions to certain situations,
this. too, Is discouraging. a family
drawn story. apparently enamored ol
utilities and inconcluSionS. as subtle
parts of the whole English outlook
Suave. thoughtful. sincere-but not
calculated to do more than merely TO
register probable truth as to the
state of England. Not IA story to
make anything at all happen as a re-
suit of II.
THE LAKE OF THE SKY. BY
George Wharton James, author
of Arizona. the Wonderful" etc.
illustrated. Boston: l.. &. Page
& Co.
1t is Lake Tahoe. lying in the high
Sierras of California and Navada Of
which George Wharton James here
writes in so clear a passion for the
beauty of the natural world and in
50 close a pursuit of every phase of
the life Of Lake Tahoe. Many another
book bears witness to Mr.. James love
of the natural world as it lies spread
under it's own dome OF sky. Arizona,
California, New Mexico, Utah, are
already in debt to him for descrip
lions and interpretations that convert
this region of the West into a true
spell Of enchantment and desire to
see and to feel for ones self.
Here is Il big book. almost 400
pages, about this single spot. Lake
Tahoe But as one reads he feels it
Is not too much, despite the fact that
time is so terrifyingly short. For
here Is a big chapter In the history
Of the whole Far West. the history
II native jewellers. of the discovery
II Lake Tahoe by Fremont. of the
mining fever and of old towns left
in the trail of this excitement. Here
is the natural history of the locality,
it's physical features. the geology that
supports them, the plants and ami
mails that live within this area. be
vond history there is many legend
whose effect is to deepen the lure OF
the place itself. with hundreds OF pic
lures painted in words that transfer
something Of the deep beauty of the
lake and its setting to the eyes and
hearts of readers. There are other
rictures. too. many admirable ones
10 obiectify the mental views projected
bv the words Of the book. NO. 4oo
nares are not too many for this very
complete picture. for TINS run ana
informing discussion OF a spot whose
sheer and inviting loneliness Is rooleu
in a deep bed Of authentic history no
less than in legend ana SONG anu
story almost as revealing as history
itself. The book takes lmmedlate
effect upon the reader in the spoh-
.opeouS utburSt, Let = go.
THE GLAMOUR OF BRITISH -
IITAIRIA. BY H. Glynn W ard. H.
Illustrated. New YORK Inc
fury Co.
The glamour Of traNe! lies Win .Ile
most of us along the ways or clVlilza-
lions that have grown mellow with
history and art Such certainly Is the
record of iourneyinGs about the earth'
Here however, is "a traveller VINO III
duhitablv finds something like rapture
over a region vast, hard 10 reach anu
-lInneopled save by hunters. hanului
of farmers, a few stock ralsers' SONY
fishermen and such. More imam an
this enthusiastic explorer is Il "oiiial'
British Columbia, with its high noun
tains. hard trails and scant comfort. Is
her GOAL. She's a tirst-class sport ana
has a gorgeous time, that STANDS as
the source of something like envy In
the heart of the easy-cnair reader OF
this plucky undertaking. however
one Is in luck after all, for II. Glynn-
Ward is communicable soul, ana
everything in her experience that
nrint and paper can take is passed on
for the enjoyment of the folks at
home. From Vancouver to the Fraser
River. all over the "Cariboo" country
along the Yukon telegraph tran. cllmb.