PAGE IMx THE MICHIGAN DAILY

SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 1935

WORLD

OF

BOOKS



Z INSSER: Writes The Biography
Typhus Fever.

In Their Own Image' Is

A

Novel Of

Aiken's

Smart

Set

RATS, LICE AND HISTORY. Byj
Hans Zinsser. Little Brown. $2.75.
By T. J. LeBLANC
(Professor of Preventative Medicine
University of Cincinnati)
Dr. Zinsser, who is Professor of
Bacteriology at Harvard, and one of
the authorities on the subject, has
written the biography of typhus fev-
er. The first twelve chapters, Dr.
Zinsser explains, are necessary to
make the lay reader capable of un-
derstanding the more or less techni-
cal discussion that such a biography
involves. It is difficult to avoid hop-
ing that Dr. Zinsser will somehow
find time to offer the same kind of
prepartion for the understanding of
other diseases, because with this pre-
paratory work as a justification, the
reader is offered charming and mel-
low observations, some of them pleas-
ingly penetrating, on subjects, to
suggest but a few, ranging from bish-
ops to braintrusters, philosophers to
politicians, impressions : to Impres-
sionists and love to general, paresis.
It may also be =noted that Dr. Zins-
ser in the course of his arguments
makes a convincing case for the thesis
that a knowledge of disease on a long
time base should be part of the cul-
tural background of every thinking
man and women. It is quite probable
that with the further development
of rapid air transport, diseases that

we now think of as afflicting only the
heathen Chinee on the opposite side
of the earth may become a part of
our own environment. One might
even make the suggestion that epi-
demic diseases may be the limiting
factor in transit speed because of
quarantine necessary for control.
There would be a certain element of
entertaining irony (and I am sure
it would amuse Dr. Zinsser) in the
picture of some important person
such as a senator being whisked from
the Orient to New York in a day, only
to be locked in quarantine in New
York for ten days.
In the course of his delightful var-
iations on various themes, Dr. Zins-
ser makes deadly use of the footnote.
There is a rapier like quality in some
of these that makes them amusing
with no sacrifice of their wisdom. In
these interludes he may blow a spit-
ball at the physicist who labors slow-
ly up the ladder of a quantitative
science only to backslide into the'
quicksands of theology when lime-
stone begins to dot his arterial walls.
Or he may cough politely behind his
hand at bankers, or expert testimony,
or military leaders. This is a mere
hint as to what the reader may' ex-
pect under the general heading of
typhus and its influence on human
affairs, and while these snickers and
noises in the back of the room may
sound flippant in review ,they serve

to enhance the general broadness of
view and scholarly poise that per-
meates the whole discussion. It is
this historical perspective that makes
the book so very worth while. It
Should be required reading for all stu-
dents in sociology, political economy,
English (for style), and history, and
should by all means, be part of the
regular issue to members of the R.O.
T.C.
While Dr. Zinsser has written the
book to please himself, he seems to
harbor the hope that the lay reader
may find it readable, but at no time
has he attempted to popularize his
material. His assumption seems to
be that there are many lay readers
with enough intelligence and intel-
lectual stamina to follow an orderly
and dignified subject presented in a
critical manner, provided that the
material is interesting and the style
not deadly. While this assumption
may be a broad one, at least it does
produce writing of a refreshing na-
ture, by a scientist about scientists,
that comes like a breath of fresh air
in the miasma of bubbling bilge which
presents the bacteriologist as a red-
eyed fanatic, peering into a micro-
scope, lips glued to a pipette, one
hand writing esoteric formulae while
the other spurns an offer of more sal-
ary while a faithful diener or a span-
iel-eyed wife keeps him alive with
honey and barley water per clyster.


IN THEIR OWN IMAGE. By Hamil-
ton Basso. Scribners.
By JOHN SELBY
They'd be like ghosts. All they
have is the allegory of their own im-
portance - the allegory of American
aristocracy. That's what they spend
their money for. It's their greatest
luxury. It's the opium of the rich."
This is one John Pine speaking,
in Hamilton Basso's In Their Own
Image. It is the meat of the book,
although not the meat of the action.
The remark is also a kind of motto
theme which recurs in other words,
or in different systems of action,w
through the novel. But not too often.
Mr. Basso has done the life of
Beauregard, and has given us the es-
sence of Louisiana life in a novel
called Cinnamon Seed He has lived
in Louisiana and in the mountains
of North Carolina, and has done num-
erous thing including reporting. Now
he lives in New York. These facts
are mentioned because they have very
considerably conditioned Mr. Basso's
writing.
The new book is a novel of the
smart set of Aiken, those with horse
fixations, as one of the characters
explains. It is centered largely in
the home of Emma Troy, who made

enough money in mayonnaise to crash
the Long Island and Aiken smart sets.
It is a story of love and frustration
and economic implications, and it is
told exceedingly well.
Very skillfully, Mr. Basso has ar-
ranged to set off his wealthy nit-wits
against two reliefs, instead of one.
The first is Mr. James, who knew
Emma when, and is a successful but
not "smart" advertising man. The
other is a boy from a nearby mill
town who paints on Saturday because
he had rather paint than do anything
else in the world. One sees three
dimensions of everything, instead of
one or the more conventional two. It
helps.
As for the story -let Mr. Basso
tell it.
100 ENGRAVED CARDS
AN~D PLA'TE FOR ONLY $1.50
We Print EVPS., LETTERHEADS,
PROGRAMS AT LOW PRICES.
THE ATHENS PRESS
206 N. Main St. -- DOWNTOWN
Our Location Saves You Money.
READ THE WANT AIDS

..



I


III. -


Mostly About Books
And Their Authors'
Harcourt, Brace & Co. have just
published Mildred Walker's Light
From Arcturus. Miss Walker's first
novel, Firewood, won a Hopwood
award.
Margaret C. Banning, author of
The First Woman, has been selected
as the eleventh member of the Duluth
Hall of Fame.
Music Vanguard is a new critical
review published in aNew York. Its
first issue was that of March-April.

I

DAILY OFFICIAL
BULLETIN

(Continued from Page 2)'
A trip through the Ann Arbor plant1
is planned for the near future. It
will be desirable therefore, for all
to hear Mr. Lighthall's talk before
visiting the plant.
Econcentrics meeting Wednesday,
March 27, at the Union, 8 p.m. Pro-
fessor Z. C. Dickinson will \lead the
discussion on "Labor Relations In the
Automobile Industry." All students
concentrating in Economics are in-
vited.
Iota Alpha regumr monthly meet-
ing on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30
p.m., in the Seminar Room (3201)
East Engineering Building. Prof. J.
H. Muyskens, of the Speech Depart-
ment will be the speaker of the eve-
ning. Every member is urged to be
present.
Bookshelf and Stage Section of the
Faculty Women's Club will meet
Tuesday, March 26, at 2:45 at the
home of Mrs. George A. Lindsay, 2015
Day Street.
Michigan Dames, Study Group will
meet Monday, March 25, Room 2122,
Natural Science Building, 7:15 p.m.
Professor Shepard will speak.
Tryouts For Dancers for Freshman
Project will be held Monday from 3:30'
to 5:30 p.m. at the League. All men
and women interested are asked to
try out at this time.
Facul-ty Alumni Dance: The last
dance of the series will be held Mon-
day evening at 9 o'clock, Michigan
Union.
Lending Libraries, Etc.

__THE S
AT THE MAJESTIC
"THE GOOD FAIRY"
In the hands of a capable cast, a
good director, and faithful scenario
writers, Ferenc Molnar's "The Good
Fairy"-Helen Hays' recent Broad-
way vehicle - flashes across the
Majestic screen in a delightfully,
sugary, almost slapstick, hilarious
manner.
it is the story of an unbelievably
naive young thing who is taken
straight from the orphanage to be
an usherette in a Budapest movie
palace. Of course, she knows noth-
ing about the big bad world, and
although she has been warned about
"the male gender," blithely accepts
initations 'from benevolent looking
gentlemen to have supper in their
apartments. If it were not for a
warm-heitled ,waiter, God knows
what would have happened to her.
She certainly wouldn't be in the
movies. At any rate, her guardian
angel saves her from the Frank Mor-
ganish advances of a fabulously
wealthy meat packer who is looking
for a way to get rid of some money.
It is probably beginning to sound
fantastic - perhaps a bit insane - to
you. by now, and it is. She picks a
husband from the telephonebook,
becomes his good fairy without his
knowledge, making him rich and all
that goes with it, and then gets every-
one into a terrible mess trying to
work it all out. To tell you how it is
done would spoil it for you, and it is
too entertaining to be spoiled, too
unique to explain, and too impossible
to speak about logically. The only
thing is to see it, because it is good.
entertainment.I
It is well-designed and executed in
a fairy story manner that gives it a
peculiar spirit of its own. Very light
and airy and whimsically sophisticat-
ed (if such is possible), it offers the
sort of entertanment for which the
Legion of Decency gives three rousing
cheers.
-C.B.C.

OREEN_
AT THE MICHIGAN
"LIFE BEGINS AT 40"
A Fox pitcure "suggested" by the
Walter Pitkin book of the same name.
Starring Will Rogers, and featuring
Richar Cromwell, George Barbier, Ro-
chelle Hudson, Slim Summerville, and
Jane Darwell.
The Will Rogers pictures grind out
ith ceaseless regularity, "Life Be-
.isAt 40," the latest of the series,
will stand as the best to date by a
wide margin. This time the lovable
Will is cast as a small-town news-
paper owner-manager-printer, who
serves at times as adviser to the love-
lorn, at other times as detective in
the solving of an embezzlement case,
and at still other times as an agent
provocateur in a political battle for
the chairmanship of the school board.
Lovely Rochelle Hudson supplies
the romantic interest with boyish
Richard Cromwell. George Barbier,
who is never as adept as when he is
portraying a bombastic, pompus
small-time politico provides the com-
edy (with a dash of drama) along
with Slim Summerville, a sad-eyed
whittler.
-G.M.W, Jr.

Reservations in any part of the world.
MICHIGAN ALUMNI TRAVEL BUR
ALUMNI MEMORIAL HALL
Ae rican Express World-Wide Servic

REAU
e"a

vaWVhen You Travel
Let a Permanent Campus Organization make
your arrangements at no increase over
regular tariff rates.

Ti

Airplane, Steamship, Railway and Hotel

with the
University of Michigan
Union Dance Orchestra
On The
HAMBURG-AMERICAN flagship "NEW YORK"
June 20, 1935, from New York

r,

The Most Complete
LENDING
LIBRARY
in Ann Arbor
This Week's Feature-
A MAN CALLED
CERVANTES
-BRUNO FRANK

7

WEEKS ALL-EXPENSE
STUDENT TOUR ......

.$232

for Students over 19 years .. . $281.00

K.

r'

M

-401

0

I

NEW FICTION: Three
cents a day. Francisco
North University..

cents, five
Boyce, 732

New Shipment
in
Ivory and Woodwork
CARVINGS
Many Other Novelties
Reasonably Priced
Oriental
GIFT SHOP
300-B South State St.

I',

I WITHAMS
Corner S. Univ. and Forest
Phone 2-1005

Ai

For Information
JULES HALTENBERGER, '36E
Union Travel Desk from 1 - 2 P.M. - or
EUGEN G. KUEBLER
601 East Huron Street - Phone 6412

A

PUBLICATIONS OF CHARLES

C.

THOMAS

NEW YORK TIMES: New York Her-
ald Tribune. All famous newspapers,
daily and Sunday. Miller Drug
North University at Thayer.
RUSSIA: Blooks in all languages:
Books on Russian History, Eco-
nomics, Literature and Drama. Old
and modern. Complete mail order
service. K; N; Rosen, 410 Riverside
Drive, N.Y.C.

BOO KS which should be of interest to
Students of MEDICINE and SURGERY


I. I

:1


FIRST NATIONAL BANK
AND TRUST COMPANY
Established 1863
Oldest National Bank
In Michigan

II

11

I

Major: Classic Descriptions of Disease....$4.50
Harvey: Motion of the Heart and Blood. . . $1.00
Newburgh & Johnston: Exchange of Energy
between Man and the Environment...... $2.00
Iluman: Textbook of Surgery ........... $8.00
Grinker: Neurology..rg.ry$8.50
Straub: Surgery of the Chest.........$10.50
Metcalf: Introductien to Zooloy.........$3.00
Fulton: Readings in History of Physiology $5.00
Carlisle: Practital Talks on Heart Disease $2.00
Johnson: Child Psychology .............$4.00
Spurling: Practical Neurological Diagnosis 82.001
Craig: Amebiasis and Amebic Dysentery. . $5.00

Wage ner & Custer: Handbook of Experi-
mental Pathology....................$4.00
Worec;ter: Care of the Aged, the Dying,
the Dead...........................$1.00
Wiener: Bled Grcups"& Blood Transfusions $1.00
Needbhm. Elementary Lessons on Insects $2.00
IV&'hcock: Chemistry for Students of
Wclogy and Medicine"................. $2.75
Wereter: Sex Hygiene - What To Teach
and How to Teach it....................$2.50
Myers: The Child and 'the Tuberculosis
Problem ........ ...................$3.00

We Carry a Complete Stock of MEDICAL BOOKS,
for TEXT and REFERENCE Use.

I1

I

11

I

I it Ii l1 1

i