davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1961-04-09

misery ana gloom as 10 give
the reader a nostalgia for
the works of Gene Stratton
Porter or Kathleen Norris.
Tillie Olsen's Tell Me a
Riddle" is a long, tortured
account of an old immigrant
woman's death from cancer.
She and her husband have
long since ceased to love each
other and her agony is acted
out as they reStlessly travel
about the country at the urg-
ing of their children. The
editor admits that the read
er may have some initial
difficulty locating the center
of the drama" Initial or
permanent, as in this read
er's case.
The second story, by Ivan
Gold, "The Nickel Misery of
George Washington Brown"
the editor admits is "a seri-
Gus and difficult story"
It's not only that; it Is NOR
bid and endless. Its central
figure, a hapless Negro pri-
vate, whom the editor calls
a "kind of lobotomized Huck
Finn" is, quite simply, tor
tured to death by a sadisic
sergeant. Around these two
characters weave other
soldiers of equally unattrac-
tive stripe, including a
Northern Negro who is
called "Copperhead" by his
buddies because cf the rep
tilian cast of his features.
The difficulty is in caring
about any of them. and Won
dering what they mean.
Whatever happened to unity,
conference and emphasis?
GruesOme Stuff
Then in "The Quick and
the Dead" by Erwin Krause
we have a story about a
farmer who discovers two
lovers who have frozen to
death in the act Of love in a
car parked in a field. Jack
Ludwig's "Thoreau in Califor-
mia" is a brittle account Of
beatniks and "Ivies" who in
evitably end up after endless
status-swapping contemplat-
ing the suburban game of
wife-swapping.
Some relief is offered by
Reynolds Prices "One Sun
day in Late july" a southern
story of bittersweet love and
Ellen Currie's 20 Lovely APP
pearance of DEATH" in which
the death of a bad" woman
is counterpointed by the
abrasive love Of a virtuous
Irishwoman, whose whole
conversation is threats and
challenges, but whose heart
as none of these writers
would ever say, is in the right
place.
In all. these stories make
one wish short stories were
shorter.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
Are All Good
Psychiutrists
Bad Mates?
I MARRIED A PSYCHIL

I MARRIED A PSYCHIA-
TRIST. BY Louise Pfister,
as told to Francs Spatz
Leighton. (Citadel Press;
$4O
Two Washington women
collaborated on this funny,
very readable account of life
with a observation-disclosures
Pfister, the nurse who mar
ried the analyst she met in a
mental institution, and
Frances Spatz Leighton,
Washington correspondent
for a Sunday news magazine.
Although the wife Of the
eminent analyst uses her
maiden name to protect her
husbands identity. an un-
told number Of Washington
psychiatric patients should
soon be probing this witty
reverse analysis Of a psychi-
artist to see If he belongs to
them, as well as to the wife
who authored the book. Ac-
cording to Miss Pfister's fig
ures. most of those checking
would be between 40 and so
years Of age-which may be
some kind Of commentary on
life in Washington.
The author says that while
her husband, treating his pa
tients, "slays fears, dispels
doubt, renewS courage and
implants the seeds of no.
bility in those who feel ig-
noble" he often doesn't have
time to be a husband and is
likely to tune out the chill
dren when he gets home. His
dream house had a split per-
sonality - and the two
builders almost ended up
schizophrenics.
But at least life has never
been dull, Miss Pfister con-
cedes-although she often
has to repeat loudly her hus-
bands two rules for a happy
home: Don't raise your voice,
and don't get emotional.
MARY PAINTER.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
Southern Leaders
Win Top Praise

When William Brammer's
noval, A GAY PLACE, was
published recently, wonder
ment was expressed around
Washington that anyone who
worked for Lyndon B. john
son--as the author did for
five yearS-ever had time to
write a novel.
Mr.. Brammer, a 32-year-
old former Texas newspaper
man, now working in the To-
cal bureau Of Time maga-
zine, was kind enough to ex-
plain. He worked on his lively
trilogy on politicians every
night for a year and a half,
coming back to the Senate
Office Building when all had
Evening star., 1961-04-09
RING OF BRIGHT WATER.
BY Gavin Maxwell. (E. P.
Dutton; So

By Gavin Maxwell. (E. P.
Dutton; So
Tired of it all? Then travel
with Gavin Maxwell to the
place he calls Camustearnu,
and enchanted spot on the
northwest coast of Scotland.
Camusfearna (not its real
name, but obviously a name
given it to protect it from the
curious) was a lonely, unin-
habited cottage located among
the precipitous hills and sea
lochs Of the West Highlands
when Mr.. Maxwell took it over
from a friend.
In some Of the most lyrical
writing on the beauties of
nature found in a long time,
he tells the story of the re-
mote hideaway and his life
among the wild creatures that
share his retreat in a book
that has become a best seller
in both the United States and
England.
His description of the lochs,
OF the migrating geese and
swans, Of the magnificent elk
that inhabit the crags, the in
credible return of elvers from
the warm waters of the South
Atlantic to the burns and
Evening star., 1961-04-09
By JOHN w. STEPP
Star Staff Writer


The floodgates Of the Civil
War centennial commemora-
ton will be flung wide with
ceremonies slated this month
at Charleston, S. c., where
the war began in earnest at
Fort Sumter April IL, 1861.
Conflict ironically even now
pervades the scene with GER
tain States outside of Dixie's
Land seeding" because of
racial questions, from the
fourth general assembly of
the National Civil War Cen
tennial Commission in that
Deep South city. In whatever
way such differences are
worked out, a peaceful and
profitable concentration Of
sorts proceeds unabated on
the part of book publishers.
The publishers started turn
ing loose their own Civil War
flood last year. They can be
expected to keep 1t going for
another four years. After that
period, the flow may subside
from scores Of annual re-
leases to a normal number Of
merely a dozen or so per year.
Popular demand is still strong,
and the subject apparently
and incredibly still far from
exhausted. The sampling be-
low indicates how seriously
the bookmen are taking the
centennial.
THE COMPACT HISTORY
OF THE CIVIL WAR. BY
r. Ernest and Trevor N.
Dupuy. (Hawthorn; $6.750
Possibly the best SINGLE
volume history of the war
since Robert Selph Henry's
standard work. The maps
are a fine asset.
THEY FOUGHT FOR THE
UNION. BY Francis A. Lord.
(Stackpole; $12.50.0 A COM
prehensive, well ordered
rundown Of every aspect Of
the Federal army as an or
ganization and the fighting
man as an instrument of
war. It's nearly 400large-size
fact-packed pages are leav-
ened by many useful illus
trations. A Confederate
Evening star., 1961-04-09

West (Monarch Books:
35c.) Extra-curricular tale.
THE TROUBLE WITH AVA.
By Stuart Friedman. (Mon-
arch Books; 35c.) Too in
nocent. too willin g-too
trashy.
THE GIRL FROM BIG PINE.
BY Talmage Powell. (Mon-
arch Books: 35c.) She came
from the swamplands. She
should have stayed.
GONE WITH THE WIND.
BY Margaret Mitchell.
Permabook; 95c.) A re-
print of the most famous
and widely read American
novel of the Goth century.
BASEBALL STARS 1861. Ed
tied by Ray Robinson.
CPyramid; 35c.)
Evening star., 1961-04-09
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY

FLOREANA ADVENTURE.
BY Margaret Wittmer.
(Dutton; $4.) A modern
Swiss Family Robinson pi-
oneers on the Galapagos.
HAWAII. BY Ralph s. Kuy-
kendall and A. Grove Day.
CPrentice-Hall; $3.50 A
revised history from the
Polynesian kings to Amer
lean statehood.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
Sudden News of F. D.. R.
Death Is Recalled
60 Memorial Commission, 1s4S

of all Of those who were IN
Warm Springs and many
others, including Mrs. Roose-
velt. 1t is unfortunate that
for all his work the book is
marred by numerous errors,
largely minor, as to names
and times of certain events.
But overall it is a fascinating
account Of what many re-
garded, as the author points
out, "the abrupt disintegra-
tion Of an era"
CECIL HOLLAND
Evening star., 1961-04-09

Paton's book. for the art of
these stories tranScends all
time and all places.
The stories are sharp and
clear intaglios cut into the
African landscape. They
seem so real and true that
you never question, while
reading them, that they are
reeountings Of actual events.
But perhaps not-Mr. Patton
is so obviously a conscious
craftsman, a creator, a
master-manipulator Of words,
that his stories, springing
from the African soil, may be
fiction as pure as "The
Tempest"
Patton the character, the
"Ip of the stories, is involved,
troubled, questioning; Patton
the author is much more de-
tached and inscrutable. The
power Of the stories, which
are concerned with the rela-
tionship Of social misfit and
authority and with the Afri-
can race problem, lies in
their reserve, their effortleSs-
ness, their abstention from
pleading.
ALI 10 stories are excellent,
but in retrospect nine of
them suffer by comparison
with the tenth. "Ha' penny"
seems to me a short story of
such precision in conception
and accuracy and depth of
execution. Of such perfection,
that I do not hesitate to
place it with the best of the
greatest masters Of the form
--Merimee, Kafka and Joyce.
There is a child in it and
there is also death in it, but
in spite of the combination
1t is devoid Of all mawkish-
ness.
Then there is the story of
Spike, member Of the youth
ful gang Of tsotSis. In the re-
formatory his native intelli-
Evening star., 1961-04-09

left it, and writing until three
or four in the morning, with
a radio going full blast to
keep him awake.
Mr.. johnson is one of the
towns most demanding en-
ployers, but Mr.. Brammer
said that he was also some
thing of an inspiration.
You know Johnson" he
says, hes a kick in the
pants, and he is most stimu-
lating to be around"
No Corn-POne Buddhas
Mr.. Brammer is, moreover,
an effortless writer, who was
spurred into composition by
the shock" he felt on arriv-
ing here and finding that
Southern politicians were not
"the mountaineering mons
ters" he had been led to be-
lieve.
They know a hell of a
lot more about the funda-
mentals of government and
what's going on than a lot
of the half-hearted light
weight liberals who are al
ways criticizing them," he
says. They're not the
Southern corn-pone Buddhas
people make them out to be" "
Mr.. Brammer's flavorsome
defense of the breed has won
almost unanimous favor, ex-
cept in Texas, the site Of the
trilogy, where two papers
took exception to his treat
ment Of Texas politicians.
He doesn't know if his ole
boss, former Senator ano
present Vice President John
son, has read the book. He's
not in it, You could never
put all of him in a book,
says Mr.. Brammer with 8
touch Of awe in his voice.
He's already well away into
his second novel.
Evening star., 1961-04-09

played by the scenic little
West Virginia town during
and Just before the war--a
town the war killed. Illus
trations are the only lack.
MY FATHER, GENERAL
LEE. BY Capt. Robert E.
Lee, jr., CSA. doubleday;
$500 New edition, with
effective introduction by
Philip Van Doren Stern, of
the biography of the Vir-
ginia military mastermind
warmly revealed by his
wartime and postwar per-
sonal letters and the re-
collections Of bis name
sake son.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
DOSTOYEVSKY: A

OOS1OIEVSh A human
Portrait. A biography by
Robert Payne. (Alfred A.
Knopf; $5.75.)
AS with the years Tolstoy
recedeS from the foreground
of our perspective, we are
coming to see, perhaps, that
not Anna Karenina" and
war and Peace" are the
towering novels Of Russian
literature, but rather the
masterpieces Of Dostoyevsky.
The rude anti-intellectualism
Of both authors is hardly
compatible with the spirit of
the present time, but the in
tense, primative, overwhelm-
ing sense Of good and evil,
the violent search for a way
by q man who is convinced
there is no way, have made
the earlier writer more inter-
esting to a generation caught
up by Nietszche, Kirkegaard,
and even Sartre. Robert
Payne, in his new biography
of Dostoyevsky, does not pre-
sumo to say exactly what it
was that animated Dostoy-
evsky, but the story he tells
is full Of suggestions.
Dostoyevsky was the son Of
q poor landowner who was
brutally murdered by his
own serfs. In st. Petersburg,
where the young man was
studying to be an army en-
gineer, Dostoyevsky discov-
cred his penchant for liter
ature, and started his career
by publishing a translation
of Eugene Grandet," and
planning a complete edition
of Schiller. His first novel,
Poor Folk" was an immedi-
ate success. He experienced
difficulty in living up to its
reputation, but Fate played a
card which undoubtedly
changed the entire course Of
the game.
In April, 1849, Dostoyevsky
was arrested for copying and
circulating a letter by Eelin-
sky attacking Church and
Tsar. The young author was
one of a group of "conspira-
tors" who apparently had no
plans for revolution. I'M
prisoned for the rest Of the
year, Dostoyevsky seemed to
be in the hands Of under
standing and lenient judges,
when suddenly the TSar gave
orders that he and the other
defendants were to be execut-
ed, Dostoyevsky actually a
faced a firing squad, but at
literally the last moment q
countermand arrived, and
the writer was sentenced to
hard labor in Siberia for four
years.
No account of a goth CEN
tury concentration camp il
more narrowing than Dosto-
yevsky's experience in Omsk,
and even after he served his
term he was exiled from st
Petersburg, to which he die
not return until November
1859. It was in the hell o1
these years-the filth, tor.
ture, disease, degradation ant
sadism Of the prison camp
that the insight into human.
ity that was to make four o.
his later novels among tn,
greatest ever written wa
found and developed. But
also during these years thery
was born a passionate love O
Russia and all things Rus
sian, and an almost servil
devotion to the Tsar tina
seems hard to reconcile wit
the circumstances. In late
years. although Dostoyevsk
sojourned in German!
France, Italy and Englant
and although there was n
language barrier in Franc
and Germany, he was nevt
Evening star., 1961-04-09
BOOKS IN REVIEW
Tales of Africa
Are Works ofArt
BY DAY THORPE
Star Book Critic

TALES FROM TROUBLED LAND. volume of stories by
Alan Patton. Charles Scribners Sons; $350.)
of the 10 stories that make up Alan Patons
book "Taes From Troubled Land" laid in the South
African refomaory which the author superintendent
for years. all concerned with the country in whose
travail Mr. Patton profoundly involved But while South
Africa is the inspiration of these tales the consummate
art of Mr. Patton is their glory There be reader not
interested in for whom the bell tolls because he does hear
Africa? Nevertheless he will weep for the people Mr.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
This Is Nature Writino
Of Exceptional Beauty

waterfalls Of the north coun-
try, and the changing seasons
themselves are in the great
tradition Of nature writing.
Two Pet Offers
But the most poignant
touches are found in his
stories Of his two pet offers,
the graceful Mijbil and the
loving, beautiful Edal.
We meet Mil first. Mil
came from the marshes
around the Tigris River, and
was Of such a rare species
that it had never been iden-
titled in England. So, the
authors name was given to
the species, Lutrogate per-
Spicill1tG maTWeIli.
Mil took to the waterfall and
burn around Camusfearna,
and the open sea like he had
to his native Tigris marshes,
returning from long days in
the sea or on the islands to
his home.
And not since Tom Lea wrote
Of the death of a magnificent
black stallion in. THE Won
derful Country" has there
been more heart-tearing writ
ing than when Maxwell tells
of the cruel, senseless killing
of Mil.
Hero and Heroine
After Mil (the magnificent)
came silky, soft Edal, an
African otter, quite different
in temperament from Mil,
but Just as entertaining.
Mil and .Edal are the
heroine and hero of the book,
but again it is "the wonderful
country" Of Camusfearna
that forms the mood and
mystery.
There are illustrations and
photographs by the author,
and some lovely, graceful
sketches of Mil by Michael
Ayrton.
LEE WALSH.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
CIVIL WAR BOOKSHELF
Memorial Works Keep
Publishers Active

counterpart-preferably by
Mr.. Lords naturally in
order.
THE WILDERNESS CAM
PAIGN. BY Edward Steere.
(Stackpole; $7.500 A thor
oughly detailed account,
with tactical maps to
match, Of the nightmarish-
ly tangled two days battle
near the Rapidan where
Grant launched his first
campaign against Lee. Sc
rious students of the war
and its tactics will profit
most.
STORMING OF THE GATE
WAY. BY Fairfax Downey.
mckay; $500 Chicka-
mauga, Lookout Mountain
and Missionary Ridge
opened the Chattanooga
gateway to the heart Of
the Confederacy, and Mr..
Downey dramatically and
concisely recreates the
struggle. An extensive
appendix supplies a variety
Of fascinating background
Notwithstanding poems.
WITH SHERMAN TO THE
SEA. AS related'by Corydon
Edward Foote to Olive
Deane HORNED. Day; So
Personal account of a
Michigander who went to
war at age 13 as a drummer
boy and drummed his way
with the menfolks through
Georgia. Foote was 80
when interviewed by the
author who, to enliven
things, gives the reminis-
cences a novel-like treat
ment.
WALT WHITMAN'S CIVIL
WAR. Edited by Walter
Lowenfels. (Knopf; So A
treasury Of the poets writ
ings on the conflict that
so saddened and inspired
him. Soldier sketches by
Winslow Homer are in
cluded. A must for any
Civil War collection.
HARPERS FERRY: PRIZE
OF WAR. BY Manly Wade
Wellman. (McNally; $3.50.)
Highly readable short his
tory Of the strategic role
Evening star., 1961-04-09
Essays on
Medieval
Music

Ans NONA AND 1nE ne
NAISSANCE, 1300-1540
New Oxford History Of
Music, Vol. III, edited by
Dom Anselm Hughes and
Gerald Abraham. (Oxford
University Press; $11.500
Eleven authors have con-
tributed the 13 chapters
with bibliographies) con-
tanned in this volume. Among
them is Leonard Ellinwood,
of the staff of the Washing
ton Cathedral and the Library
of Congress, whose account of
the music of 14th century
Italian forms Chapter II.
It is important to UNDER
stand what this book is not,
as well as what it is. To call
it either an encyclopedia or a
history Of music is somewhat
misleading. The very formal
itself indicates that its editors
had no intention of preparing
an encyclopedia. Moreover, in
view of its multiple author
ship, it loses. perhaps inevi-
tably, the unity of viewpoint
usually associated with a his
tory of music. For instance,
some authors here discuss the
relations between musical and
non-musical subjects, while
others ignore the topic en-
tirely.
Separate Units
1t is as a collection Of es-
says on music between 1900
and 1540 that this book
should be read. Each article
should be understood as a
unit in itself. Thus, the over
tapping of references and
shifting of emphasis, which
might be disturbing to some
one looking for a more uni
fled account, need present no
difficulty. Indeed, the lengthy
index and numerous cross
references are evidence that
the editors themselves have
recognized the situation.
There is good reason for
considering these chapters
independent of each other.
Ordinarily. one might rea-
sonably assume that the
number Of pages devoted to
any given topic might be an
index Of its Importance in
music history. Such is not
the case here.
Mostly for Students
Although his work is "in-
tended to be useful to the
professed student Of music u
the editors tell us that they
have borne in mind the in
terests Of music lovers In
general" This sentiment
taken from the general In
PRODUCTION, suggests q we'll
nigh unbelievable aim. Ger
tainly. the content Of the
book itself hardly can be said
to achieve it. To use the book
one must have considerably
more familiarity with music
than that afforded by love
alone. 1t is true that numer.
Gus music examples are tc
be found here, but an ability
to read music, If only rudi-
mentary, is necessary to in
terpret their relevance
In other words, these char
ters are not for entertainment
or diversion. They are to be
read carefully and thought
fully, as they were written
SAMUEL BROWN, Jr.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
READING AND WRITING
This Years 0. Henry
Short Story Awards
BY MARY McGRORY
Star Staff Writsr

In his essay collection "The Greatest Problem" F. L.
Lucas includes most fascinating Of reflections
the problem of happiness and how little figures in tera
ture, or in the "reminiscences of writers.
why It," he asks that the worlds cleveres minds
have often reported blackly of it?"
His reflections to mind in considering PRIZE
STORIES OF 1861 edited and with introduction by Rich
ard Poirier. Doubleday Co.; $3.50
The two O. Henry Prize stories of such unreieved
Evening star., 1961-04-09
PAPER BACKS

THE LOVERS OF POMPEH.
BY Theodore Pratt. (Mon-
arch Books: 35c.) The au-
thor of 1.-THE Barefoot Mall
man" uses the eruption Of
Mount Vesuvius to drama
tie love scenes that OUT
flames the volcano.
THREE DRAMAS OF
AMERICAN INDIVIDUAL
ISM. Edited by Joseph
Mersand. (Washi n g ton
Square; 60c) Golden Boy,
High Tor, The Magnificent
Yankee.
BEDEVILED. Wenzell Brown.
Monarch Books; 35c) Six
case histories of victims Of
Evening star., 1961-04-09
Romantic Biography
THE BIGAMOUS DUCHESS.

The bAGAMOUS DUCHESS.
BY Muriel Elwood. (Bobbs-
Merrill; $3.95)
This romantic biography Of
Elizabeth Chudleigh, duchess
Of Kingston. is period writing
Of a high order that recreates
the times Of George II Eng
land. The heroine is a silly
goose, far from an honest
woman" who winds up In a
national scandal that involves
the House Of Lords.
HI. A. LYON
Evening star., 1961-04-09
FICTION

UNCLE WILL AND THE
FITZGERALD CURSE. BY
John D. Fitzgerald.
(Bobbs- Merrill; $3.50 A
proud. agnostic Irishman
goes west and builds his
empire in the 1870s.
THE BILLBOARD MADON-
Ma. BY Elleston Trevor.
($3.950 A fugitive hit-and-
run killer uses his victims
face to publicize a highway
safety campaign for his ad-
vertising agency.
Evening star., 1961-04-09
ADVERTISEMENT
Looking Tor q 4
PUBLISH =

Your book eon be published, pro.
NOTED, distributed by successful
reiluble comp pony noted for
prompt, personal service. All sub
ieets. Send for Free Booklet.
vunioes Press, Dept. WS, 1910
Vermont Avenue N. W. WaSh.,
DC. (Main Office. N.Y.
Evening star., 1961-02-12

area has baseball diamonds,
basketball courts, football
field, tennis courts and other
recreational facilities. If the
weather Is bad, students re-
port to the auditorium,
where films are shown.
Music plays an important
role in life at Taft. There
are two glee clubs, an Or
chestra and a band.
Many organized groups at
Taft are interested in q va
riety Of activities. The stage
crew, for example, takes
charge Of the lighting and
staging for assembly pro-
grams and plays. The audio-
visual aid crew provides q
variety Of machines and
qualified operators for class
room purposes as well as
school functions. The Jun
Tor Red Cross works to help
others in the community and
= the city.
Some Of the other organ
lied groups at Taft are the
Biology Club, the Radio
Club, the Russian Club and
the Fine Arts, Club.
Taft is a member of the
National Junior Honor Soci-
ETY.. The Tyro Chapter Of
this organization runs the
school store, which sells
school supplies each morning
and afternoon.
The Student Council Of
Taft Junior High is q repre-
sentative student governing
body, organized for the pur-
pose Of promoting the well
fare Of the school through
cooperation between the
faculty and pupils.
The Student Council
sponsors many worthwhile
projects. AT the present time
1t is sponsoring o cleanup
campaign, a student day and
cartoons for indoor recess.
In September, 1884. the
first issue of the school
newspaper was published. It
was edited by the students,
and the name, Taft Talk.
was chosen for 1t. Since that
time, the Taft Talk Club.
which meets each week. has
worked to maintain O high
literary standard. The paper,
which is published quarterly.
offers everyone q chance to
contribute his work.