Evening star., 1938-11-20

Compton Mackenzie, auth
A study OF the heritage, lite a1o
OF Windsor, X. G., published By
the contradictions In Alexander's
character-his compliance with the
murder Of his father, his wish to be
liberal monarch as against his
autocratic practice, his religiosity.
his mingled naivete and shrewdness.
It is written in a lively, though by
no means sensational style and is
completely entertaining.
From a Russia more modern,
though not on the evidence Of this
volume greatly changed, comes the
history of lula de Beausorbe. a Rus
sian lady of such cultural back
ground that under Communism she
was deemed fit for prison. The
name of the book is THE Woman
Who Could Not Die" and Viking
Press is the publisher. Nine. Beau
SCRIBE tells her own story. She was
living with her husband in Paris
when the revolution broke out, but
the pair returned to Russia because
they felt it a duty to do so. After
10 years in which both she and her
husband were employed by the gov
ernment, they were suddenly thrown
into Jail. She was placed in soli-
tary confinement some Of the time,
and at other periods had for her
companions thieves. prostitutes, drug
addicts, bewildered peasants and
some aristocrats like herself. Her
record is written here in q some
what precious manner, rather jump
lily and highly emotionalized. But
the picture which she gives OF Car
Alexander's realm under Its present
dispensation is a good one. It is
not particularly new, to be sare, for
by this date most of us have heard
of the horrors of the Soviet prison
However, 1t is first hand, and SO
peculiarly Illuminating.
Another biography which has been
waiting for long time for its prop
er notice is that of Daniel O'Connell,
the Irish popular leader. 1t is called
King of the Beggars,' and is by
Sean OFaolain, published by the
Viking Press. 1t deals with its sub
ject from the viewpoint of his part
In the rise of democratic feeling in
Ireland. It is colorfully and dra-
matically told, and is actually as
much history Of Ireland in the pc
riod as Of its hero. It is recon-
mended.
And one more journalist has done
a history of his memories. It is
Sisley Huddleston, who writes under
the title of I'm My Time" and has
Dutton for his publisher. Mr.. Hud-
dleston writes of Europe during and
since the war, largely from the
vantage point of Paris. The first
part of his book is called Paris In
Wartime" and deals with censor
ships, spies, mistakes and political
interference. The second part takes
up the. successive conferences and
pacts, discusses them from the
standpoint of their futility and gen.
orally debunks and points with
alarm. Well, no one will say that the
author is without reason In doing so
His book Is lively and readable. II
is not his fault that its ground has
been pretty well covered by his
brother correspondents in their life
historying.
More viewing with alarm comes
In a volume written by two men,
bers of the graduate faculty of the
New School of Social Research, Max
Ascon and Arthur F'eiler, published
by Norton. It is called "Fascism for
Whom?" and is thorough study OF
the fascistic system and the menace
which is may hold to ourselves. Nice
gloomy going, but informative for
those who have only a vague idea OF
what Fascism really is-a number OF
the citizenry which, according to Mr.
Stuart Chase, is surprisingly large
Read and be informed.
And thus the tale. There are
many more good, excellent books
crying for attention. The reviewer
can only say that she is one and
authors are legion (not that she
holds them as fit for the Gadarene
swine-heaven forbidD, and that,
come veal or woe, she will do her
best to keep up. A promise is all
that she can offer.
CARIBBEE CRUISE. BY John w.
Vandercook. New York: ReynAl
& Hitchcock.
The eye of John Vandercook looks
with profound affection on the Car
ibbers. The tenor of this colorful
tourists guide Of the West Indies
proclaims that their renown Of en-
chantment is no myth; that travel
ing agency pamphlets, always
rhapsodical, can exaggerate but lit
tie about the attractiveness of these
lands, which Is q moving tribute to
the Caribbees. Not only does Mr..
Vandercook say they are great, but
he accomplishes q thorough Job of
outlining what makes them so.
While the book In truth is a guide
for travellers, IN the telling it
amounts to nothing so pedestrian
sounding, being bathed with his
$a~~1 ~~AaAak~~A A~A ~n AatAe%n ~ ~.