Evening star., 1936-06-10
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
BACK TO cooLAMI BY Eleanor Dark.


Four people, rich in the goods OF this
world but deficient in the degree of
spiritual attainment required to meet
the simple demands of unrestrained
companionship, embark on two days
journey by motor car from Sydney to
Coolami in circumstances that hold
small hope for the carefree happiness
that such a trip would ordinarily offer
to the weary of mind and the over
burdened of heart. Contentment, hope,
rebellion and resignation are the emo
tional elements that constitute a quartet
which is insured against unpleasant dis
cord by the inherent politeness and
courtesy of the well born.
Tom Drew is perhaps an excellent
example of the ideal husband. He at
least, thinks SO. Through continuous
hard work and consistent temperance
in all things he has achieved success and
wealth and has kept faith with the
pledge made to himself at the time of
his marriage that only when he could
give to Millicent the best that money
could buy would he be content. An ex-
penSlye, glistening new car, with a
cleaning silver figurehead decorating
the radiator cap Is the badge of his
reward to his wife as a part of the
first genuine holiday in the more than
thirty years of their life together. Pride
ful contentment, honestly earned, fills
his heart as the car moves forward
along the first few miles of Australian
highway.
Hope is the compelling emotion that
StirS Millicent as they get under way.
Not for herself or her husband does she
long for the fulillment of any lost
dreams, for she is too gentle and too
charitable-and too Smart-to show by
word or deed that there has been any
thing amiSS in the yardstick by which
Tom has measured his success 1t is
for the happiness of their daughter that
her generous and sympathetic nature
prayS.
Susan is one of the victims of the
freedom of her era. 1t is the preroga-
tive OF youth TO possess complete conf
dence in its own philosophy and knowl-
edge of life. Susan is a lovely, red
haired girl whose very definite theories
about life lead to facts for which her
theories. when put into practice. have
one-Sided affair with nothing except
her own love to support it. Resignation
to life of bitter disappointment is all
that is left when the illusions of theory
have vanished
Bret married for more than q year
to a girl for whom he has only warning
sentiments is rebellious against the fates
which have turned his once normal life
inf taio h IL
cause he refuses to let go of the belief
that she is responsible for the death
OF his favorite brother. He admires her
for the undaunted courage with which
she faced tragedy and the readjustment
of her life. He has no sense of security
in her avowed love for him and no
understanding of her refusal to accept
anything less than his love.
Susan has been with her parents for
many weeks when the story opens, and
no line of reasoning has until now
availed to bring her to a decision to
return to her husband. With no ex-
planation of her sudden desire to return
to Coolami, her husband responds to
her invitation to come after her her
father buys the new car with thAgleam-
ing, fantastic fgurehead her mother
q
reunion and of a return to her girl
hood surroundings and they start on the
tWo-day journey.
Long motor rides are conducive to
meditation. There is sprightly. enter
tanning conversation in abundance. but
each of the four is soon indulging in
that form of silent communion from
which there is no escape when Nature
har hoa
and valleys and forces upon the con-
sciouSneSs of mankind the magnitude of
her resources and the supremacy of her
power.
Two days make of several hundred
miles short journey in these days of
high-powered motor cars. But in the
+ two days from Sydney to Coolami these
four interesting. typical human beings
reliye in their thoughts the whole ex-
perience of life When they arrive at
Bret's beloved Coolami, "the birthplace
OF heroes each one has learned that
the true meaning of life lies beyond
the realm of material and theoretical
reckoning. Nature, in two days, dis
solves the cobwebs and rejoiceS over
the significant spiritual rebirth that
is her contribution to happiness.
nuoNA ana, plNldACu Wy OIlc WHO kIlONS
1t thoroughly. has a distinctive charm
of its own. Eleanor Dark is an artist
whose gift for describing beauty equals
her capacity to write a splendid story.
New South Wales is her home, and the
spirit of Australia throbs with reality
in this compelling and beautiful novel.
Il
NEGRO MUSICIANS AND THEIR
MUSIC. BY Maud Cuney-H Hare.
Washington: The Associated Publish
erS, Inc.
The most comprehensive volume of
this nature that has yet been published
is the present work of a woman who
has spared neither time nor effort in
the collection of material for an au-
thentic history and study of the music
of race whose melodies and dances.
hymns and ballads have from the Begin
ming of recorded history influenced the
development of rhythm and song where
ever the Negro people have made their
homes. The book Is particularly timely,
for 1t comes in an era in which op-
portunity in this country has no parallel.
Never before has there been so great
demand for the music that for so
many years remained unheard by the
multitudes who now find it beautiful
as well as significant And never before
has the door of opportunity for Negro
fol sla1x