Widnes Examiner. — 1899-06-09 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

NEW BOOKS, MAGAZINES  ETC.  MACMILLAN AND CO.—ln the Foreign Statesmen Series, a library of concise biographies of the men who have helped to make history,we have from the press this month " CaSiMO de' Medici" by K. Dorothea Ewart,who writes in an interesting strain on the life of this distinguished member of a great Italian family. In reading biographies, nowadays, unless they be those of unique personalities like Gladstone, one does not wish to become acquainted with any great amount of detail. The deels the man performed in the course of his public career, and the crises which occurred in his life, are what one likes ta muse over and study ; and it is in such handy volutes as these issued by Messrs. Macmillan at 23 6d that one finds just what is wanted set forth in the ablest manner possible,—The Everslev Edition of" The Works of Shakespeare is one which cannot be too highly praised,and without again going into details we may say that it is the bast issue of the immortal bard's works which has yet come under our notice. Five of the ten 5s volumes are now out of the publishers' hands, the fifth being issued a few days ago. It contains the whole of "King Henry the Sixth," and "Bing Richard the Third."  CASSELL AND CO —"Cassell's Magazine" commences a new volume with the current number, and Mr. Guy Boothhy commences a new serial story entitled"A. Maker of Nations." Both annoucements are important and interesting, and ought not to be lost sight of by the public for whose benefit they are made. Those people who are surfeited with the endless stream of new periodicals would do well to try "Cassell's" and subscribe for the new volume. They are not likely to regret it for this old favourite among magazines never fails to please. "A Maker of Nations" is a story, judging by the lengthy opening instalment, that is likely to add to Mr. Boothby's reputation as a novelist. There , is no Dr. Nikola in it, but the author has created other characters of almost equal fascination. The , illustrations by Mr. Gordon Browne are excellent in , every respect. Other striking items in the number are "Sardott : the Man and Dramatist" by Tighe Hopkins; "The Temptation of John Johnson" by Mrs Clement Shorter; "Silas P. Cornu's Divining Rod," by Henry A. Hering; No I of a series of stories about "A Diplomatic Woman," by Hirai Mee; and the first of some articles on "London Night by Night," by B Fletcher Robinson. GEORGE NEWNIES AND Co—We had nothing but praise for the new issue of "Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales" a while ago, and we can now only express the same opinion with regard to the issue in 20 sixpenny parts of "The Arabian Nights," by the same publishers in much the same style. The cover of No. 1 is a gorgeous affair, as full of colour and brilliance as the East itself. The illustrations are by Lemercier Gravure, and they supply in acceptable form the scenes which our juvenile minds were wont to conceive for themselves.—Stanley's "Through the Dark Continent," in eighteen parts 6d. weekly, has reached the eleventh number.—' "The Strand" double summer number is to hand, and a bulky budget it is. The publishers have this year excelled all their previous efforts in the production of this number, and purchasers will find the stories and articles within its pages immensely entertaining. There is no scarcity of humour, and the reader who cannot laugh over the productions by W. W. Jacobs John Oxenham, H. J. W. Dam, and " Briefless " ought to leave magazine literature severely alone and take to the prosiest of classics. For our selves we enjoy a hearty laugh at a funny story and we have had more than one at the ideas evolved by the authors mentioned. Then if you would like your pulse stirring by excitement there are such stories as "An Extraordinary Story" by Neil Wynn Williams -;"The Sinking of the Merrimac" by Richmond Pearson Hobson, the hero himself; "In a Tight Fix" by Victor L. Whitechurch; Hilda Wade's latest, "The Episode of the Man who would not commit Suicide"; and other items too numerous to mention.—C B. Fry continues his lessons on " How to bat" in the "Captain"—an excellent monthly for boys.—" De Rougemont is dead! Long live Charles Neufeld ! " This will probably be the cry of the readers of "The Wide World Magazine " for the famous prisoner of the Khalif& commences in this month's number to relate the thrilling story of his twelve years' captivity in chains at Omdurman. The enterprise of the proprietors of " The Wide World" ought to be well rewarded for having secured this unique relation of existence 'in the Khalifa's Clutches."