V. W.
T ER S P E CT IV E S
Pasc Seren
WITH:Shi rer, Cronin, Knight, Eaton
I
worst blizzard of many years; he was
going to run the British blockade.
And run it he did to become the only
American skipper commanding a man
o' war on the high seas during the War
of 1812. Captain Peabody was the lone
naval unit able to carry out his com-
mission, to harass the entire British
fleet in every way possible. How he
accomplished his work makes one of
the most interesting tales of the sea
written in modern times.
It is true that C. S. Forrester's cap-
tain is a fictional character, but it was
men like Peabody that kept the falter-
ing spirits of America high during the
months of defeats on land, inaction,
and the tremendous loss of business to
the New England traders.
Once past the blockade line, Captain
Peabody turned to his work with the
set determinism of a real Yankee. His
ship was armed to the teeth, his men
were a picked lot and eager to fight,
everything was in order for the impos-
sible.
With the aid of a spy and two pri-
vateers, a convoy headed for the West
Indies was broken up and a good por-
tion destroyed. Then the Delaware
skipped about the "broad Atlantic"
dodging, fighting and running, always
just ahead of the British, and always
raising the insurance rates at Lloyds.
Finally stopped from fighting three
British ships because they were all in
the French territorial waters of Mar-
tinique, Peabody and the captain of
the British ships, Davenant, were
forced to remain in the harbor of that
island, for one must leave 24 hours
apart from the other, and neither
would give way to leaving last.
But here too, Captain Peabody meets
his future wife (future by three days)'
and mixed with the struggle of the two
captains is an honest love story, hon-
estly told.
The brine-soaked Peabody becomes
distilled, and for the few short weeks he
remains at Martinique, he is more than
the captain of an Amerian fighting
vessel, he is husband of a beautiful and
fine French lady.
To reveal the exact ending of the
book would benefit no one, for though
it has all the inevitability required for
a good novel, it contains enough of the
elements of suspense and surprise to
keep the reader guessing until the last
page. You'll just have to take my word
for it, if you have any taste whatsoever
for tales of the sea, you'll get forty
fathoms worth in The Captain From
Connecticut-.
i - Eugene Mandeberg
IIl Eat You Last
By H. C. Branson, 302 p.
Simon and Schuster, $2.
'Thee shall I eat last of all thy com-
rades, and the others before thee. This
shall be thy gift.' Thus, the gift of
Polyphemus, the Cyclops, to Ulysses, and
thus, too, the gift of the murderer in
1'l Eat You Last, first novel and fast-
moving detective story, written by Ann
Arborite, Henry Branson.
John Bent, bearded investigator, is
summoned to the scene of the sudden
death of Corinne Maitland by grandiose,
astute Senator Maitland, and as soon
as Detective Bent begins to stick his nose
into the affairs of the relatives and
associates of the Senator, murder
threatens. But through all the casual-
ties, Bent retains his rational, ana-
lytical manner, which brings him fin-
ally to the end of the chase.
Because there are no secret rooms,
no madmen, dope fiends, or deserted
country houses, because the scene is
laid in the environs of a small college
town, with even a dean in evidence,
Henry Branson's book seems very much
a little too much, in the realm of
possibility. Hence, its reception de-
pends upon whether the reader wants
Perpectiuej
Editors . . ...................... .......Joan Clement, Barbara deFries
Fiction Editor ............................ ........... Eugene Mandeberg
Poetry Editor .......................................... Harry M. Kelsey
Review Editor - .........................................Virginia Graham
Publications Editor ........................................Bill Baker
Copy Editors ............................ Daniel Huyett, Fred M. Ginsberg
Art Editor ...........................................Rosemary Aldrich
Roving Editor .............................................Will E. Sapp
Technical Adviser ......................................Karl Kessler
Advisory Editor .................................. Albert Paul Blaustein
onfritaiori
Charles Wilson Douahtie writes po-
etry and short stories as a hobby.
Charles is a transfer from the Univer-
sity of Virginia. This fall will mark the
beginning of his junior year. At the
present time he's enrolled in the School
of Architecture; although he is very
much interested in journalism. In this
issue his poem, "Charleston Harbour,"
lends an intimate understanding of
the South.
Eugene Mandeberg is from Detroit
and has worked on The Daily for a
year and a half of the two years he's
been at Michigan. Eugene is enrolled in
the Literary College and when not writ-
ing for The Daily, he spends much of his
time working out plots and new angles
for short stories. "A Form of Insur-
ance" displays an understanding of
journalism aptly applied to his creative
work.
Marion Allan is in the process of
transferring to Michigan from Bradley
in Peoria, Ill. Marion offers her con-
tribution of "The Circus" to this issue of
Perspectives. She is in the Literary Col-
lege and has been offered a position on
the staff of Illinois Quest, an Illinois
State magazine. Marion is interested in
short stories as a hobby and at the pres-
ent time has not worked out a definite
design for the future.
Marguerite Graham is another native
of Virginia. Her home is in Kenbridge.
This summer she's taking graduate
work in the Literary College. During the
year, Marguerite keeps herself , busy
teaching English in Blackstone College,
which is a girls' school in Virginia.
Writing, for her, is a relaxation and a
pleasant pastime. There is a distinctive
quality about Marguerite's poetry which
has definite appeal.
Frederick Granger has just entered
his first year of law. Appropriately
enough, he is especially interested in
detective fiction. Fred transferred from
Michigan State Normal and when at
home, lives in Middleville, Mich. He re-
vealed the fact that he is now working
on a novel and refuses to classify writ-
ing as merely a hobby. Incidentally,
"Smokestacks," appearing in this issue,
is not prose, but poetry, according to
Fred. It displays much insight and un-
derstanding.
Frederick A. Peterson is exceedingly
eccentric, or perhaps just modest. He
writes for the sheer enjoyment derived
from accumulating the facts and ac-
centing the important in poetry form.
It is his desire to leave Sandburg stuff
to Sandburg and quietly paint pastoral
scenes and impressions in appropriate
images and rhythm devoid of crescen-
does. Fred's home is in New York City
and most of hi stime is devoted to en-
gineering.
Claire Chamberlain received her mas-
ter's degree in English and is in gradu-
ate school this summer. While working
for her degree, she majored in creative
writing. Claire's home is in Hartford,
Mich., and she confesses that writing
is her favorite pastime. In her four
poems in this issue, there is a distinctive
style of individualism found in her im-
pressions. Claire has developed the art
of compressing whatever she wishes to
convey in the fewest possible words;
hence, creating undeniable power, found
in the simplest nuances.
Bill Robbins is another poet-for-re-
laxation whose poem, "Black Gang," ap-
pears in this issue. Bill is in the School
of Engineering and has chosen Naval
Architecture as his special interest. He
will enter his senior year this fall. Bill
is an Ensign in the Navy and expects
to be called at any time. He feels quite
violently and terribly about everything
and expresses himself in just that man-
ner. "Black Gang" is a short poem
made up of rather savage imagery and,
appropriately enough, machine-like
rhythms.
Spencer Bidwell King, Jr., is a gradu-
ate student at the University this sum-
mer who formerly attained his master's
degree in history at Vanderbilt and Pea-
body universities. After that he at-
tended Mercer University. At the pres-
ent time, Spencer King is teaching his-
tory at Mars Hill College in North Caro-
lina. His essay appearing in Perspec-
tives, paints a vivid picture in sparkling
hues of the cultures of the French, Eng-
lish, and German people. Spencer
favors none, likewise, damning none.
He merely presents a truly realistic pic-
ture. His extensive knowledge of his-
tory makes the essay vitally interesting
and valuable to you as a reader.
Sylvia Huxtable is a graduate of Hope
College in Holland, Mich. However, she
spent her freshman year at the Univer-
sity. At Hope, Sylvia was president of
the Writers' Club and literary editor of
the Anchor, a college literary magazine.
As a special honor she was awarded the
silver key on that publication. After
graduation from Hope College, Sylvia
took special work at Ypsilanti, and dur-
ing the winter months she is an instruc-
tor at the Flint School for the Deaf.
Sylvia is at the present time taking
graduate work here and confesses that
she's always been extremely interested
in writing. You should undoubtedly
enjoy her wistfully, philosophical essay,
"Of Time and Tide" in this issue.
[Fitanti
The editors wish to thank Wahr's
and Slater's for the loan of books
reviewed in this issue.
thrills or an analysis of straight facts.
Frankly, I like a little of both, and I
didn't find too much of the former in
I'll Eat You Last. The story was too
believable-like a police record, with all
the people fitting nicely into a prosaic
pattern of reality. Its characters are
human beings, and, therefore, the book
approaches tragedy. I don't think a
detective story should do this: it should
retain a sense of the unreal, the exotic,
and convey the idea that 'this couldn't
really happen.'
This is the only criticism I have of
this first novel. The author has handled
his material well, and has made John
Bent into a very able investigator. It
is an above average first novel, but I.
hope in his next, Mr. Bent wlil have to
chase a fiend in the South of France
instead of my next door neighbors.
-Virginia Graham
This Above All,
by Erie Knight, 473 p.
Harper and Brothers. $2.50.
It was hard to realize that England
was actually at war. One always thought
of wars as being far away. "The front"
as always being in some other land.
Now it was England.
This Above All by Eric Knight is a
dynamic, deeply moving novel signifi-
cant not only in its love story but also
in its political authenticity; the first
novel of any importance to come out
of the war. For the first time, Eng-
land is portrayed in all its economic
poverty and tragic devastation,,devoid
of the flag-waving of patriots and the
adverse criticism of Communists and
Fascists.
The action of the story is compressed
within a critical month-one month,
which brings the war uncomfortably
close. The older people have no im-
pression either way. It is like seeing
the first act of a play and not the rest.
The younger people are eager to fight
and just as ready to die if there seems
to be any sense in it.
But to Clive Briggs, absent with leave
after the heroic evacuation of Dunkirk,
there is no more sense in the war-he is
convinced that lives are being wasted
foolishly. So he decides to desert, feeling
that he would be more of a deserter
if he went back.
Enmeshed in a war in which bombing
raids and blackouts have become daily
realities, the love affair between Clive
and Prudence becomes a frenzied con-
flict between the strong convictions of
an experienced soldier and the equally
strong convictions of a protected mem-
ber of the upper class. But Prudence
knows that in spite of Clive's bitter
logic, he would not be dishonoring his
own beliefs by going back and that
eventually he will.
In terms of this poignant and sincere
love story, the true picture of stricken
England is painted in shades of gray
and black, a composite of all the classes
of people, their political theories and
contradictory reasoning. The drone of
Nazi bombers over London, the crash of
falling walls and the groans of suffo-
cating victims are not used in the sense
of cheap propaganda to arouse super-
ficial sympathy but rather as a back-
ground against which to place a man's
realization of the true meaning of the
war.
If you believe England is fighting a
lost cause, read This Above All, for
there's a character in it that voices that
opinion, or if you believe like Prudence
that England is ineffable, intangible
things worth dying for, you'll find satis-
faction in this unforgettable novel. Ev-
ery possible situation that could possibly
occur in the furor and terror of a na-
tion at war is revealed, and yet England,
the whole of a thousand courageous
parts, stands firmly in her most des-
perate hour.
-Barbara de Fries