Evening star., 1932-07-10

and green,-that under the dreamy fiction of
studying geography lesson merged into
deep black forests Of shivery dangers or white
desert sands Of swinging caravans into noun
tain ranges and happy valleys with wide rivers
winding to the sea- Ever yet according to
mood and season, well-pasted map is sure to
waken that Let's CO. feeling sure tn nudge
the primitive nomad within to his restless foot
work with the earth.
Now here is special map for special kind
Of traveller for the one who bides at home
wandering Off therefrom along the paths of
other mems minds, stepping out upon the
great highway of literature where guidance is
useful for fair Journeys and safe arrivals
as it is in the material and obvious ways of
travel. We, not fully sensing this, permit our
minds to wander through print at .wasteful
random while holding cur feet straight to the
short cuts CT efficient action
AMERICAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE
By Grant G. Knight, associate professor of
English University of Kentucky. New York
Ray Long 81 Richard r. Smith, Inc.
= HE new kind of map for fresh adventure
in travel through the domain OF American
.::tsratare. Three hundred years and more does
the journey run. From the long preachmerts of
Plymouth days to the tabloid press of this
morning. Frem the gloom of the Puritan to
the glitter OF the eolumnist
present, just as work is play, just as social
plans and political programs are Literature
Is current history. in essence. So this author
considers 1t. Polemie and dour in the Colonial
days as matter of course Expanding later with
the country itself into leisure and playtime
and many fresh interests, expanding into
romanticism of life and letters. long period
but recently challenged by the new realism Of
scientific fact and literary RECORDINGS
The history of these periods moves here into
the foreground. resolves itself into typical
character, action, issue. 1t is concrete study
American literature embodied in it's own
creators. The amount of material, much of
it fresh. points upon this author as a work.
ing man. The organization OF the work de-
ciares his high efficiency. The critical ap-
praisals obiectifed definitely in certain writers
and their work, are specially clear and con-
Vincing. An informal communicable scholar
taking his way into ones deep interest by
way OF American noyelsts and poets by way
OF Emerson and Thore3u and Lowell and Whit
tier. By way of Theodore Dresser and Edith
Wharton and Frank Norris and the ether new
writer's roundabout
A clear advantage. while journeying about
OF nights in the American book world to have
had this book as guide so that instantly upon
meeting writer knows him in time and
place and value. Besides the delight of the
book itself is a very deep and genuine one
WE BEGIN BY Helen Grace Carlisle. author
Of Mothers Cry" etc. New York: Harrison
Smith. Choice for July of the Book League
of America.
THE historical novel has internal disagree
meuts hard to overcome AS history it
must deal with facts. As romance it leans
toward the laxities of invention Set literally
IN the past it must seem to move in the vivid
ness of the present Inclusive IN scope it must
appear to be the events and incidents Of
limited period
Looking around, the historical novel appears
In the main, to have stressed its romance at
the expense of documented fact. Forgivable
since the prime purpose of this form is to make
history acceptable by way of the charm of the
story. However, il both ends could be met
II really engaging novel of solid integrity of
fact could be found. that, indeed, would fit in
Ideal fashion the highest purpose of this liter
ary form
I'VE Begin" is, primarily, a moving story
Direct in its course, straight in contributory
event, simple in incident, drawn habtually from
its period but never hindered nor OBJ
seured by mere idiosyncrasies of that period
climbing steadily toward its outcome and cli-
max. We Begin" is a pattern of the his
toric novel that has developed under the ad-
vantages OF modern means of research and in
the spirit of the new realism in fiction It is
the story of two brothers of Scrooby, Eleazar
and John Dexter and of Anne whom both love
and whom John marries. These are dissenters
from the established religion of England Thes.
are among those who leave the homeland fr
Holland, from which after 10 years among
the Dutch they sail for America becoming the
Plymouth people of Puritan England OBJ
Viously other novels to follow this one which
serves. in effect. but an introduction to the
American adventure
The English setting. the fight into Holland
and the years there, with the bare beginning
of life in America, constitute the substance of
this initial volume. Strkingiy impressive is
the realism Of We Begin" A serious under
taking for this author. work of true re-
creation is the measure of her purpose Re-
search. the first step. study and re-stldy, the
hunting down of every little trail of history
bearing upon this story-to-be Then thn long