Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05

Man VINO contracted SpaCe. by
Catherine Mackenzie. Illustrated.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
A LEXANDER GRAHAM BELL,
~ the inventor of the telephone,
II stands by implication close to
L "A millions who, every day, talk
across space to enc another on
every kind of subject. His story, the
record of his first idea in respect to the
great invention, the growth Of this idea
to the next one and the next, the eX-
periments' made to turn ideas into ma
terial factS-eVery item in the amazing
progression is of immediate interest,
indeed OF truly romantic interest 10
all. To cut out distance, to bring Two
speakers together, no matter what the
mere mileage between may be, TINS IS
romance Of the most exciting kind. And
here Catherine Mackenzie tells the story
OF that Arabian Nights achievement,
tells the story of the man who SO grand
" succeeded in literal triumph Tor
the entire world
In literal sense this is not biography
nor does it assume to be. Some time,
somewhere, the biography will be writ
ten, full authentic, documented report
of each phase of this distinguished
mans life Miss MackenzieS work has
been to make the story OF the man
in close and understanding association.
For the general reader, eager for move
ment, action, points OF success ana
points of failure too, this story Will
serve, even better than the more elab-
crate work will. The historians and
savants- will seize upon that. The gen.
eral reader. alert to the splendid pageant
of the present, will greatly prize the
story. Little things as well as big ones
he Rrct col
ize the second, to give warmth and color
to the whole The daily doings, the
attitude of this man before these, points
Of personality. turns of temperament,
long talk in which Mr.. Bell in reminls-
cent mood went back over the past in
an intimate friendliness of disclosure
all thse are here, and more. The pains
taking and deep sincerity has this
author striven to capture the spirit OF
Alexander Graham Bell as well as to set
down in faithful report the substance
of his life. Am absorbing true story.
remarkable introduction to more for
NAL and more extensive study OF the
great inventor and his work.
DARK HESTER. BY Anne Douglas
Sedgwick, author OF The Little
French Girl" etc. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Co. ..'.' .t.'.''.
A man. his wife, his mother. This,
"A the material from which emerges
romance of triple extract. These are
of the present, these three. so. In the
two women, you are expecting to hnd
contrasted attitudes, approaches, de-
cisions. And here they are. The Older
way of standing before life, the younger
way of selling upon it with daring, with
cornpulsion Right under this story OF
the changing day is another one, bit
more personal, going deeper. This Is
the story of the mother in-law, of the
older woman in her bearing toward the
wife of her son. Though this, in rude
and coarse fashion, is sometimes made
the theme of jest, it is, nevertheless,
one of the seriously profound situations
in life. And that is the. theme OF the
second narrative, the one just under
the surface. Still deeper is another
matter, really epic in its depth and
scope. And this matter provides foun-
dalton for the third story. 1t brings
to the surface that mothers love for
her son. Call it what you will. mater
nal devotion, or what you will, but 1t is
a love more profound, more devastating
in its sweep than. perhaps, any other
kind of love whatsoever. And it is far
more general that We know, than we
divine. Dark Hester" from the top
reading is a clear and dramatic por-
trayal of modern life in its contraSted
outlook of two generations. 1t IS fair
and sfearless facing upon the youth OF
today. 1t is even an approving attitude
before this: pageantry of the young
folks. The courage of Hester has mil
lions of counterpartS in boys and girls
everywhere. A finely artistic survey,
as it would be- Under this there is the
deeply understanding story of per-
fectly unavoidable hostility between two
superior women. Both are trying for
breadth and the generous treatment.
Subtle, intuitive. knowing past all ar
gument, Mrs. Sedgwick follows these
two in the workings of their hearts,
bringing them into the open in beau
tiful consistency with the kind of per-
son that each one is. Truly excited
you follow-where? To the one with
esty. Both are so worth while, though,
so much worth while. 1t is with that
deepest story of all. however, that the
finest flower of understanding may be
found. There is nothing at all said
about it on the part of Mrs. Sedgwlck.
The matter itself is spread out in
delicate artistry of pure fact. It is left
for every intelligent and experienced
reader to gather in the truth of the
three themes of pure kinship, in beau
tiful unity of design and effect. An
understanding that goes beyond COM
mon acceptanceS informs this novel. An
intelligence that interpretS it in wisdom
and sincerity and delicacy lifts 1t to
the readers. high appreciation. Not
big thing to look at Dark Hester" not
a shade of the ponderous or the pre-
tentious about it, A big story neverthe-
less, a true and beautiful one besides.
* X X
THE LAKE OF THE SKY: Lake Tahoe.
BY George Wharton James. author
of Arizona: The Wonderland" etc.
illustrated. Revised by Edith Z.
Farnsworth. Boston: L. C. Page
& Co.
HERE is distinguished member of
A Pages See America First" series.
Revised for this new issue, the book,
happily, has lost no part of the high
enthusiasm in which it was first pro-
jected. In love with Lake Tahoe" is
the significance of this true romance
of nature. Love in this case has not
given rise to pampering and indulgence.
On the contrary, this lovely body of
water set high among the mountains
has been required to deliver its life
story in full for the benefit of the
HllA lto OWIl lIlSNOAy
has been enacted but that of its neigh
bors besides. The record goes back
to the discovery of Lake Tahoe by FIRE.
mont. Its legends are gathered for
the reader: its natural setting and its
glacial origin are described. Old min
ing stories gather near. Adventures of
trail and camping, of hunting and fish
ing stand by. A roll-call of the animals
around about shows their diminishing
numbers and kinds. The modern
aspect of the place in Summer camps,
hotels and cottages. means of enter
tainment are all given in this complete
outlook upon the Lake of the Sky.
Tahne-"The WaShoe Indians from