Evening star., 1939-01-15
FIRST BOOKS OF YEAR PRESENT VARIETY
H. H Balkin Tells Estimate People
Theodore Abel Analyses Life Stories Of I1lers Henchmen


giving anything approaching an in
innate glimpse Of the routine and
OF stage life of artists Of the dance.
More accurately, one could say that
he is giving his tourist impressions
Of the world and steamship travel
with a dash Of Ballet Russo thrown
In for good measure. This, Of course,
conflicts with the apparent purpose
Of the book.
At his best when discussing in q
critical capacity the English and
Russian scenes Gin re ballet), this
authority retains stif, impersonal
praise-or-blame attitude toward the
numerous dancing persons in his
focus. Mr.. Haskell still raves about
Nijinska, Diaghilen and Massine-
watchwords all. J..
LATIN AMERICA, A BRIEF HIS
TORY. BY F. A. Kirkpatrick.
New York: The Macmillan Co.
Awakened interest OF Americans
In their neighbors Of this hemis-
phere and recognition of the place
these republics have in the Amer
lean scheme of things is drawing
forth a flood of new histories and
travel books on Latin America.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick's work can hardly
be described as unique, except in
the attention he has paid to the
demands of the popular reader by
relieving them of the burden of
dates, myriads of meaningless
names, and the dull record of man
kind which is the usual substance
Of histories.
Deferring to the readers &C
quaintance with the discovery of
America and the development OF
the Spanish and Portuguese COL
onies in this hemisphere, Mr.. Kirk
patrick treats briefly the period
prior to the Spanish American
revolutions, concentrating his atten-
ton upon the histories of each of
the Latin American nations.
The best part of the volume, from
the standpoint of the reader who
Is interested in what Latin America
means to the United States, Is the
last two chapters, which are meager.
One deals almost exclusively with
the Monroe Doctrine and PAN
Americanism; the other with the
character of the Latin Americans
themselves.
The author distinguishes sharply
between AmericaniSmo and Pan
Americanism, the former being the
sympathetic ties which bind all OF
the Hispanic Americans wherever
they meet, the latter the compre-
hensive international system in
which the United States holds the
principal seat.
Contary to the views of many
writer's who insist on the wide
Emergencies between the Latin
American countries. Mr.. Kirkpat-
rick emphasizes the thoroughly
Spanish character which dominates
all of these countries. and high
| lights the influence of France upon
the Latin Americans. These are
points which he might have elabor.
rated with profit but which are
confined to scant five pages.
c. B. M.
LIVING IN A GREAT BIG WAY
BY Kate Smith. New York
Blue Ribbon Books.
The girl who made when the
Moon Comes Over the Mountain
of no little significance to the radio
entertainment world has written hel
life story, one that is full of genial
ity and good-heartedness to be ap-
preciated by her host of friends
Kate Smith, writing with the same
folksy nature that characterizes hel
radio broadcasts, does not change
the long formed impression of kind.
ness and consideration that hel
personality has created over tht
past eight years.
Unmarried by an excess of dis.
appointments, Miss Smiths life story
is one of rapid and glowing success
kept on placid course by the wis.
and friendly counsel of Ted Col
Inns, her partner" and by her oWr
thoughtful aid to the stricken ane
needy. This propensity for helping
others has. in fact. always been {
shining star over the singers entir'
sojourn with the air waves. Ever
in her book, Miss Smith assume
the role of adviser and warns tn,
neophyte singer Of the pitfalls o
the Big City, coaches aspiring song
writer's on how to sell, and even sug
gests a few very workable menu
for the homekeeper. j. S.
ROYAL REGIMENT. BY Gilber
Frankau. New York: E. P. Dut
ton & Co.
There's no doubt, even viewin,
the thing from long range, that tn
abdication for love of his kingshil
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