Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
% IDA GILBERT MYER Z
II Nez0 Book About the National CabitaI.
Upton Sinclair aids to His Li5t of
No0eh- Volumes for 1881.

SUPER-CITY. BY Harry HershfeId. New
York: The Elf Publishers.
A DMIRABLE in its art. Vivid, therefore, in
effect. In another way OF saying it, here
is a simple, straight, human business drawn
out from the pandemonium which is New York
"a place certainly not simple, certainly not
straight, sometimes not human. To select from
1T material that runs, story-wise, a straight
course is achievement indeed. Two groups are
involved On the hand two men, Jews,
drawn close together by the trouble of one over
hayward son. On the other hand small
band of golden boys and their girl friends who,
having tried out all the ways Of using time up
pleasurably are casting about for some new
prank of joyousness. So-not very intel
lectual stunt-but this it is. They drop two
tickets on the pavement in front of the Ziegfeld
Theater. A lottery, you see The finders of
the tickets the occupants of the seats next
their own, may start something new, something
with different thrill to it, These slips are
found and used by the two friends. Not hard
to imagine the chagrin and disgust of the
world-weary young men at the very unpromis-
ing situation for them However, something
may be pulled out of the silly combination.
So friendly like, they walk with the men and
finally invite them for the rest of the evening
to the great estate on Long Island, maybe,
owned by one of them. This is the setting for
action that involves drunken orgy and crime,
with suspicion falling upon Nanny Traub
Rather with suspicion imposed upon the good
and lovable and clever Nanny Traub, one of
the two friends, naturally and innocentIy a
part of the nights revelry. The affair moves
swiftly and cuttingly upon its way. No loss
in motion or direction diyerts It. It projects
robustly: one of the multitudinous aspects Of
the big city in its impact upon men and women.
An absorbing picture Of part Of modern life.
Sort Of an allegory of the tremendous power
of this modern Babylon upon the hearts % it's
peODle uuon their IMAGINATIVE seizure nf
beauty, its frequently sinister beauty. No mat
ter what 1t does to the man. to the woman New
York, peculiarly New York as distinct from
other great cities, holds fast to them all in a
grip that cannot be loosened. From the story
itself. little story you see, there erlanates the
spirit. the great enveloping and compelling
spirit OF the huge metropolis. A fine novel Of
big implications.
OVER THE HILLS BY Jeffery Farnol author
of "The Broad Highway" ETC. Boston:
Little, Brown & Co.
HERE again is the fine FarnoI mode of adj
venture out in the open. No exploring
the insides Of people for this robust vagabond.
Out in the world where real things are doing
back far enough into the past for free swing
of fancy-and that is Jeffrey Farnol and his
romantic tales And how one loves the fellow!
The birth of this hero is enshrouded in
mystery splendid ssnd-oh for real hero.
Only talisman about his neck gave sign Of
his possible future. So, beggar-like and friend
less, he moves out into a very narrow world
where he is almost Immediately met by mighty
who imposed upon him such deeds such
circumstances as to make him forget, quite,
the obscurity of his beginnings. Adventures
stand by the wayside to meet this youth, for
these were uneasy days when Jacobite uprisings
were as frequent as sunrise itself And at each
turn the young changeling did himself and his