davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Crime and
Mystery
Reviewed by
JOHN C.. HENRY.
By Miriam Ottenhera
Hope to Die, by Hillary Waugh

nope 10 Ole, Dy Hillary waugh.
(Coward-McCann, Inc, So Gar
goyle.
A double-crossing mob of thieves
gives Detective Sheridan Wesley a
package of headaches and some
close calls in this tale of stolen
jewels and multiple murder. 1t all
starts innocently enough with a
beauteous lady asking Wesley to
find her missing husband. Her re-
luctance to seek police help makes
Wesley suspicious of foul playa
suspicion rapidly confirmed by the
husbands" sudden demise. Wesley
finds the master mind by process of
elimination-the forcible kind done
with q lethal weapon.
X X
She Walks Alone, by Helen McCloy.
Random House, $3.50.
THE following pages are to be
read only in the event of my death
by violence =" So begins the
unsigned manuscript handed to
Capt. Urizar of the Puerto Vieja
police by a ship captain after a
woman is found dead of snake bite
on his vessel. The typescript tells
of 100000 in cash aboard the ship
and recounts suspicious conversa-
tions involving both the strange
assortment of passengers and some
of the crew. Capt. Urizar follows
the trail blazed by the letter writer
to New York and finally to a pleas
ant home in Chevy Chase in this
out-of- the ordinary whodunit, full
of odd twists and unexpected turns.
X X X
The Devil and Destiny, by Theodore
Du Bots. doubleday & Co., Inc,
So Crime Club.
A convent-bred wisp of a girl who
believes firmly in the Prince of
Darkness and his evil scheming is
a natural setup to play fall guy for
all the people who prefer to see
Miles Sparkman minus the encum-
brance of wives. Miles is simply an
attractive type who wants to help
any one in distress. It isn't his fault
that a number of women fall in love
with him, but it does create pretty
set of motives for mayhem. Incl
dentally, Dr. Jeffrey McNeill rescues
the convent lass.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

BY George Simpson. (Harper;
The thirst of the public for in
formation on every conceivable sub
ject is shown by the popularity of
radio quiz programs and by the
wide sale of almanacs. The success
of George Simpsons books is an
other proof.
Mr.. Simpson, a veteran Wash
ington correspondent, has spent
much of his life collecting the an
swers to questions people ask and,
evidently filling this data in some
way that made it available as
wanted. The result has been a
series of books which gradually have
found increasing public favor until
now a new Simpson book is de-
mand item. "A Book About the
Bible" told much that people never
knew or had forgotten about the
Scriptures. "A Book About Thou
sand Things" came out last year
and was distributed by book club.
Now comes another miscellaneous
compendium of things people have
wondered about, ranging from
rutabagas to emperors.
In Information Roundup" Mr.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

But even If this is only the frag-
ment OF a career there is greatness
in it and Prof. Malone relates 1t
we'll.
Jefferson had developed his phil
osophy and had written the Decla-
ration of Independence. He had
drawn the Virginia act for religious
freedom. His ordinance of 1784 be-
came the basis of the great North
west Ordinance of 1887. He sought
no easy solutions of problems; his
was the long view. All this and
more was the record of the man
by the time he was Al.
The reader will wait with interest
for Prof. Malone's succeeding vol
umes: Jefferson the Democrat, y
Jefferson the President" and
Jefferson the Sage"
Evening star., 1948-05-09
BronfieId Continues His Pleasant Valley
ChronicoI With New Advice on Agronomy
MALABAR FARM
MALABAR FARM
BY Louis Bromfeld. (Harper & Bros; $375J
Reviewed by JAMES BIRCHFIELD

Since Louis Brom1eld returned
to the United States just before the
late wer and purchased 1000 acres
of rolling Ohio farm land he has
become one of the most influential
exponents of what he terms the
new agriculture.
Mr.. Bromf1eld has an Ohio farm
background, and it was natural that
during the Is years he spent in Asia
and Western Europe he should have
been an interested observer OF agri-
cultural methods and the men be-
hind them.
In India he first came under the
influence of Sir Albert Howard, the
British scientist and advocate OF
compost as a means of promoting
health in both plants and animals.
Many of Sir Albert's ideas have gone
into the development of his Ohio
farm. And his open-minded ap-
proach to agriculture has stimulated
advanced workers in this country.
1t was largely through his efforts
that Edward Faulkner's controversial
"Plowman's Folly" was published.
In Pleasant Valley" Mr.. Brom-
fields first book on agriculture, ne
took his readers on an idyllic tour
of his Malabar farm, and later, 1r
"A Few Brass Tacks," he tackled
the economic problems involved ir
agriculture. Now, with the publica
ton of "Malabar Farm" Mr.. Brom.
field continues the Pleasant Valley
chronicle, leavened with advice or
agronomy and economics.
Mr.. Bromfield, at best, is facilt
writer, and his pieces on nature art
among the best parts OF "Malabal
Farm" One finishes his chapter or
the life cycle Of pond with q ricf
glow of satisfaction, and his sections
on the antics of his Guernsey ano
Angus bulls are done with humorous
and sympathetic understanding Of
animals.
But Mr.. Bromfields real message
is to the serious student and /ol
practitioner of agriculture - those
who realize the necessity Of saving
our soil and increasing its produc.
tive ability. 1t is his great belief
that the production Of our farm
land must be raised.
At Malabar, Mr.. Bromfield has
brought back to a high state ol
fertility 1000 acres of worn-out
land. much Of it abandoned BY
former owners. His theories ane
Evening star., 1948-05-09
FormoIized Memoirs of the Master:
Henry James on the European Scene

ed-and-true Anglo-Saxon judg-
ments is shown In such attitudes as
his belief that French women were
somehow superior to French men
The Italians seemed strangest to
this American, who was as near cos
mopolite as any man of his era
Thus it is not surprising that he
devoted more attention to the Ital-
ian landscape than to the italian
people. These sketches, dating from
the late 1870s, are reprinted in a
handsome volume. They are fo1
James adherents. For uninitiates
they are likely to seem curiously
dated and formalized.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

This Is a book the Je1erSonlan
will want to read and to have. 1t
covers the years 1743 to 1884, or
up to the time Jefferson departs
for France after the revolution. 1t
is to be followed by three more
volumes.
If Jefferson does not emerge from
this book as clearly drawn as the
reader would wish it is likely due
to the difficulties. of subject and
material. Stories and legends do
not gather around shy and re-
served youth. And there was not
the reason to record incidents OF
the life of the young Jefferson as
there was when he attained emf
nence.
Jefferson's reticence and the pas
sage of time leave a disappointingly
indistinct picture of his wife and
his cherished home life.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

how he has proved them make
fascinating reading. And it seems,
at least to this reviewer, that the
evidence Mr.. Bromfield brings to
support his belief that we in Amer
ica must give more attention to
maintaining a Giving sofia soil
rich in organic and living matter
should do much to change some of
the conventional approaches to
agronomy.
"Malabar Farm" is stimulating
book-one that should be read by
all who like the country and who
have an interest in the land.
DIAMOND HEAD.
BY Houston Branch and Frank
Waters Farrar, Straus g. Co.; $3.50
This exciting historical novel is
based on the actual cruises of the
Confederate privateer Shenandoah,
which sailed to the most remote
quarters of the world to attempt to
destroy the Yankee whaling fleet
and avert defeat for the South.
r. c.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

open rebellion, all the while playing
to the last empty smile the role OF
successful career woman and de-
voted mother.
Miss Kuhn, a young author who
wrote warm little novel about a
working girl in "a Charlton" is
out of her element in the steel and
glass confines of her heroine's
alleged heart and her report is
superficial and unrewarding.
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Public Opinion
Is Maturing
I'm America
THE MAN IN THE STREET
BY Prof. Thomas A. Bailey. (The
Macmillan Co.; So

i he MAN LIN LIE OlHEE1
BY Prof. Thomas A. Bailey. (Tht
Macmillan Co.; So
Reviewed by
JOHN c. HENRY.
Foreigners intelligently inquisitive
as to why the United States be-
haves in the domestic and inter
national political field as it does
might read this book with profit
In fact, Americans might do like
wise.
Prof. Bailey. once an acting pro-
fessor of diplomatic history at
George Washington University, has
a substantial background in the
field of history, government and
allied social sciences. He has writ
ten several books against this back
ground and he brings to the task
not only knowledge of his field
but also crisp and authoritative
writing style.
In this book, Prof. Bailey views
somewhat sadly in retrospect the
welter of racial, religious and
regional completes which have been
reflected in our Governments poll
cies of the past 160 years. For
tunately, he finds encouraging signs
that American public opinion Cthe
man in the street, is approaching
maturity. In his conclusions, he
gives some good even though
broadly phrased advice on how te
maintain this trend.
Evening star., 1948-05-09
A Slide Rule Glance
At Gambling Odds
HOW TO FIGURE THE ODDS
BY Oswald Jacoby. doubleday
$780,
Reviewed by
IRVING F. LASH.

IRVING F. LASH.
Having made an exhaustive study
of the percentages involved in all
of the most popular games of
chance, from the stock market to
bingo, Mr.. Jacoby concludes there
is nothing like "sure thing" and
lays down rule:
Whenever you gamble, although
you hope and probably expect to
win, set aside, in advance, the
amount that you are willing to lose
and stick to this amount" Then
he says, you are gambling intelli-
gently and your losses will not hurt
you.
., An accomplished bridge and poker
player, Mr.. .Jacoby believes millions
of people 60 around betting even
money on 2-to-1 proposition. This,
of course, isn't fair and he wants
to see the suckers get a better break.
Thus his research into the odds.
Sections OF the book are as
formidable as a timetable, but there
is a liberal sowing of anecdotes that
keeps the mathematical theme from
becoming too trying.
Roman hero Horatius asked, How
can man die better than facing
fearful odds?' Mr.. Jacoby an
swers: 1T may be good way to
die, but can't think of worse way
TO gamble"
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Jews mChinu
ThemeofNoveI
By Pearl Buck
PEUNY
BY Pearl s. Buck. (John Day
Co.; $3.)
Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES.
The city of K'aifeng, in the
Province of Honan, once was a
center for Jews who emigrated
to China in little colonies in the
distant past. They never were
prosecuted in China, as they
were in so many other countries,
and what hardships they suffered,
Mrs. Buck tells US, were only those
common to the communities they
settled in.
AS time went on these Jews inter-
customs of the country and grad
ually lost their identity. To-day
even the memory of their origin is
gone" she explains. They are
Chinese"
But a century ago, in K'aifeng,
there were still Jewish families that
tried to preserve their faith and
their ancient ways. Such family
was the house of Ezra Ben Israel,
around which Mrs Buck has woven
q novel. Ezras family had been
in China for four generations. His
father was Jewish, his mother
Chinese. Ezra's wife Naomi was
fervently Jewish and she tried to
make her husband and their son
David live in the light of the Torah
and not slip into the easier life of
their wealthy Chinese associates.
The BOndmaid.
To bolster the staunch Naomi
there was the old, blind rabbi, still
holding traditional services in the
synagogue built generations ago and
falling into ruin through the in
difference Of the dWindling congre-
cation. Ezra was a successful i'm
porter and his best friend and busi-
ness colleague was Kung Chen. a
rich Chinese merchant. Ezra was
inclined toward the hedonistic tran
guilty Of the Chinese, David more
so. David's mother planned to
marry him to the rabbits handsome
daughter Leah and the rabbi hoped
that David would succeed him as
teacher Of their people. David
tried to be dutiful, but he was
doubtful. He had seen an enchant-
Evening star., 1948-05-09

tales and say
ings, as the case
m a y be; de-
scribed the orr
gin OF many
strange and in
teresting things.
Mr.. Stimp-
S on s answers
not only show
t he result of
careful, accurate
research, b u t
they are inter-
esting, often en-
tertaining, and
not too brief to
give a little his.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

tory of each puzzling problem.
While the questions and answers
are not arranged in any particular
order-Mr. Simpson explains that
he has found no practicable way to
do this-there is an adequate index
in back which should enable you to
look up the subjects that fascinate
you. &C. B. j.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

novel. And before the mystery of Mr..
Brandywine's past is dispelled, you'll
read a thoroughly entertaining &C
count of an American family.
Mr.. Wickenden writes of the Win
drows with sharp understanding
and with a sly humor too seldom
Evening star., 1948-05-09

ing daughter OF
K ng Che n
Then there was
Peony, the bond
maid with whom
he had been
brought up.
Marriage with
Peony was un-
thinkable, be-
cause David be-
long e d to a
gre at family
and she was a
serv an t, and
any other rela-
tionship " a s
r.l.iddan nv the
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Dra,oing by William Sharp from the jacket OF "7ooas
Brandu1Diue"

found in contemporary novels. Per-
haps there is too much about the
adolescent hopes and Illustration OF
Gladys and Scotty, but on the whole
The story holds up from first to last
and the minor characters are as
alive as the central figures.
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Reviewed by
EDWIN TREBLE.

Henry James travel sketches In
England, France and Italy tell more
about him than about the places he
visited. There is the same verbal
circumlocution that marks the
masters novels and the same wan
dering introspection. An unabash-
ed admirer of all things British, he
was forever justifying his pleasant
prejudice. That he was capable OF
Evening star., 1948-05-09

Here he rose to prominence in the
Civil War.
Tom Sweeney is a prominent
Washington attorney. He has pre-
viously published several other works
in verse and prose. &C. G. B.
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Books in Brief
THE MIRROR OF MAGIC.
n. K11rt Galiuraa ann lE

l.
BY Kurt Seligmann. Pantheon
Books, Inc; $500
In pleasantly unpedantic style the
author, a surreaIst painter, presents
a comprehensive survey of the occult
in the western world, from the first
propitiatory rites of ancient Meso-
potamia to the fabulous Cagllostro
of 18th century France. He explores
much that is known to the layman
only by name-black magic, alchemy,
agnosticism, the cabala, Rosicru-
cianism, vampires, the various
forms of divination-and points out
the curious admixture of magic IN
the early religions, including Chris
tianity. Some $50 illustrations COM
plete the mirror of magical thought
through the ages. F. DE L.
X \ X 4
UNCLOUDED SUMNER.
BY Alec Waugh. Farrar, Straus g.
Co., Inc; So
# you aren't one of the unfortu-
mates who must ration their reading
time and take in only the best, you
will probably enjoy passing few
hours with this undemanding ro-
nance.
Alec Waugh tells his story clearly
and with certain rigid skill, II not
with brilliance. 1t concerns a young
American painter who, while spend
ing a summer at the Riviera, falls
| in love with married Engilsh
woman. The remembrance of this
love runs through their lives like
a refrain"
"Unclouded Summer" is not highly
significant but 1t does provide con-
genial, romantic escape.-M. B. S.
X \ X X
GEORGIA CLAY.
BY Hazel Higgins Gobay. Beech
hurst; $2.75)
Toll and trouble in the Deep
South is Mrs. Gobay's theme. The
treatment of would-be cattle raisers
in Georgia is realistic but restrained. 4.
There is little of the brutality of a
Tobacco Road" in this, but there is
a general verisimilitude in situation
and dialogue. .-.
Mrs. Gobay, who developed a
Georgia ranch with her husband,
treats her harried humor with care
She has succeeded in making her
picture of way of existence inter-
esting. Perhaps the view is not as
sharply arresting as she intended
but the result Is a creditable flrst
novel. ~. M
DREADFUL FREEDOM, A CRI-
TIQUE OF EXISTENTIALISM.
BY Marjorie Creme. university OF
Chicago Press; $2.75o
The historical pattern of thought
behind existentialism is traced IN
this penetrating analysis OF the
popularly underlined movement. Miss
Creme admits the possibility OF a
new morality, but suggests exlsten-
tialism is merely "subtler ano
more penetrating statement OF our
old disheartenment. &C. q. b.
X n X
MATTHEW ARNOLD, A STUDY
IN CONFLICT.
BY Edward X. Brown. UNIVERSITY
of Chicago Press; So
This new Interpretation OF Arnold
Is particularly welcome in that it Is
the product of a deep insight. Mr.
Brown has OWNED a conflict be-
meath the surface appearance OF one
of the worlds greatest critics, who
strove for and acclaimed objectivity
as a necessary element in criticism
and all writing, and himself vio-
lates it in both his prose and poetry
! &C. G. B.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

Hebrew code: yet ne was oo.oosN
to her. Peony was literate ana 'ii. ~
tellieent and she was conIeilI w
eerve the family that had always
heen kind to her and to be near
David But the fates dealt uneA-
nected things to them ootn: AlUei
the rabbits death no one ooselveu
Sabbath in the synagogue. Davio
drifted far from the faith OF ms
fathers and yet something OF tnell
rioid standards clung to him. Ana
he was the last of his line.
Chinese Tolerance.
,.rs Ruck gives a clear, appeal
ing account of the losing strueele
nf the few orthodox Jews to escape
heino absorbed in an alien CIVIL
zation, AS she brings out, the toi-
erance and kindness OF the Cnl-
nose had accomplished what nos
tilitv in other lands never mad
the gradual integration OF tnese @
emiqrants, their eventual oeSer1ioi'
of their God and His teachings.
unfortunately the story written
around this high drama ollen
moves too slowly to sustain interest,"
IN the theme; it is apt to get en-
meshed in mere details OF the olr-
nese life the novelist knows SO wen,
The characters are Sharply anu
compassionately presented. Yet IL
is hard to like most OF them ana
what they do is not always plausible
Mime Ezra, however lofty her mo-
tives is a -tongued old woman
the rabbi is fanatic. Ezra means
we'll David is confused, Leah flares
IN a moment from sweet girl into
a violent woman and poor nttle
Peonv seems in her youth mostly TO
meddle unwisely.
"Peony" will be distributed by the
Literary Guild.
TOBIAS BRANDYWINE
Dan Wickenden (MorroW' S5J
The odd little man who called
himself Tobias BrandyWlne ap-
peared one day at the BACK door
of Senator Windrow's manson III
the town of Wanhope. The stranger
was cold and hungry. So Geneva
who had presided over the kltchen
and the whole household 1or a
generation, fed him and made MN
comfortable.
It turned out to be quite a fame
ilv. The Senator was old and ollno'
long retired from public life. There
were his children. Miss Emmy,
herself getting along in years, taught
little girls piano. Cedric had hall
interest in a book store and entire
interest in his partner, the widow,
Mrs. Clayborn, though peopfe
doubted that Cedric, having rounoeo
so. ever would marry. There were
the married daughter, Anna Grover
her unimaginative husband, George
and their very imaginative daughter
Gladys. who at 13 started writing
novels. and their romantic sor
Scotty.
Somehow Mr.. .Brandywine stayed
on. 1t was obvious from the f1rsl
that he was no tramp. no ordinary
person, that he was educated
Travelled. But he never talked abou,
himself and no one pressed him to
He took over the care OF the Ole
Senator. Gradually he became one
of the family and more and more
they turned to him for advice ane
= guidance. He came. in his unob.
trusive way, to have a compelling
influence over them all, especially
. In the years after the Senators
death.
Who was Mr.. Brandywine? Ths
Senator guessed, though he never
mentioned 1t to the others and only
on his deathbed to Mr. Brandywine
You can find out by reading thu
Evening star., 1948-05-09

FLIGHT TO ERIN.
BY Tom Sweeney. Exposition
Press; So
In. a series OF jumping narratives
the history of the MacSweeney
family is pictured from 1000 A. D.
in Ireland through the Civil War in
the United States. Ancient Ireland
was the successor Of Rome in SEQ
lastic learning with mingling of
Christianity and pagan vistas. The
tale in verse combines history with
story to gain atmosphere. The Mac
Sweeneys and Ireland travelled
through history together, until in
1903 Thomas Sweeney II, left Ire
land and came to the United States.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

Simpson has demolished some
legends and bolstered others, shown
the falsity or truth of old wives
Evening star., 1948-05-09

Albert Gueard would be conspicuous among memorsts OF the cur
he has expected the
picking weter of intimate
relevant historian Prof
critic he
this account
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Man S Greed
ImpeH1ing
'Eorth's Gold
OUR PLUNDERED PLANET
BY Fairfield Osborn. (Little,
BroWn & Co., S2.50.)
Reviewed by
HENRY LYON.

In a gem-sized book packed with
political dynamite. this question is
propounded in crystal-clear terms:
How can man continue to feed his
immense spawn by systematic
plunder of the life that sustains
him? This new perspective recog-
nizes man for what he is-a mighty,
selfish, geological force wastefully
mining the gold of fertility that has
been stored up through the ages OF
time. It would. indeed, appear that
we are far more likely to destroy
ourselves in battle against nature
than in any war of man against
man with weapons yet devised.
Where are the civilizations of the
first grain planters? Many of them
are under the desert sands; others
were swept away by nations too
hungry to be satisfied by their own
resources. And so it has gone
through the records of history. Great
populations today are concentrated
in Asia and to a lesser degree in
Europe.
Comes now a very practical ques-
tion not stated in so many words in
the book: What will happen to the
United States if it tries to nourish
the world in continuing emergen-
cies whenever they arise?
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Jefferson on the Threshold of Greatness:
A Careful Picture of His Growinq Years
JEFFERSON THE VIRGINIAN


BY Dumas Malone. little, Bro1On & Co.; $6J
Reviewed by FRANCIS P. DOUGLAS.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

PORTRAITS OF PLACES
BY Henry James. (Ledr Pnb-
fishers, $500
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Go|Iic Wit and Wisdom Import Flavor
To- q Disciplined Memoir of Academic Life

PERSONAL EQUATION
BY Albert Guerard. Nv. w. Norton & Co.; $500
Reviewed by MARY McGRORY.
Evening star., 1948-05-09
Everything From Rutobogos to Emperors
In Fact Grob-Buq by Local Answer-Mon
INFORMATION ROUNDUP

Bv George Simpson. (Harper;; $685.
Evening star., 1948-05-09

pS-fo.
Cornelia is one Of those dis
tressing women that are so prevalent
in modern novels-deep as q layer
of pancake makeup, kindly as a
mirror at high noon and sincere as
a cocktail party greeting. She runs
absolutely true to type, reaching
out with well-manicured hands for
everything that sparkles and shines.
She drives her husband to drink
and divorce, her daughter to a
nervous breakdown and her son to