Evening star., 1937-07-10
Bv Marv.Carfer Roberts.

Mrs. Keyes, is contained in its
i subtitle, which is The Story
of a Washington Hostess" For the
work is given over to its authors
"reminiscences of her life in the Capt.
tai, where, as wife of the New Hamp-
shire Senator and a member of the
press, she has had unusual opportuni-
ties for seeing and knowing the men
and women who have influenced pub
lie affairs over four administrations.
It is written in her customary chatty
and informal style, and ought to
make excellent entertainment for
those WaShingtonians who can live
over with the author the years COW
cred in her book, as we'll as for those
who will be seeing our public figures
only through Mrs. Keyes' eyes as they
read.
For her viewpoint is not without it's
piquancy. although in the main her
book is kindly and good-humored. 1t
covers much the same ground as was
taken up in the best-Selling Let Them
Eat Caviar" last Winter, and good
lIldlly ulOlC NCdlS, bib 10 llolaoAS AVA Aeo
lack of that savage humor which char
acterized the earlier book. Mrs. KeyeS
has an eye for the kind of anecdote
which amuseS without wounding, and
even when she does allow herself a
tart moment, as when she says OF
former cabinet member that he Is
now remembered because of the bril-
1F hi 1trifn mo u
does not linger over her point, but
quickly returns to her customary
amiability.
She describes the embassies as they
have been under the past four ad-
ministrations, the homes of the out
standing hostesses of the Capital and
the personalities who at different
times have contributed color to official
or city social life She is, perhaps, a
trihe too intimate about her own
friends-their families, their pets,
their romances. She writes feellngly
of the difficulties and problems con-
fronting the woman whose position
obilgates her to entertain in city
where she knows few people person.
ally and where the gate-craShlng'
habit is we'll esta ablished. She sketches
her own entry into writing career
and tells of her assignments to cover
such historical events as the Wash
ington Arms Conference. She takes
up her press associates in the city
and deals very generously in compll-
ments and praise of their abilities.
OF the four administratio tons of which
the Writes-the Harding, the Coolidge,
the Hoover and the present one-lt
would seem to a reader that she has
pleasantest memories of the Coolidges.
She praises both the former President
and his lady at some length and with
unmistakable warmth, beside which
her lack of enthusiasm for the Hoovers
is the more conspicuous. She admired
Mrs. Harding, too, and devotes some
paragraphs to her personal at
tractiveness and excellent taste in
dress. OF Mrs. Hoover, however, she
remarks in one of her crisp moments,
that she had no fair for clothes;
she was we'll built, but her figure was
mature and she was forever appearing
In fichus and lounceS and furbeloWS
which made her look twice her size" y"
And she adds, In short, she had no
charm. y" While as for PreSi-
dent Hoover, she accuses him of let
ting her down on story, and she is
too much of a journalist to be able to
forgive that unforgivable default.
Her great enthusiasm, however, Is
for the present occupants of the White
House, about whom she is rhapsodic.
Her book is, as has been said, en-
tertainng reading. 1t is goSslpy
without being malicious, it is anus
Ing without being unkind. 1t is pref
ty comprehensive, and, if it would
seem to a reader occasionally that
large amount of space is given to the
authors friends, why her friends have
been important people in the life OF
the Capital. The work is now on
the best-selling list, and, for its amla-
bility, would seem refreshing volume
when it is compared with other works
on Washington life which have re-
Gently been similarly honored.
6ObEN1 LIE 1lIelJ VI IN
SEX. BY G. B. Harrison. New
York: Henry Holt & Co.
THIS book is one of a number which
= for some weeks now have been
kept unjustly-though unavoidably-
waiting on the reviewers shelves. For
the production of the publishing
houses during the past season has eX-
ceeded any conceivable human capac-
ity for reading; books have been pour
Ing into reviewers offices at the rate
OF IS or more day for month and
longer But now that terrific current
has slackened and little by little the
accumulation is being given attention.
That so many of the neglected works
have proven to be first rate is grievous
to reviewers scrupleS, but then a
good book does not depend upon
prompt notices for its success. In
upon notices at all. Its public will find
it eventually, though half dozen
meretricious efforts may have achieved
brief fame in the interim.
This biography is commended, then,
to lovers of Elizabethan history and
appreciators of good prose. 1t is writ
ten with fine limpidity; it tells the
story of the brilliant febrile young earl
as knowingly as could any drama or
fiction. Nor does the fact that his his
tory is a well-knoWn one make this
new telling redundant. Essex's story is
a profoundly good tale in itself, and
SO it does not grow old. Like the trag
edy of Mary Queen of Scots, it is such
a story as people love to hear and re-
peat, story Of strong emotions shown
against background of violence and
eplendor, to be placed among such
things as are taught to children from
the cradle to make them fall in love
with reading" case, indeed, where
nature has contrarily held her mirror
up to art.
The present volume seems to have
been dictated by appreciation of this
quality in the materials. The author