Evening star., 1937-03-20


Author OF "The Tramp and His
Woman" (MdcmilldnJ.
dividuaGty remains uncaught. The
reader should not group it in his mind
with other simple, delicate works of
tragedy. The most nearly appropriate
comparison which occurs to the re-
viewer is the work of the late Kather-
inc Mansfield. 1t has that same pom
dering sorrow, that same bitter, but
diSpasSionate grief. Mansfield's work,
however, has been too famous. There
is something unfair about placing its
shadow over a novel that is complete
in its own integrity. And if The
Tramp and His Woman" resembles
the earlier writer's work, it is not an
initiative resemblance. nor does this
novel bear the mark of even an admir-
able copy.
One can only say, Read it. 1t is
worth your while" And that, of course,
is the highest praise. One should add,
however, the warning that it is book
which will tear your heart to pieces.
1t is perfect piece of tragic writing,
It is the story of child, the IA
year-old daughter of the "tramps
woman" and what happened in her
mind as she followed her mother and
her mothers companion over the roads
of England in hopeless search for
work. The forlorn little party of three
is marching toward the mothers old
home when the book opens, for the
mother, unlike the child, had known
home. She had been the daughter of
respectable tradesman, she had run off
with man VINO promised her ad-
venture, she had lived in Canada with
him, had been deserted by him and
had availed herself of other casual
men to keep a semblance of comfort
about her. Returning penniless to
England with her daughter, she de-
cided to go back to her family and
beg for reinstatement. Jim, thc tramp,
whom she meets in Liverpool, agrees to
take her so far. She regales him and
Annie along the way with stories of
the snug home which she remembers
and the hearthside comforts which she
expects to find there
But her father, on whose under
standing she relies to bring about her
forgiveness, has been too deeply hurt
by her long absence. He shows her
the family Bible, in which her name
has been blotted out. She is dead to
him, he tells her.
Thus. the vision of the safe fire.
side, the humming teakettle, the rides
in the family trap-the bliss of being
sheltered, in SHORTS brutally shat
tered. With the tramp-whom she
has bidden a confident good -by-she
returns to the roads, this time without
tangible hope. The daughter and the
tramp understand. Their sorrow for
her outWeighs their own troubles.
But from this time on the woman
has but one idea-She must regain re-
spectability, at whatever cost. And
she does regain it. But the price is
the life of thesdaughter and more than
the life of the tramp.
The book centers in the child, who
at first merely looks at the conduct
of her elders, without comprehending
the bitter emotions involved beneath
their words and acts Later, seeing
that her mother has changed, she
comes to feel a childs inarticulate
loyalty to Jim. The Pickering of feel
ing in her between childhood and
maturity is then described with per-
ception and beauty which cannot be
praised too highly. The scenes of her
games in the fields, her talks with
other children, are incredibly realistic.
That fantastically delicate period be-
tween unawareness and awareness has
seldom been more finely portrayed
This is the heart of the book.
1t Is recommended to all those who
love perfect writing. 1t Is not
pretty tale, but it Is beautiful one.
IMMORTAL FRANZ. BY zsolt Har-
sanyi. Translated from the Hun
garian by Lyntor Hudson. New
York: Frederick A. Stokes Co.
THIS book purports to tell in nov-
elized form the life of Franz List,
the great musician. 1t merely tells;
it does not attempt to interpret. Its
narrative gives some space to Liszts
childhood and then proceeds in terms
OF the various women who Influenced,
or tried to influence, his career 1t
makes a curious book as it works out
one which bears resemblance to the
novels of fashion" of the nineteenth
century-a large book full of famous
characters and studiedly dramatic
episodes, but endowed with little life.
Those who are not critical of this
latter lack will no doubt enjoy it. The
reviewer found it worthy, but tedious.
PARADISE. By Esther Forbes. New
York: Harcourt Brace g. Co.
THIS novel seems In the best tradi-
ton of historical fiction. It does
not attempt to follow the life of an
actual individual, but tells its own
story against historical background.
This seems to be better type of
novel than the one which builds itself
about an actual parsonage. One can
not say why, but the novel which
uses the person hardly ever seems to
have life of its own. 1t is stiff, as If
the authors imagination had been
hampered by the need for keeping
inside the bounds of facts.
The present story deals with life
in a New England colony, 20 miles
north of Boston in the days preceding
and during King Philips War. The
colony's progress Is the real story; the
famil-' of Parre, builders Of the es-
tate of Paradise, is the focus point.
The Parres are turbulent people. lit
tie in sympathy with the narrowness
of Puritanism, but hearty subscribers
to the Puritanical canons Of justice
and strict honesty. They come into
conflict with their more sconformable
neighbors, who resent their individ-
uality and pride, but maintain lead
ership Of their group through vicis-
situdes until the Indian war breaks
out when their courage in battle and