Evening star., 1937-11-13

trlveS TO give unconventional inter-
pretations. The result Is q volume
lacking in the monotony which too
often attends even accomplished SON.
net sequences. w.. M
Mr.. Parsons publisher, 1t Is inter-
esting to note, has offered a series Of
five prizes, to be known as the Dom
aid Parson Prizes, for the five best
essays of approximately 1000 words
or less, based ION themes suggested
by the volume" The first prize Is
$500. The others are $25. ~
The reviewer quotes the following
As an example Of Mr.. Parsons method.
1t is called Helen Keller Speaks:
They took away what should have
been my eyes. ,.@
(But remembered Millions Paradise.)
They took away what should have
been my ears,
Beethoven came and wiped away my
tears.) -
They took away what should have
been my tongue,
(But I had talked with God when
was young)
He would not let them take away my
SOUL.
Possessing that. I still possess the
whole.
FLYING FEATHERS. BY Horatio
Bigelow. Richmond: Garrett &
Massie.
THIS is a book which ought to be
dear to the heart Of sportsmen.
1t is subtitled, "a Yankees Hunting
Experience in the South" and that
about describes it. 1t takes up duck
shooting, doves and turkey; there is
also, despite the title, a chapter on
hunting deer at Boone Hall. 1t is
written amiably, In manner to reach
hunters appreciation, not technical,
but still full of good technical points.
1t is illustrated with photographs Of
game and hunters; it has attractive
end papers of pair of settlers at
work and generally is the book to give
to your hunting friends this Christ
mas That, it would seem, is its
proper destination.
THE GARDEN OF ADONIS. by
Caroline Gordon. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons.
CAROLINE GORDON is unquestion-
ably novelist of the first rank.
Her splendid Civil War novel of last
spring, None Shall Look Back" proved
that. She is incapable of writing bad
prose. But this new novel Of the South
today adds nothing to her stature.
1t is about group of presenL-day
Southerners. There is the contrast
between the Old South and the New
South but the point (already made
countless times) is not labored. The
society she pictures is decadent. Her
landowning family has seen better days
and there is the u'ual resentment of
the new-rich Northerners On the
other hand there are tenant farmers
struggling to make their own living
with personal and even economic
problems as great as those which beset
their so-called betters.
4liOcC SllQdlAOllo dlC HOfGli lllUO Ilit
space of a short time. The elements
of the drama are only loosely con-
nected. This causes shifting of en-
phasis which weakens the novel. Miss
Gordon drops her tale of the hopeless
love of the young tenant farmer for
the daughter of a worthless family
to tell in detail the extraneous story
of the marriage of man with whom
the plantation owners daughter hap
pens to be in love. Thus the book
changes course entirely in midstream.
The young woman of quality takes
matters into her own hands; and so
does the poor farmers daughter. The
former defies convention; the latter
makes a great sacrifice for its sake
1t is ironic enough and not improbable
yet it leaves one unsatisfied. There
is a sudden, dramatic ending-a final
conflict between the young tenant and
his master in which both are losers.
In the hands Of less gifted writer
this novel would have been a hodge
podge. In Miss Gordons hands it has
strange attraction despite its all too
obvious faults. E.T,
BRITTANY PATROL. BY H. Wick
life Rose. New York: w. w. Nor
ton g. Co.
A PHASE of United States naval
participation in the World War
which has rarely come to light, being
one OF the less glorious branches of
the Navy then, enjoys here the credit
and acquaintance it deserves.
About the operations of the Suicide
Fleet" the group Of private yachts con-
verted into fighting craft upon the
entrance of this country into the war,
the book is history of convoy duty
along the coast of the Bay of Biscay
when German submarines were infiict-
ing their heaviest damage on allied
shipping. AS most matter concerning
the underwater vessels proves thrill
ing, the work of these relatively make
shift convoy escorts is even more so,
considering their inadequate adoption
for the job of protecting ponderous
supply ships from a skulking foe.
Adventure courses freely as the
author recalls countless scrapes of the
small men o. war with relentless subs,
treacherous passages along the coast
and terrific gales which pound from
the north, torpedoing and sinking Of
all kinds of ships. Rescue3 at sea in
crease the grip of the story.
Having served with the plucky out
fit from beginning to home-coming.
Mr.. Rose speaks with pride and for
good reason. The book is clean, pa
triotic and pretty dry of manner-but
it Is a history OF past war. J. S.
BEST SELLERS FOR WEEK
ENDING NOVEMBER 6.
Fiction.
THE RAINS CAME. Bromfleld.