Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11
REVIEWS OF WINTER BOOKS
Variety of Subjects Are Covered in Newest Volumes From
the Publishers-Ficton Essays and Consular Affairs.

peculiar office? Under sucn questions
and answers the essay here steps out
in its own nature and personality.
Perfectly objective is the study, bring
ing to the reader the great essayiSts
with outstanding examples of their
work. From MOntaigne and Bacon
Of the seventeenth century 10 the
English eSsdyiSts of our own day the
work ranges in a clear line of analysis
and example. So. with the form of
biography, as distinct from the story
and distinct from history itself Alan
Valentine submits an equally clear
and concrete study that stretches
from the Memoirs Of Cellini to the
present
Concise for the convenience of the
busy reader, scholarly for his proper
instruction, readable for his entertain
ment, the books of this Oxford Press
enterprise are as admirable in pro
lection as they are worthy in purpose.
r X =
HARPER ESSAYS. Edited by Henry
Seidel Candy, PHI. b., Lift. D., ed
itor The Saturday Review of
Literature" member Of English
department OF Yale University.
New York. Harper & Bros.
SPEAKING of the essay, as we just
~ have been doing by way of the
oxford University Press here Is a
whole stable book of essays for the
further pursuit of this pleasing form
of writing. More than 20 themes ana
as many essayists are represented
here in the peculiarly informal and
friendly companiOnship OF the ESSAY.
Among the names that beckon ana
the writer's that call are William Alien
White, Henry James, John Gals
worthy, Brander Matthews, William
Dean HowelIs. Arnold Bennett, John
Rurroughs, William Beebee, and
others, covering many years anu anu
many shifting fashions IN the
WAYS of literature. IS fashions
shift in the way OF clothes. The Sub
iects range as wide as do the names
of authors, running from The Tn
changing GirI"-though we never
knew there was such a perSon-and
why Is B0stonian?" to Fame
and such lofty themes. With TINS
book and that of the oxford Press,
THE Essay" there is no reason why
the average reading woman, or man.
should not give herself, or himself, =
pretty fine and interesting bit ut
schooling in the between times of run
ming the car and working at bridge.
x x * *
THE MAD CAREWS. BY Martha
Ostenso, author of wild Geese,
etc. New York: Dodd Mead & Co.
MARTHA OSTENSO, the prize
4N1 winning young novelist, again
makes use of the familiar home
ground of Minnesota to back another
venture IN the field of romance. y
farming community, we'll up In the
northern part of the State, takes com
mand here. The plain interests Of
the farmer, the duh routine of pioW-
ing the soil, of reaping the uncertain
harvests, of caring for livestock, the
drearier business of lndOors-Wash-
ing dishes and clothes, sweeping, dust
ing, and the rest of it, occupy the
foreground of thought ana actlon
here. Or would, were it not for the
mad CareWs CareW men, nv
ing like feudal lords among the lesser
folks Of the neighborhood. 1T IS THESE
men who pitch the story to it's most
intense action. who give it color and
the lure of secret sinfulness. Those
Carew men. whose wives hate them
so intensely because they love them
so deeplv. Jealous women. seeking
ia hold to themselves that which no
one woman vet has been able TO bind
to the tameneSs of domestic loyalty.
Those CareW men are the scandal or
the ncighborhood and the clear fas-
cination. as well. Miss OStenso's
story makes it's way through the sum
of daily commonplaces TO the ultimate
tanning of the last of the CareW
despoilers A girl does it, to be sure.
The road to this issue is dislike and
hatred on the part of the girl for the
lordly Carew boy-but, as so often
happens, the hatred holds the posi-
bilities at least of it's next of kin,
love. Bayliss Carew, in his personal
ity and power, carries off the prize
here as Miss OstensO' finest concep-
ton in this business of The Mad
Carews" Or would, were it not for
an equal gift in Selling and projecting
the natural setting of the adventure.
The face of the land, the spirit of the
fields and sky and weathers of north
ern Minnesota step out from this
story in a living and impressive com
partnership to those who are familiar
with this locality. Miss OstensO