Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-12
New Books at
Random
BIZ Margaret Germond.

THE AGE OF THE FISH. BY Odon Won
Horvath. New York: The Dial
Press.
"Cold times are coming, my friend
the Age of the Fish" Thus speaks Ju-
Illus Caesar, once respected master OF
languages in a girls high school, to
former colleague whom he chances to
meet in second-rate night club. I'm
only an amateur in astrology," continues
the spokesman, but I know the earths
moving into the zone of the Fish. The
souls of men, my friend, will become as
rigid as the face OF fish"
So far as the Importance Of the rest
of the book is concerned, the story might
we'll have begun and ended with these
uncomforting words of prophecy based
upon observation of the effect that regi-
mentation of mind and body is having
upon the youth of countries bowed under
the yoke of totalitarianism. They are
words that describe even now the intel
lectual degeneracy of masses of the
earths people who have fallen under
the spell of ideologies that have robbed
them of their right to think, to worship
and to live as they please.
The man into whose ears the prophetic
words are spoken is teacher in boys
school. and the narrator of this story
Disturbed by the possibility Of losing his
position because in response to an ex-
preston of contempt uttered by one of
his pupils he had made the statement
that all men are human beings. he tells
the erstwhile teacher of languages about
the doubts and fears that beset him
They discuss the dangers involved in the
deliberate development of a generation
without soul, and it is in this genera
ton grown to maturity, generation
living in paradise of stupidity" with
scorn as its ideal, that Julius Caesar sees
the dawn of the fish age.
Further establishment comes to the
unhappy teacher through his acquaint-
ance with an old priest who has wit
messed the death of religion among his
people and the substitution of a mate
rlallStlc code that casts into the discard
any recognition of mans spiritual being
and engenders hatred of races and of
creeds. He dlscloses his own fear for
the future OF humanity as he unfolds
the story Of the people among whom ne
has worked for years, Pensioners who
once respected and loved him but who
now nate him because they have lost
their faith in God.
Alter much ado the immediate trouble
growing out OF the racial incident is set
tled and the young teacher does not lose
his job, but out of that unfortunate af-
lair new hatred develops in the student
body. While the class is off on its an
nual training-camp season smolderino
ahlmosity bursts into flame and youth
is murdered. Later another pupil com.
mits suicide.
Considering the importance of the
main theme, the story upon which It
depends for presentation is flimsy and
not particularly interesting. But how
ever much it lacks in body, it serves
sufficiently as vehicle to carry forward
the dlscouraging message of a man who
TASTED the bitterness OF decay in his
1atnerland and witnessed the beginning
OF the spiritual degeneration Of its youth.
Neither students nor schoolmaster as
sumo proportions of Importance, but it is
through the actions of the boys in school
and in the training camp that the late
Odon Won Horvath gives an intimate
Interpretation of the cold FLOODED phi
losophy of the generation now maturing
into men with souls las rigid as the face
Of fish,
Less than a year ago Won Horyath
young playwright and novelist, living in
exile IN France, was killed by falling
tree.
MY COUSIN MARK TWAIN. BY Cyril
Clemens Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Press.
Here is an informal biographical sketch
of Samuel Langhorne Clemens compiled
by the only living relative of Americas
foremost humorist who bears the family
name. 1t is not a great piece of bio
graphical writing nor does it add very
materially to the known facts concerning
the life of Mark Twain, but 1t is inter-
esting nevertheless for its casual style
and for few stories and sidehghts that
have not previously been published.
The book is largely compilation Of
anecdotes and of interviews with friends
and associates of the one time steamboat
pilot, but even with great deal of
hitherto unavailable material in his pos
session the author has depended more
upon the old and familiar stories than
upon his new sources Of information He
begins the biography by accounting an
interview with the original Becky
Thatcher and carries through with per-
sonal observations from others who knew
and were sometimes the victims of the
incurable prankster. Also Mr. Clemens
draws into the picture many of the
famed men of history who highly es-
teemed the man and respected the genius
that was Mark Twain.
Three illustrations are included in the
volume, one of them portrait of the
humorlst when he was twenty-one years
old, painted by an unknown artist and
never before published Also there is an
appropriate and appreciative introduce
ton by another of Americas popular and
well-loved humorists, Booth Harrington.
An Immense amount of research has
undoubtedly been made by Cyril Clemens,
and though his book is not great pro-
duction it is at least a worthy contri-
button to Mark Twain literature.