The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-02

THOSE familiar with the life
i story OF Jim Tuliy will recognize
easily the counterpart Of the fa-
nous author In his latest book,
"Biddy Brogan's Boy" tscribners)
Again turning those masterful
expressions OF Irish wit and brogue,
Tully tells the story OF Biddy and
his sister, Virginia Biddy Is left
motherless when q youngster, Is
sent 10 an orphans home, from
which he emerges at i3 10 march
through the same familiar episodes
OF Tully's own nfe.
The Characterization Of Biddy Is
almost subordinate 10 that Of sister
Virginia, to whom Biddy returns
upon leaving the orphanage. She Is
the one steady, shining thing IN Gil
OF Blddy's life. lie yields uncon-
sclously to her good influences. His
visits with her mark the intervals
separating his various travels and
Jobs
Biddy finds himself thwarted IN
his ambition to become q writer,
but ViTHinia'S confidence IN him,
coupled with her sacrifices In his
behalf encourages him TO new eff
forts.
He hits the road, riding the rods,
harvesting crops, reporting for O
newspaper and fighting In the ring
before he comes into his own as
O writer. Ills success Is marTed
through loss OF Virginia.
As expected Of Tully, his charac.
terlSationS are excellent and there
Is q wealth Of aneedotal material.
However, there Is little continuity
In the reading and the story thread
is often lost IN depression.
"CoUND AND FURY" by Fran.
~ els Chase, Jr. (Harpers), Is On
entertaining and breezy history Of
radio broadcasting.
spiced with 1nnumerable anec-
dotes, IL traces the story Of broad
casting IN all ITS aspects. Chase de-
scribes In vivid fashion the birth Of
broadcasting, It's growing pains, and
It's einergence as Q goth century
colossus.
He contrasts the SlowneSs Of bus
mess to grasp the commercial po-
tentialities OF radio during It's pio-
neer days with the handwagon rush
OF advertisers, entertainers, propas
gandiSts and politicians that was 10
follow.
Chase Grams his book with the
story OF hundreds OF coloFful radio
personalities. II Is q vivid, living
document OF ono OF Americas most
dynamic industries.
A NOUS MCDONALD has given o
"a vivid portrayal Of his preacher
farmer father IN "Old Mcdonald
Had O Farm" (Houghton, Mlffiin) /.
The countrywide laughed when
preacher Mcdonald bought m erod-
cd Oklahoma hilltop, but before he
was through they ell had to admit
he was tho best farmer Of them
oil.
Old Mcdonald must have been one
OF the few Inidwestern farmers OF
the '30s who saw the countrys
farmlands being washed and blown
away. He preached soil conserve
ton and practiced II, but no one
Listened or prohtted by the example
he set.
Some Of his homilieS are worth
remembering:
"Those who do not work should
not cat lest they deprive others Of
the fruits OF their labor"
"This Is Gods good earth and you
are SHINING and deSecrating His
land when you plow up and down
hill"
GRANVILLE HICKS tells oil
" about his life in o small New
England town In his novel, only
One Storm" (MacN1illan), and his
many Characterization ring true.
The title Of the story Is taken
from the old saying, there's only
one storm that's never cleared UP
and that's this one"
Candy Kittredge, O loyal young
American who has risen to the top
Of the advertising game, but be.
comes disguised with the ideals Of
his profession, quits and goes back
to his tiny home town with his wife
and Riddles to work out their saliva
ton.
He acquires the small print shop
and HES himself all over the coun-
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