6 THE MICHIGAN DAILY MAGAZINE SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1921 7 T S1ooks and Authors "THE CHARMED CIRCLE" But I'm beginning to see it's all such a wonderful little plan. Lines cross- ing and crossing, and our destinies to "The Charmed Circle," a first novel make up the pattern-A charmed by Edward Alden Jewell, is a blithe circle!'" volume, delicately sophisticated, yet At times the little plan seems some- pervaded with an ingenuous delight. what too deft and deliberate. Ken- It is a comedy of adventnre, the ad- neth's clever machinations are aided Ietus coeynnf dventAmerthad-oytoo generously by kindly fortune, but ventures of Kenneth, an American boy, the spirit of daring whimsy which living with his elderly, sentimental colors all the book makes even the guardian in a Paris pension. most amazing coincidence credible Kenneth is a worldly young seraph, while one reads. with a magnetism for friends and mys- The characterization is excellent s throughout, evidencing the author's fine perception and keen psychology. lection of chance acquaintances. For Kenneth is made an unusually preco- instance, the Spanish fortune-teller, cious youth, a sort of distant cousin Cassienda, is a bit of grotesquerie. of Edgar Jepson's "Admirable Tinker," while Cyprienne, singer at the Opera, with a suggestion, too, of Walpole's ishaeCysrifnn, fige ofroane. rAs "Jeremy," yet he is distinctly indi- is a beautiful figure of romance. As vidual and very much alive. for mysteries, he discovers an almost Bromley, the absurd, susceptible incredible number of them. There is guardian, is especially well drawn, thread upon thread of plot, skilfully and Mrs. Brathers is portrayed with woven into a pretty tapestry of enter- sure, satiric strokes as a mid-Victorian tainment. pussy. In addition to the romantic takes its title from a figures of Cyprienne and The Mighty T e sookt sti Hunter, there are various interesting Cyprienne's pilosophy: minor characters, sketched adequate- "Yes," mused Cyprienne, as though ly, though lightly,-Madame Bernard. pursuing a theme which had been in affable, with opinions and ammunition her thoughts, "there seem to be lines in reserve, Monsieur Bernard, whom iMadame didn't take seriously, Miss crossing and crossing, like a curious Curtis, "an artist with ideals, from deft little plant. Until this year I've Chicago," Jacques, given to night never believed in these queer coinci- gaiety and subtle sarcasm, and la dences. But I'm coming to look at pauvre Eleonoro, awkwardly devoted everything quite differently. Strange to her first American gentleman. and wonderful things do happen. . The author was born in Grand Rap- ids, Michigan, in 1888. Instead of go- I'd come almost to think there was ing to college, he went abroad and nothing miraculous left in the world. spent a year in Paris and Rome and l Sicily. In addition to his European But the fact that the new writers travels, he had interesting and valu- are not all following the alluring able experience on the stage, both in strain of one piper is a healthy sign, his home town and on tour with Louis for it shows that they are writing James, and later with Donald Robert- that which is nearest to them, that son. He decided, however, that writ- which they are best fitted to write. ing rather than drama was the better All this is a rather lengthy prologue field for him, and upon his return to to a review of still another first novel, America he went into newspaper work, but it was prompted by the fact that was an associate editor of "Every- 'The Blood of the Conquerors' (Knopf) body's Magazine" and afterward Sun- by Harvey Fergusson is different from day editor of the New York Tribune all the other fall products mentioned. from which position he resigned in Mr. Ferguson does not use the harsh 1920, and went to Bermuda to devote naturalism of John Dos Passos nor his entire time to writing, yet the polychromatic romanticism of HoraceFish, although his subject could be easily adapted to either. He 'THE BLOOD OF THE CONQUERORS' tells his story tersely and convincing- AND SOME OTHER FIRST NOVELS ly in a well modulated realistic man- (By t. D. S.) ner. The first novels that have been He has created for this central launched this fall are only less sur- figure an admirable character, a man prising in number than in merit. Those possessing 'that bearing at once proud put out by the better publishing houses and unself-conscious which is called have nearly all been good and at least aristocratic', a lover of the outdoors. two of them have created considerable Such is Ramon Delcasar, a descend- sensation. To date the list includes ent of a noble Mexican family. Del- 'Erik Dorn,' and 'Three Soldiers,' 'The casar has been educated in a St. Louis Charmed Circle,' 'The Beginning of law school, and his tastes are those Wisdom,' and 'The Great Way,' while of the 'gringo' who invades his terri- John Farrar, Harry Hanson, Pierre tory and, by methods unknown to Del- Loving, and several others of the casar, begins to gain control. The younger critics admit to hoarding author does not use his theme as an manuscripts which they hope soon to excuse to point out the injustice of see in print, race prejudice. He accepts this con- A striking point in this list of dition as an inevitable state of af- maiden efforts is the dissimilarity not fairs and builds up a poignant little only in the choice of subject matter, tragedy around it. but in the style and viewpoint of the Ramon fails, of course, not only writers. 'Erik Dorn' is mostly ex- love but in business as well. There pressionism, 'Three Soldiers' lop-sid- is a final recourse open to 'him-an ed naturalism' 'The Charmed Circle' outdoor existence. He accepts his and 'The Great Way' picturesque ro- failure philosophically and turns to mance, while 'The Beginning of Wis- a deserted ranch belonging to his dom' might be roughly classed as family, here to spend, presumably, the colorful realism. All of which shows remainder of his days. the danger of generalizing about the Ferguson has combined in his novel trend of our fiction. However, gener- a good quantity of action, a beautiful alizations are tempting and it might love story, and excellent character be interesting to note that, through development-all written in a most the three most important of these readable manner. If I were asked novels, runs the motif, now low and for a new book which is entertaining merely suggested, now loud and deaf- and at the same time short, I should ening, that has marked so much of certainly recommend 'The Blood of our modern literature-iconoclasm. the Conquerors.' 1 Phone 2508 ComPany ",me Come of Snergine" SHOP EFFICIENCY Our work is good because our men and machinery are as efficient as possible. Our Delivery System has been brought to a point where the best and quickest ser- vice can be given. "SWISSIUZED GARMENTS STAY CLEAN LON6ER' THE HOME OF ENERGINE Phone 2508 209 So. 4th Ave. The Only Place Energine is Used In Ann Arbor Li $30 Special Offer $30 The New Century Dictionary Latest Edition including Atlas and Biogra- phical Dictionary. 12 Volumes in Full Cloth Binding $30 New Autumn Books Arriving Daily WAHR'S BOOKSTORES MAIN ST. STATE ST.