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FAST-ACTION TALE
OF A NEW,
ROWDY. FRONTIER
Between the Revolu
tion and the Civil War,
America suffered grow
ing pains. New frontiers
went out, and it is with
the picturesque period of
one of them that "Tide
water" deals.
Because of its style and handling,
this would have been a good novel
n any case. With the added stiffen
ing of historical background, it be
comes a first-rate piece of work.
"Tidewater" is not so long as
some of the other American
period novels, and in scope it is less
ambitious. But "Tidewater" never
becomes tedious, which is more
than can be said about some of
the longer books.
It is in part a fast-moving ac
tion story, and in part a study of
the growth of what was, in the
late 1830's, America's New South.
At that time dispossessed plan
ters from Virginia and other States
were moving west in search of
new land. They found themselves
in a different world, where money
grabbing was the rule, and the old
traditions of honor and dignity
were at odds with the spirit of the
place and times.
Into this setting, with its thugs,
rivermen, small planters, big plan
ters, Negro stealers, politicians,
outlaws, and land sharks. Mr. Dow
dey drops Caffey Wade. from Tide
water, Virginia. Wade manages
to make things hum until circum
stances become too much for him.
At curtain fall he is setting out for
Texas and a second new start.
"Tidewater" brings to .life a
period of American history that
has had comparatively little atten
tion.
The flr,?t mutterings of the Civil
War were being heard at the time
of which Mr. Dowdey writes. Many
leading men of the New South were
already bent on secession. They
imagined a vast new empire, com
prising the whole of the south and
south-west. with possible additions
from foreign territory.
"Tidewater" is written with
vigor. If I am any judge, it will
have a big appeal for most
readers.
Variety
It is hard to know what
to say first about "Ac
count Rendered," next
item in the varied collec
tion of fiction I have had
for review this week.
"Account Rendered" is a mixed
grill in itself. It has some skilful
characterisation. It presents aspects
Vera Brittain Help
Vera Brittain
of England dur
ing the war. It
is a minor trea
tise on indus
triai relation
ships.
It delves fairly
deeply into am
nesia, neurosis.
and kindred
problems of the
mind. It gives
an inside view
of a lunatic
asylum. It fea
tures the trial of
a sensitive man
charged w it h
the murder of
his adored wife.
Intense, well
written. Not
everybody's cup
of tea. but it ]e?ves you with
plenty to think about
Why Mouse?
My complaint about
"The Case of the Run
ning Mouse" is that it
might as well have been
called "The Case of the
Leaping Goat" for all the
title has to do with the
mystery.
There is a mouse, but it seems
to me to have been dragged in
for effect alone.
Or did I misz something?
Ludovic Travers, Superintendent
George Wharton, and assorted
suspects, with night life in a
gambling club, and other goings
on. Not a bad murder mystery as
murder mysteries go. Christopher
Bush can uzually be relied on.
Excellent
Village life in Eire at
the time of the Battle of
Britain may not sound a
particularly absorbing
theme, but Arnot Robert
son makes it so in "The
Signpost."
The inhabitants of her remote
Donegal village are a rare collec
tion. They show you wit, and
malice, and wisdom, feckless
ness, and many other things be
sides. You feel, most convinc
ingly, that you are tasting some
thine of the genuine Ireland.
For good measure, Arnot
Robertson gives you a fascinat
ing study of two war-worn
people, a convalescent bomber
pilot and a Frenchwoman, work
Ing out their pattern of life
while the village wrestles with
its own problems.
Taken by and large. "The Sign
post" is the most satisfying of this
week's books. It has any amount
of force, and some striking touches
of satire.
Those Twins
I called on my 12-year
old coadjutor for assist-.
ance again this week.
Here she goes:
"I think Enid Blyton's books
about school life are the most
realistic I have ever read, their
characters are so natural and you
feel you are reading of real people.
"One of the best I have read is
'The Twins at St. Clare's.' a story
of two girls (twins), who when
sent to St. Clare's decide to cause
as much unpleasantness as pos
sible. At first they were called
'the stuck-up twins,' but soon lost
their hated nickname and became
proud of St. Clare's.
"Kathleen. the dog lover. Hilary.
quiet and kind, and Janet. the
mischief-maker, are some of the
delightful characters in this book.
There is also plenty of fun with
mam-zelle and shy Miss Kennedy.
I enjoyed it very much. and I am
sure you will do likewise."
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