Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12


one wanted me to write IT." Wrote
~ it. instead, because he himself had
for a score Of years hoped to write
the story of Rembrandt And here
It is Evidence a-plenty goes with it that
throughout the long period Of waiting REM
brandt Van Rim was brooding in the corners
of the Van Loon mind, was gathering slowly
about himself the full content of his own time
and place and career. Rembrandt ripening to
the special cast Of the Van Loon genius In
the meantime no less than half q dozen big
and mastery books have been produced by this
prolific writer.
Mr.. Van Loon Is first the historian devoted
to comprehensive and co-ordinated authenticity
of time and place. Behind the exacting chron-
icler however there Is the story teller, the dra-
matist working magic with these facts with
out in any degree vitiating their solid content.
Amsterdam Of the seventeenth century, spread
in it's true features and colors and customs, be-
comes the background of the story of the great
Rembrandt. And for closer touch, for q more
immediate partaking ON the readers part. Mr.
Van Loon uses the faithful daily jottings Of an
old diarist of that other day An ancestor of
his own, maybe. Maybe not No matter. It Is
the intimacy that counts, and of that there
is no lack. The run Of events for the great
painter himself is bitter and disastrous. Genius
is bound to suffer, since a canny world demands
dead men for its tributes and rewards. This
is, therefore, q hard story. 1t Is, on the other
hand, vital and absorbing recreation a bril-
liant re.embodiment of Rembrandt in his own
time and country. A great story. Another Van
Loon drama of some high point in the progress
Of world events, in the progress of the world
itself. Selma Robinson tells some interesting
things about Van Loon, beside the fact that
"R. ". r." Is the October choice of the Literary
Guild. Forty years and a bit more ago, born
in Rotterdam. In youth he studied at Cornell
and Harvard and at the University Of Munich.
AS list he of
revolution Served as war correspondent in the
World War. A lecturer on history and the his
tory OF art. And for u.s. the general readers he
Is a surprising writer on high and substantial
themes, one who Is able to turn truth to the
coaors Of romance and adventure
ardson, author Of Ultima Thule" etc. New
York: w. w. Norton & Co., Inc.
WRITTEN more than 20 years ago, Maurice
Guest" arrived in advance Of its own pub
lie. For good reason. The novel in theme and
treatment partakes Of the present rather than
Of the period Of its creation. Only another way
Of putting the fact that Henry Handel Richard
son, its author, was o long way ahead Of the
procession Of writer's and thinkers about her
Indeed. It took the trilogy Of novels having 10
do with the Mahonys Richard and Mary that
gradually brought Maurice Guest" into It's
actual birthright.
Maurice Guest" Is q story Of love at first
sight and Of unrequited love, the two IN one.
The theme 90 stated might belong to any era
OF novel writing, might entail treatment run
ming all the way from trash to q treatise. It
Is the outlook of the writer, an outlook modern
IN psychological acumen, modern in psyche
analytical appreciation, that moves the novel
abreast with the moment. As a story this IN
the tragedy Of Maurice Guest, q tragedy rising
Ne Af~H2 ~a~kw
temperament, from his own misnt to the situa-
ton which was. in effect, the medium Of his
existence. The story Is set in Leipzig, in the
musical colony Of that city It's movement
comes nom the haf-hearted purpose of Maui
rice to be a great musician. The real absorb
lion OF the youth was his love for the girl who
cared only for some one else Such a condition
was unbelievable to this boy of fraiI purpose and
feeble character. The end is disastrous. It is
the authors knowledge Of life, life general and
individual that gives the book its title to great
ness. Not that alone either, for Henry Handel
Is q master craftsman with words and cadences
with climbing effects, with suspensions and then
with an on-sweeping toward the predestined
end. great story that clearly belongs with
the best Of art devoted TO current life great
story Also from any point Of time and any
seat Of Judgment.
ALASKA: THE GREAT BEARS CUB. Nv
- Laws 1utnor OF uncle Sans
Attic: The Intimate Story of Alaska" Illus
nated from photographs by the author and
pen-and-ink sketches BY CLAUS Johan Mu-
RE. Boston: W. A. Wilde Company.
HARDLY more than a month ago Uncle
Sans Attic" by Mary Lee Davis, came
this way In something not unlike O triumphal
journey. book Of fine substance and hieh
achievement generally. And now here is Mary
Lee Davis again with another book on Alaska
What brand Of energy does that land of the
north create Tor the making Of books impor-