The Washington times., 1932-09-13


Fundamentals manner.
Straight-edge Maps
Teaching has changed and what geography books
are used now in schools l do not know; l doubt
whether they be entertaining as Van Looms
Geography, which is published in the format OF an
ordinary book and is illustrated by Hendrix Willem
van L. in his usual crisp and impressonistic style,
Strengthening the edges of the shore line of France
showing the land bridge between Europe and Asia,
making the Mississippi look like natural phenomenon
and not like line drawn map showing in colors
why the poles ice and the equator verdan In the
maps in the text, Mr.. Loon is sometimes jocose;
he knows his subject he sees no reason to be solemn
about it, Only sometimes the jokes aren't the best
jokes (ReIegatng the old Ottman Empire to Asia,
he says, "we had better our Turkey for tomor-
row." Come, comeD
The Human Side.
The book is, naturally humanized geography 1t
deals with outer space and earthquakes and climates
and pateaus and the Gulf Stream they affect the
two billion or less unfortunate creatures in human
shape who suffer from these things live by them.
It has enough history and enough philosophy to give
geography it's proper place in minds 1t is lively
and interesting And the Book of the Month Club
has approved the editorial wisdom of Simon Schuster
that many people will have the book-and most of
them will actually read 1t.
Why Drag in Douglas?
No book should be called "the great American novel"
and should be announced "a successor to South
Wind" South Winds do not propagate their kind and
are, like old jealous of successors James Aston
whoever ne Is, has written They Winter Abroad"
highly entertaining imitation of Norman Douglas mas
terpece it is good and it is like South Wind that
it might have been written by Douglas himsel-a Doug
las who thought he could do agan-but couldn't The
perfection of the first story isn't there The memory is
Cay and Sad.
It is typical book of the moment: gay the surface
defeatis underneath Most of the characters named
sgnficanty-ke the Pecksniffs and Heeps of Dickens;
the Sisters CoWfod, Mr.. McInvert, Mrs. Skimt and
Most of them are miserable crew of unhappy
Engshmen and women who winter in Italy, largely for
the purpose of saying they had when they get home
All their love affairs-and they aren't all oveIy-come
to grief. In the meantime, the Professor talks He
doesn't talk we'll the great takers of Nepenthe,
but he talks better than most people in this world
The gaiety of the book is in the little episodes, the
conversations which not ectures the light-mnded
throwing of orange peel into Miss Cowfolds window,
the dusty trip to the temples at Paestum Here Mr.
Aston develops light style of his which is entirely
charming; and he has a surprising mind, that you
are constantly of attractive cynicsm and
lessness In these times of terribly serious novels this
is blessing
An Angry Book.
Better than being serious to be furious. Man Made
Angry is book written with fury. Perhaps it would
be shocking to say that is sympathetic account of Jack
the Ripper the truth is that it is account of the
hfeefuness of smart rich and artistic people, skfuy
done that the mania of murderer natural
The book gives off of horror-as it shoud-and
better than being pleasant reading it is absorbing. The
founess of normal human beings is codly examined
the qurk in the murderers mind is we'll indicated. To
those who stand it, it is recommended. Ut is pub
lshed by Ray Long and Richard R. Smith)