Evening star., 1936-04-04
A TAFT SCANS A ROOSEVELT
And His Book on the Political Outlook Attains Merit
Through the Dryness of Its Humor-Ftles Air Armada
Arouses Writer'S Fear-Other Recent Books Reviewed.

various aspects of our fellowmen. It
is book, clearly, to be taken with
respect.
Fooling aside. 1t is really that. Mr..
Puxley has brought a scientists 8
knowledge to his subject and has
combined that with an interpreter s
zeal. He has written about fish in
almost every latitude and water: If he
possessed more polished style his
book would be worthy Of q Beebe. As
it is, it is entertaining and highly
informative-what do you know, for
example. Of the friendship that ex-
lists between shrimp and elvers? Prob
ably nothing. Yet it Is a truly beau
tiful relation.
Such bits Of quaint lore, gathered
from the wide face of the globe, make
up this work. Even If you do not
keep an aquarium, you will find It
worth your time.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. THE
TRAGEDY OF A DISCOVERFR.
BY H. H. Houben. New York: E..
P. Dutton & Co.
THE dramatic aspects Of the career
of Columbus have plainly inter-
ested the author Of this new biogra-
ply most, for he has made Of 1t a
well-balanced tragedy, wherein man
of simplicity, courage and integrity
falls victim to the clever and dis
honest. These qualities of Columbus
have been set forth in other accounts
of his life, but here We have them
concentrated to make a story of a
man, rather than of career. Withal,
the book contains great fund Of
detail as to the voyages. their plan
ming and their difficulties. 1t is a
moving and absorbing narrative.
PETER CALLED THE GREAT. BY
Maurice Bethel Jones. New York:
Frederick A. Stokes Co.
A WELL-DONE biography of the
Russian ruler is this hook. its
emphasis being on those aspects of
the great man which demonstrate
that absurdity Is ineScapable, no
matter how many army corps offer
protection. Not much new material
has been included in the work. but
its sharp ironical telling will make 1t
absorbing even to those who are
abundantly familiar with the history.
HOW TO ILLUSTRATE FOR MON
EY. BY Sid Hydeman. New York:
Harper g. Bros.
WITH the completion of this bool.
by the art editor Of Cosmopoli-
tan and the Red Book there would
seem to be little left to say on the
subject of commercial art" as illus
trating for money" is so often called.
Or at least that is the Impression
which the lay reader will gather from
the great fund of instruction and in
formation which Mr.. Hydeman has
put into his volume. That the i'm
preston is true to facts is borne out
by testimonials from such practicing
illustrators as Dean CornwelI, Nc
Clelland Barclay and Arthur William
Brown. for they speak in the highest
praise OF the book as a guide to COM
mercial success for young artists who
want to enter their own very hand
some field Of gold.
Such practical problems as the ap-
proach to the art editor, the artist
as salesman, illustrating as an in
duStry, research, and art in advertis-
ing are duly considered by the author.
whose purpose plainly is to speak the
facts and avoid bunkum. Moro or
less talented youths. bent on making
100000 year. might. it would seem,
purchase the volume just as an in
vestment.
TREASURE HUNTS. BY A. Hyatt
Verrill. New York: G. P. Putnam's
Sons.
A BOOK about treasure hunting
usually means, to the experienced
reader, fiction Of more or less i'm