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SNEERED LIKE
A GENTLEMAN
JF you want to discover what
books are worth reading,
there is seldom a better guide
than the reviews on the Red
Page of the Bulletin, as an extravagant
and lengthy hymn of
self-praise announced two weeks
ago.
The weary and gentlemanly sneers
with which its reviewer (anonymous)
dismisses intelligent poetry
and fiction arc, usually, a sure sign
of the work's merit. Last week two
books which have received serious
attention from the more responsible
critics were consigned to. the hellfire
the Bulletin reserves for modern
minds. •
These were John Thompson's collection
of poems. Sesame (Currawong
Press), and Cynthia Reed's
outspoken Lucky Alphonse (Heed &
Harris).
In what was no more than a
frivolous dialogue, the anonymous
critic complains wearily that these
two writers "disapprove of so many
people."
Then it transpires that Thompson
disapproves of "rats and pimps
in the Labor 'movement, and Mr.
B. G. Menzies, and unintelligent
women." In fact, the very things
of which the Bulletin approves.
Heresy!
"Un-Australian"
It's a pity that the Red Page
editor, Douglas Stewart — a young
man and a writer of some ability,
despite an often depressing romanticism
— should lend his talent to
the Bulletin's "un-Australian" politics,
as Information Minister C&lwell
has described him.
Possibly, having only come to
Australia in recent years, he does
iderstand the Australian literhd^CflMal
t+AAStCW s iA.'uh •
$