Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-17
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM

IN THE LAND OF ART. Vicente
Blasco Ibanez. e. P. Dutton g. Co.

| the port of Valencia. In its concealing
half-light q sailor, sooted from head to
foot In coal dust, a heavy sack upon
his back, put out in little boat for
his ship outside the harbor.
That was night Of 80 years ago and
little over. That grimy sailor was
Vicente Blasco Ibanez, flying from ar
rest to the friendly ship waiting to sail
him away from Spain and immediate
danger.
And what had Ibanez been doing so
to enlist against him the forces OF the
law? Just about what he continued to
do on throughout his passionately &C
tive life. In this particular case he,
! openly and no doubt deflantly since
that was his way. had stood out for
Cuba in its urge toward independence.
Indeed, 1t was said that he reused the
people, organized a mass meeting OF a
''stop-the-war" brand. Dangerous EEL
low to be left at large. Certainly no
Spaniard should be permitted to incite
his countrymen against the plans OF
the King. Ibanez was then % years
old. This was the beginning OF a career
that was devoted, heart and soul, to
cause after cause, each embodying re-
volt against traditional tyranny. each
advocating larger freedom OF the
people.
But let us get back to the fugitive
making his way to Italy in search of
free place to stand while he con-
tinued to press his suit for the growth
and expansion of liberty in thought
and action. In the Land Of Art" gives
body to the observations and expert
ences Of this poor and obscure youth
during an enforced alienation from his
native land. This is the first of that
Sumptuous pageantry Of books by
Ibanez that have served to delight the
world OF readers. Going along with him
here you will instantly be fired with
something Of the ardor of this artist
for the beauty of Italy Lake, noun
tain and plain, marble cities, splendid
cathedrals, paintings by the great art
lists of the world-these seem to rush
out to meet him, to possess him and to
become, finally, the material with
which he rebuilds for readers the love-
~ land and its art. To such vision
such absorption, there is a quality of
whoieness, OF oneness. Nothing stands
by itself to the mind of this man.
Cathedral, painting, aqueduct, road,
whatnot of such fine civilization-each
is part Of larger unity. And behind
all. always. Is the human element and
the work that went into these various
magnif1cences. How did the toilers
themselves live? How unendurably
were they borne down upon while
creating Splendor for this ruler or that
one? What Of their lives. their
thoughts, their hopes? So, history, YOU
see, is ever present here. And back of
history, or a part of it, there stands
urgent and importunate, the condition
OF the great mass of the people, You
can readily see. therefore, how rich
book this is in its fullness of content as
Wen as in its shining quality of form.
Maybe you are acquainted with Italy.
Maybe you have been there-Once. many
times. Certainly, too. you have read no
ends OF books upon this inviting theme.
Even so-all OF there Is new adyen-
ture for you, something different. Some
thing more varied and informing to the
eye, richer in human depth, more truly
masterful in pictures that not only ap-
peal to the sight but that pierce the
heart as well. Here Is Tbanez In his
beginnings-and what start 1t is!
y
BLOOD AND SAND. Vicente BlaSco
Ibanez. e. p. Dutton & Co.
When = man dies the next thing is
to gather up his belongings for a more
or less rightful distribution of these.
Whether the man be great or small, this
Is the usual move. Vicente Blasco
Ibanez is dead. just now, therefore. the
world is busy gathering up its legacy
from very rich man. Oh, rich beyond
calculating-yet. For this Is the kind
OF wealth that grows and grows as
human powers of appreciation and
gratitude grow. To-day men and women
everywhere are more than commonly
keen and awake to the writings of
Ibanez. There1l not be any more of
them. Besides, somewhat sardonic
effect OF death Is to stir n relatively
deep interest in the actor of this final
role. For the moment, or for the year.
Ibanez will continue the large popular
ity that he finally won. Best Of all.
however. will he secure the faithful
following that his high gifts offer to
true fame.
Blood and Sand" was written 40
years ago, IL years after In the Land
OF Art" 1t was. so We are told, the
first of this authors novels to take any
general hold upon readers. It's theme
may have had something to do with its
wide acceptance, since among men the
blood lust Is still urgent and strong.
The cock fight, horse racing, the pugi-
listic performance. the bull tight. are
witness to this fact. Blood and Sand"
Is novel based upon the bull fight.
great national sport of Spain.
The spirit of the author Is. to be sure.
that OF protest against so cruel and one
sided, so unsportsmanlike, means of
nationwide entertainment and pleas
ure. Naturally, however. with so great
an artist as Ibanez, the protest as such
is in complete allegiance. The story
takes care of that by way of Its faith
ful portrayal, by way of thousand
true sidelights on the situation. One
character In the narrative. DR.. Ruiz, is
allowed, In perfect part. to say few
things that. no doubt. Ibanez himself
would say II. as an artist. he were not
forbidden. For instance, DIR. Ruiz. while
admitting the brutality of the national
and horse racing. which kills many
more men" than the bull fight does,
or between IL and the spectacle of fox
hunting with trained dogs. hardly a
sight for civilized onlookerS." It is this
DR.. Ruiz who looks upon the bull fight
as step In the evolution of sports, this
substitute for the Inquisition, (which
was itself great national festival"
The preoccupation Of Ibanex author,
Is, however. that of the bull fight i'm
dramatic actuality. 1t is the story of
Juan Gallardo. hero OF the ring. It Is
a tale of adventure and success, of dam
ger and dizzy height OF popularity
then of the lads death--"the bull being
dragged out of the arena, his neck
burnt and bloody, his legs stiff and his
CLASSY eyes gazing up at the sky"
The boy Lying dead q few PAGES from
him, only the other side OF a brick
wall His limbs also rigid. his stomach
ripped open. and mysterious dull light
shining through his half-open eyelids."
. q. Poor BULL Poor espadaw i