Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-10
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM

go. to feel under them the spin OF
wheels speeding them here and there.
For such the motor car Is forthcom-
ing, at only few dollars month. The
second are more tranquil likely to take
their enjoyment largely through read
ing. A book. shady spot, a cool
breeze-nothing more needed. And for
these has opened new era OF book
production A fresh purpose efficiently
pursued has brought about the change.
Books of high authorship and endur-
ing content objectify the plan. Books
durably and attractively made, fitted
to the hand and cheap enough to deal
fairly with even the scanty purse. Such
literature in such a setting Is now
within reach of those who take their
highest pleasure in reading. Under
this new plan almost any one may be-
come q book collector In the best
sense. And there is, beyond question,
JOY In the possession Of books that
Is not quite like any other joy. There
Is a reason for this--a somewhat subtle
reason for whose pursuit this Is not
the place Let us. instead, look into
couple of volumes belonging TO
"Everyman's Library" one of the best
of the new ventures whose object is to
supply you and me with literature
which is recognized as re-eminently
worth while.
THE SEA AND THE JUNGLE. Fl. M.
Tomlinson. Everyman's Library. z.
p Dutton &, Co.
Did you come upon II. M Tomlinson
by way of Gallons Reach?" did.
And since then I've been lying In wait
for the man. Now here he is, having
In hand THE Sea and the Jungle an
earlier book and there are others from
him for us, l hear.
II. however YOU are of those trav-
elers who are bent upon arriving. then
don't set out with II. M. Tomlinson.
These, you know, even when pleasure
alone Is the goal, defeat the purpose
of their outfaring through an anxious
concern to reach the spot to whicn
they are going. Only those Of the
other stripe can bank upon successful
adventure with this man OF INFINITE
leisure I.eisure--that's one OF Tom
linson's names. Even the setting out
to go across the world is gradually
invited on his own doorstep, where he
philosophers. ruefully. on the scar look
of the garden dahlias, and the gray
face of the London fog. where he thinks
regretfully of the musty smell OF the
Office toward which he Is about to
20. Such are the saunterings OF MIND
and body by way of which Tomlinson,
finally. set out In q tramp steamer Tor
Para-rubber doubtless-then up the
Amazon through tropical forests as far
as Manoas and then. If possible, up the
Madeira, 300 miles or so. 1T would
be noble Journey In this agreeing
mood Tomlinson. having reached the
office. is listening to the Skipper. Give
IL up and come along with me-
What" said he, shall / do about all
this2" And he waved his arm about
Fleet street. source OF all the living
know, giver of my gift OF income
tax, limit of my perspective. How
should / live when withdrawn from the
smell of ink. the urge of machinery:
And the Skipper said: oh. damn all
that" So, he did, TonlinSon did, and
then went off on the tramp steamer
with the Skipper And this book Is
the story of that adventure. which Is
divided about half and half between
the sea on the one hand, the jungle
on the other Now dozen men. or
more might follow this route with
almost Identical reports as to the actual
happenings confronted by them.
There's the sea, with only storms to
relieve the monotony. And there's the
pingle~-dense growths. steamy heat,
pestilence of insects. bright BIRDS, some
REPTILES. gorgeous sky shows at night
fail and dayrise. Yes, natives, traders,
Wild beasts. a few. But-Tomlinson
doesn't come within the dozen or
more" Everything Is an event with
this man. The stodgy tramp steamer
becomes a live intelligence-as IL un-
doubtedly is--living up to this power.
The sea Is creature, hostile or be-
nign In Its immensely. The SKY Is
companion of like nature to himself.
And so ii Is In the jungle. 1t may be
no more than an overgrown insect
lighting beside his plate in the night
glow--but, 1t Is the whole world. Ihat
Is Tomlinson. The least thing gets
from him a living response. so phrased
or merely mused as to emnody the
whole of life within 1t. And TINS Is
the 10Y of Tomlinson. the sheer de-
licht az the man. There may be a
story going along with him. There
NAV not be. But. In either case, no
matter. It Is the mans power to open
I'M his readers by way OF the common
things. or the uncommon ones. that
gives the surprising charm to his
work.
UNDER FIRE. Henri Barbusse, Every
mans Library. r. P. Dutton Co.
This Is a story of the war, 1.-THE story
of a SQUAD" set down in a passion to
reveal The terrors OF war through per-
fect fidelity to the facts as little group
of fighting men could be used to pro-
iect the n,onstrous truth. A hideous
report, a CHASTITY picture that required
courage to reproduce. that called for
an almost perfect artistry TO project
within the boundaries OF belief. There
Is only blackness here to picture. Deeper
blackness here, a shade less black there.
a ponderous gloom at this polnt~-not
much for painter TO work with. anu
Barbusse is faithful to the situation.
Never a ray OF light or cheer penetrates
the awful experiences of this squad,
inst like all the other squads that are
on the firing line. This one Is no ex-
ception of misery. Slime, muck, green
mold on something that might be old
garments, 1t Is a man, instead. rot
ting dead man. and there are hundreds
Of these; oh, thousands Of them. A vast
sea of mud, tangled wire. parts OF dead
soldiers biting cold. beating rain~-an
unspeakahle thing from end to end, no
spot of easement, no minute Of podiy
comfort. Reading, one Is DIVIDED De-
tween PERSONAL SuHefittA anu stcSt
amagement at the skill OF Barbusse In
making SO living a scene That the reader
is forced to partaking OF the horrors
set forth. And this Ii reality, or was
and may be again. This Is not an In
vention for the demonstration OF skill
ON The authors part 1t Is the truth.
and a truth not TO be forgotten by us.
Everybody should read this book, not
for It's ,indeniable genius. but for the
suffering that II enforces, That Is the
least that we can eio: we looking toward
the future Of world again, possibly
gone mad,
"Teil me, you writing chap, you'll be
writing about us soldiers. There's some~
thing | want TO ask you. Are you going
to make the common soldiers talk III
vour book like they do talk, or shall
you nut it all straight-~into pretty talke
mo-. aftar ALI now You'll never hear