Evening star., 1928-03-04

: any rate here Is case in proof OF the
fact that writer by use of the most
natural device has scored a triumph
that nobody else. almost nobody else.
has reached in this particular way To
portray the Basque land. TO set out the
| lure OF the Tyrcnees. to picture the old
customs, the unchanging outlook Of the
people Of this region--this Is the aim
first and foremost, OF Eleanor Mercein
No. no. not the usual travel book Ad-
mirab!e as these are, they do not fit
into the aspiration Of this author
Nothing less than the daily life OF some
Basque family whose blood Is Of the
essence OF the mountains and long fam
lily lineage will do. II will take story
then to deliver the Basque country
over to readers. Well, why not? A.
story has been the worlds delight ever
since words we're invented, even before
So. story it is going To be, story
whose purpose Is that OF the traveller
who writes-thas is. to picture some plot
Ot earth SOM where. 1t is interesting
to discover finally that this story whose
hero IS Basque, the son OF an old fam
lily, and whose heroine Is the most mod
! ern OF American young women. is as
completely absorbing on the story side
as 1t Is intimate and warming and
beautiful In It's delivery to the reader
OF picturesque and Turing part of the
earth and It's people. Just plain intel
| ligence, the union Of these two lines of
| purpose to make single striking ef-
! feet. Why hasn't this been done be-
! fore, or oftener?" The question that
always rises over the seemingly obvious.
1t took this woman of keen intelligence
to turn the trick. And how we'll she
! has done 1t ali. The story is OF fine
Z ~ ~ yta <to@I.
! comes. as naturally as breathing comes.
| the sense OF not only the body of the
/ Pyrenecs but its spirit as well. A beau
tiful piece of work.
! y + Il
! SEEING ITALY. BY E. M. Newman
| Illustrated. New York: Funk &,
/ WagnallS Co.
/ HERE is volume of the Newman
travel talks. II you have listened
/ TO this traVc!er-and who has not?-
you. without word in behalf of the
/ book. know its value Maps. pictures
In abundance. descriptions that. drained
OF every unnecessary word still flow
with the ease of the most friendly in
tcrcOurSe. a selectiVe experience that
offers only the best and the most I'M
! portant-these are the outstanding
! features OF this journey with Newman
through Italy Gorgeous scenery
stands TO right and left History in
! significant epoch and critical turning
point steps into the open here. Art
! that has been the inspiration of the
| frescoed walls Of cathedral and castle
! Indestructihlc work OF the builders
! confronts one here in road and aque-
duct. forum and amphitheater. The
/ birth spot or dwelling place Of i'm
mortal poet gives TO each of us its own
! call TO the ideals and achievements OF
/ genius. Added TO this triumph of Sc
lection and portrayal there is much o!
definite advice in the way of specific
guidance here. So. II you should be
persuaded 10 travel in actually. in
stead Of by way of reading. here is one
of the best of books for seeing the
/ best Of Italy.
DRAGON LIZARDS OF KoMoDo
/ BY w. Douglas Burden. Illustrated
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sens.
"L OMODO" is not a what, though,
~ 1t sounds like one. 1t is where
. instead. one Of the islands of the
Dutch East Indies on which live dragon
lizards. pcdgrced with 60,000, ,000-year
! line of descent. To be sure. these
! lizards are not what they used TO be.
None OF us is. They have lost size
! In consequence they have shed most
OF their terrors. They have lost the
prestige of being the source Of all the
old dragon myths wherein gods and
, men went out 10 conquer this enemy
! of the world. Indeed. the only sign
OF the dragon lizard as he was in his
prime is on the flag of China. the
emblem Of the Empire. The matter IT
hand. however. Is the expedition formed
and carried out by this author and his
wife 10 go 10 komodo. there 10 make
the acquaintance of the living repre-
scntaiives OF this old family and. II
may be. 20 find relies OF the ancestral
/ lizard himself Let us say AZ once that
the pair came back with their creden-
/ t.als full upon them. Specimens
pretty complete, and unden.ably III
good standing with science itself. To
these the savants will doubtless pay
! proper regard. They sound absolutely
/ a.l right TO the layman, though il must
be admitted that the layman cuts 10
! figure at all with learning Properly
/ SO. too. Nevertheless. IL is the appeal
! Of this book 10 the average reader that
/ counts here. Here Is adventure fronted
| upon an unfamiliar quarter A new
and interesting place Is set out III pic
/ ture. description and story by u wide
awake and enthusiastic man and
/ woman who. happily, complement each
ether In rounding out an unusual per-
Sonal experience komodo with lis
volcanoes and jungleS with It's tropical
/ spirit, comes out here IN vivid form
/ Old customs and present people unite
] TO give full picture under the insight
and management Of this modern pair
/ of observers, picture makers. inre>si-
/ gators, recorders. Adventures The
book itself Is good evidence os the fine
quality of these two for the pursuit
Of the dragon lizards Of Koniodo. A
completely engaging report of advcn-
tire In the interest Of both science and
| the outiaring OH its own account.
i FLASH; The Lead Dos, By George
Marsh. author of "ToilerS cf the
Tran," etc. Illustrated by c. l.,
Bull Philadelphia, The Penn Pub
fishing Co.
NO other kind Of story can beat the
sood dog story, So SAYS The dog
lover So say all OF us Here is one
submitted AS evidence, Up north III the