The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-19
BY WALTER d. HICKMAN

S2.5O.
BY WALTER u. HICKMAN
TIAVE been receiving a bunch Of
4 L requests for the best selec-
ton" of short stories. That's a
pretty big offer but I believe l am
on safe ground when l recommend
"Great Modern Short Stories" as
selected by Grant OvertOn for the
Modern Library, Inc, New York
City
Oyerton has selected the following
eleven authors - Joseph Conrad
Ernest Hemingway, John GalsWorthy
Villa Gather, Sherwood Anderson
D. H. Lawrence, Katherine Mans
field Glenway Wescott, F. Scott
Fitzgerald James Joyce and w
Somerset Maugham
In making a book of this sort.
Overton explains, Il feel that the
basis should be the authors ideally
to be included
He ADDS that this may mean the
sacrifice of the ideally desirable
story in a few instances. because
after all, the collection must stand
by itself and in itself be enjoyable >
To my way of thinking, this is
about the sanest basis to select
greet modern short stories 1 have
encountered in many a moon.
The stories selected are as follows
Heart of Darkness by Conrad;
1.-The Three-Day Blow" by Heming-
way; The Apple Tree by Gals
worthy; "Pauls Case by Gather
I'm a Fool by Anderson; The
Prussian Officer by Lawrence;
Miss Brill" by Mansfield; The
Runaways," by Wescott; "At Your
Age by Fitzgerald; "Counterparts
by Joyce, and The Letter" by
Vaughan.
The longest story in the book is
Heart of Darkness" by Conrad
Overton points out that "one
should note that a great weight OF
critical authority has been mustered
to pronounce it the finest short
story in the English language"
He adds, hurriedly, knowledge of
this has not been able in any known
instance to spoil the enjoyment of
the reader
Because of the fact that Overton
has placed this story in his collec-
ton is one of my chief reasons for
recommending this collection. l
hope my raving as we'll as Overton's
will not prevent you from reading
this classic.
Overton selected Villa Gather be-
cause she seemed to him Ito offer
the best example of pure reliance on
the material to her hand"
The story I like best from the
viewpoint Of the theater of reading
is The Prussian Officer"
Let me know your choice and how
you like OvertOns selection.
Going on a vacation soon. are
you? Well, you are lucky. Am
speaking to twenty-three readers of
this department who graciously ask
me to suggest some books for sum-
mer vacation reading. Here goes
"As the Earth Turns" by Gladys
Hasty Carroll Imitation of Lite, .
by Fannie Hurst; Ann Vickers. =
by Sinclair Lewis: Life Begins at
Forty" by Walter B. Pitkin; Man
and Wife by Beth Brown; The
American Gun Mystery" by Ellery
Queen, and Both Your Houses. +"
the Pulitzer prize winning play by
Maxwell Anderson.
A fine description of a stern father
who so controlled his sons life aft
er the fathers death that the son
became a terrible wreck, is to be
found in Lake of Fire" by Lionel
Houser published by Claude Ken
dali and sells for $3.50.
Cairn Haldorn is the fathers
name and his sons is Norris. The
stern father. who lives in only a few
pages of the book actually by means
of will. controls the destiny of his
son from the grave.
Here is story that is different
1t is wild and morbid. If that's your
taste, then this is a hot book
simply can not keep up on books
about Russia. So I asked for help
Alexander Woolcott in the June
issue of McCall's magazine lists six
books which he claims gives the
Truth About Russia They are
Ten Days That Shook the World
by John Reed: The History of the
Russian Revolution" by Trotzky u
am familiar with this one) "A
Short View of Russia" by John
Maynard Keynes, Soviet Russia. =
by William Henry Chamberlin;
Red Bread" by Maurice Hindus
Il have read this onel and The
Little Golden Calf" by If and Pet
ROY.
Another indianapolis author has
come through with another novel
am speaking of r. E. Spencer, whose
first novel. The Lady Who Came to
Stay" was so favorably reviewed in
this department. His latest is The
IncompetentS." This one is on my
must reading list" That is l in
tend to make its acquaintance soon