The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-18

Use of Mercator projection, or flat maps, has given us a distorted picture of the world, one the au- thor seeks to correct, largely be- cause the development of aircraft has made our world truly globu- lar, as well as smaller. Curved" maps demonstrate clearly and start Iingly that Minneapolis is no farth- CT away from Japan than is San Diego, California. An exciting and fascinating picture book, containing 64 pages of maps that are distinctly new in type. And it's an eye-open- CT for the best-intended isolation ists.
 SOMETHING different in the life of a serviceman is "1-B Soldier" by Private Joe Jones (Harper Bros: $2). Far from the shriek of shells, in surroundings where the widest cacophony came from the kitchen, Private Jones recounts year as a soldier on the home front. There are no heroics, but you'll find sat- isfying reading in the record of this twelvemonth. Jones is good story-teller, and he presents 8 side of the war that hasn't been given its deserved attention.
 A BRACE OF THRILLERS
 ESCAPE THE NIGHT" CRan- dom House: $2) is Mignon G. Eber- hart's latest contribution to the flesh-and-shudder set. It not only measures up to their set of standards, but has the characters and the human conflicts expected of a good novel as well. Serena March returns to her home on the California coast after a four years absence in New York, partly because she has a vacation coming, partly because friend Leda Blagden has pleaded with her to do so (goings on at home and a conviction that something is going to happen) and partly because of a guy out there she has never been able to forget.
 Leda proves to be right. What happens-murder-isn't the surprise but the to-whom, how, and, whodu- nit element is. A gorup of old friends, Serena included, are all un. der suspicion, especially Serena, who has the knack of a private detec. tive in always being on hand short ly after the killer strikes. Well-pot' ted, and the principals, though nu' merous, are made real enough SC that you'll have no trouble in keep ing them straight-or crooked-ir your mind.
 MRS. CARRIE GILES. Rufui Kings gentle lady of "The Case oi the Dowager's Etchings" (Crimt Club: $2O0), puts herself in about as unusual and uncomfortable ( spot as we've run across in quite 6 spell. The wealthy old girl decides that it's unpatriotie for her to rat tie about. all alone save the old family retainers, in her king -sizec mansion. so she throws wide oper the portals to the war workers oi the town. That's asking for action and she gets it.
 First applicant reminds her strong ly of Jeanne Eagels portrayal ol Sadie Thompson; then comes kindly middle-aged gentleman ana his 'nephew"-a lad with "altar boy eyes," but hands which we suspect have done c bit of throttling in theiI time; and another lodger strongly resembles Humphrey Bogart at hi grimmest. Tn no time at all there'l a murder. and the eEusher for Mrs Giles is that her dearly beloved nep hew Kent, a suddenly returned con quering hero. seems to be definitely connected with the killing. Mrs Giles imposslbly naive but lovabl' old duck. finds herself a pawn in [ tFlple-cross plot, and the author has you wondering whether or no she's really going to be rescued afteI all,
 INDIANS BITE DUST
 BORDER COMMAND" by Car Coke Rlster University Of Oklaho ma Press: e2.7bl, Is . vigorous ae'