Evening star., 1928-05-15
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
\. C.. NJ.
MUCH LOVED BOOKS. James O'Don.
nell Bennett. Boni a. Liveright.

Inauguration. MOI the ShrinerS. IL Is
only the weekly outrush of new books
into the open. Exultant prize novels
disputing best sellers. epochal first ap-
pearances. infant prodigies at invention
vaulting easily into classic drama or
into the latest turn of free verse. works
of expositor and outliner In history,
science. philosophy, religion and poll
tics--all these, to say nothing of the
plain writing hoi polloi spawning print
as fecundly as fish deliver roe. Yes.
tremendous racket. to be sure; a mon
strous din. Do come in out of the
noisel" James O'Donnell Bennett play
ing host to you and me; playing host
and providing sanctuary at the same
time.
A place long and low and wide, gener-
ouSly windowed for leaf-sifted sunlight
to lay qliivering arabesques upon the
floor. Its glow blend of the hues of
amber and honey and candlelight. An
atmosphere. vital and deeply aware,
through which the low hum of voices
rises Many are gathered within this
room. Standing, sitting. walking about
all are talking in eager absorption. Here
and there face looks familiar to me
the face of one l have known, some
time somewhere. A strange company
nevertheless. So turn to my host for
light on a puzzling moment. Smiling,
he says: You are now In the company
of those writers who have created the
best sellers of the ages" And sud-
denly the tumult OF the street dies away
Only this tranquil room remains.
James Bennett Is first the friend
After that, the guide. So he leaves me
pretty much to myself in this amazing
company. A mere glance of query from
me. however brings him to my side
with the very fact that is needed, or
the picture, or the incident, or any
other whatnot OF completion that the
instant requires. Roaming at will,
whom do you think I saw? Mother
Goose herself Coincidence is an odd
contraption Of life. / was at that mo-
ment, out of the sheer Joy OF adventure,
humming The COW jumped over the
moon" when / heard little laugh
quite a musical laugh. I assure you
and some one took me by the arm. And
she told me all about it-about her
name. Mrs. Vergoose, and her home up
In Boston-quite long time ago 1t
was-and about making up things to
sing to her children, never dreaming
that she was then and there spinning
liked it. though--this fame 1t was
easy to see that. I meant to stay with
her longer. but just then Samuel Pepys
came along / never yet have held out
against the irresistible Samuel: so. un-
done at once, was of with him. Then
they came in companies and troops
Whitman. Carlyle, Hugo, Byron, Gold
smith and about half a hundred be-
sides. Macaulay, and / was glad TO see
him. You remember how for time he
suffered eclipse simply because he. the
historian, made the mistake OF being
gorgeousiy picturesque and interesting.
Nothing else is more suspicious than for
any one to be interesting. So all the
literary tabby-cats damned him with
the unforgivable sin of historical mac
curacy. Luckily for us, however. newly
devised measurements are working Tor
this mans intellectual rectitude. So let
us enjoy him all the more for his fleet
ing misfortune. 1t is impossible TO
name even these makers of enduring
best sellers. Just point here and
there, whose sum is an urge to go with
Mr. Bennett upon this particular out
faring into the past.
s. + =
II turns out that the Bible has been
best seller for something like 1900 years
nova record not approached by any
other piece Of print. This impressive
record of sales does not, however COM
pare with other important disclosures
about the Bible. 1t appears that We
have--at least the most of us--read the
Bible blindly. so to speak; have read II
in the deep shadows of future life and
salvation or damnation: in the terrify-
ing presence of an eXacting Jehovah.
Therefore, whatever else the Book con-
tains has been quite lost upon us. And
here Mr.. Bennett reminds us that this
Is a Book OF Joy and music and thanks
giving, as we'll as one OF admonition and
instruction Here within IL he points TO
some of the worlds greatest poetry. its
noblest songs, its finest dramas. its
deepest philosophy. He proves To us
that the Bible invented the short story:
yes, the modern agony OF the short
story over which academicians have
multiplied rules and spun subtleties OF
complete myStification to all but the
truly inspired. and these can afford to
do without them. Some of these short
stories are named for ready finding
Esther, David and Goliath. Ruth. Daniel
in the lions den and 8 or 10 besides.
Here, too, is another interesting dis
coyery. Naming book and chapter
Exodue, think 1t is--Mr. Bennett offers
us the real thrill OF finding the first
attempt TO create just the sort of or
ganiza ton as today lies at the founda-
ton of all enterprise politt-
cal. financial social. whatnot, 1t comes
out through little argument between
Jethro and his Son-in law, Moses. Here
Jethro criticigeS the waSteful methods
of Moses. and substitutes for these
compact properly related scheme; in
deed. presents pattern of modern or
ganixation. Moses had the good serSe
TO adopt the new plan. and thereby TO
lay up for himself quite reputation as
organizer and go-getter. Read this
story. 1t Is exciting Some one has
said in another direction that the Ser
mon on the Mount ST Pauls speech TO
the AthenianS and LincolnS Gettys-
burg address are the three greatest ora
tions ever delivered. Senator Beveridge
II was, as / recall And George Saints
bury, most iaStidious In criticism, calls
the sixth and seventh verses of the
eighth chapter of the Song OF Solomon
the best example known 10 him OF
absolutely perfect English prose"
Oh, he sure to read about the ro-
nance of the dictionary. We have all
sensed the beauty and resource of this
boob but read about 1t here for fuller
seizure of its fulfillment In this dtrec~
tion. r
Much Loved Books" is an adventure
for any one reading IT, a fine out
faring In the company Of . great con-
panion~~one who is sure Of his way and
who Is also waywise In every direction.
Happy with facts. equally happy with
words In their business of delivering to
you the whole delightful matter, The
excursion projects another one~~that of
Il rereading OF the best sellers Of the
ages"
4
THE DRAGON AND THE LOTUS,
Croshie OarStin, Frederick A stokes
Co.
Make no provision for any dull mo-
nentS hare sThay are mt on the OrO~