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AUGUST 31, 1957. THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA NINETEEN BOOK REVIEWS EDITED BY EILEEN HALL 3087 Old Jonesboro Road. Hapeville, Georgia Each issue of this Book Page is confined io the patronage of Mary. Mediatrix of All Graces, with the hope that every read er and every contributor may be specially favored by her and her Divine Son. A HISTORY OF THE CATH OLIC CHURCH, by Ludwig Hert- ling, S.J., (Newman, $7.50). (Reviewed by Leo J. Zuber) The Hertling history, published originally in German, is trans lated by a Benedictine, Father Anslem Biggs, who is attached to Belmont (N. C.) Abbey. The his tory encompasses the Church’s existence from its foundations to the present time, current mis sionary activities comprising the final chapter. Compressing that much history into slightly more than 600 pages means that, while the author has had to know and be familiar with detail, he has had to recog nize the real highlights and use them as stepping stones in order to span the 2,000 years and the essence of what they held for the Church. This he has done and remarkably well. The volume is divided into seventeen chapters and contains as well a bibliography citing bas ic reference sources in Latin, German, French, and English, the author’s foreword and the trans lator’s note. The latter is especial ly interesting in that it indicates that, while a true and accurate translation of the German origi nal has been sought, in specific instances in which the original Norhis was believed to be in error, the translator has not merely trans lated but has also cited the facts as he understands them or has given his interpretation of a sit uation. In this way the translator has not adulterated the author’s original: neither has he led the reader astray because the trans lator’s corrective comments ap pear as succinct footnotes. The history has many merits. Not the least of these is its for mat and the attractive and highly readable type face (Weiss) in which it is printed. The publish ers are to be commended for their excellent taste and on the success of their endeavors in this respect, as well as for their pub lication of so valuable a contri bution to Catholic literature. Every Catholic home should have such a history at hand for reading and reference purposes, and in particular those homes with school-age children, especial ly those of high school age and college age, and with parents growing up again with their children. Because of its contents and general character, the Hert ling history will readily sell it self to institutional libraries and will no doubt be found quite use ful for text purposes. ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES, I and II, by F. Von Hugel, (Dutton, $2.50). (Reviewed by Flannery O’Connor) The writings of Baron Von Hugel have apparently been lit tle read in this country by Cath 6 C0M pA PHONE JA. 2-6500 589 FORREST RD,. N. E. ATLANTA 12. GA. olics in spite of the reissue in 1955 of his “Letters to a Niece” by Regnery and the Thomas More Association. This is unfortunate because a consideration of the al ways measured and intellectually just tone of his essays on religious subjects would serve as an anti dote to the frequently superficial methods by which many popular American Catholic writers ap proach and sidestep the problems of faith or meet them with the Instant Answer. In his introduction, Von Hugel says that there is not a “paper here which does not raise more questions than it solves ...” — a characteristic which the reader will observe to be the opposite of that found in much of our current writing on religion, where the solution is put forth without giving the reader any sense that the question has been experienced. Reading the works of Baron Von Hugel, the reader always has the sense that the question has been experienced and that it has made its mark on the man. This quality is perhaps in part accounted for by Baron Von Hu- gel’s active sense of the historic. He trusts that there is “not a line printed within these covers but is steeped in this sense of Conditions, Growth, Contingen cies,” but it is in greater part accounted for by a genuine en counter with the Church, a wrestling with it, a love tested by considerable adversity. For those wishing to learn of these aspects of his life, the definitive biography by Michael de la Bed- oyere is available from Scribners. The essays in these two vol umes concern themselves with such subjects as religion and il lusion, religion and reality. Of the two series, the first is the more interesting and would be of more profit to the general reader. Although Von Hugel’s Germanic style is often cumber some, his essays are immanently readable. BROOKHAVEN FEDERAL 4% ANTICIPATED RATE SAVE FOR FINANCIAL SECURITY Accounts opened by ihe 10th, earn Dividends from the 1st. NEW HOURS Monday through Friday: 9 a. m. - 4 p. m, Saturday: 9 a. m. - 12 Noon BROOKHAVEN FEDERAL Savings & Loan Association R. C. COLBERT, President 4018 Peachtree Road — Brookhaven, Ga. — CE. 7-640S All Accounts Insured Up To $10,000 by F. S. L. I. C. YOUR Insurance "SKIVES/ rou ./first Sutter & MdeKan 1023 Mortgage Guarantee Building JAckson 5-2035 ATLANTA, GEORGIA ' THE STRANGE ISLANDS, by Thomas Merton, (New Direc tions, $3.00). THE SILENT LIFE, by Thomas Merton, (Farrar, Straus & Cuda hy, $3.50). In the epilogue to his autobi ography, Thomas Merton told of a visit paid to him by his friend Robert Lax on Christmas, 1944, Merton’s fourth Christmas in the Trappist monastery of Gethsem- ani, Kentucky. “When Lax went back to New York,” he wrote, “he took with him a manuscript of some poems . . . Lax took this collection to Mark Van Doren and Mark sent it to James Laugh- lin at New Directions, and just before Lent I heard he was going to print it. The exceedingly tidy little volume, Thirty Poems, reached me at the end of No vember ... in 1944 . . .” These poems, some written before he entered the monastery, some af terwards, made up Merton’s first published book, four years before The Seven Story Mountain took the book world by storm. It would be difficult, to list all of his published work since then. James Laughlin at New Direc tions continues to print his poems. The Strange Islands is the latest volume. It is dedicated to Mark and Dorothy Van Doren; and one of the poems, Exploits of a Ma chine Age, is “for Robert Lax.” Reading the twenty-two poems in the book (including the moral ity play, The Tower of Babel, one wishes for an increased apprecia tion of poetry, sensing that here is illusive beauty to be enjoyed more thoroughly as one shares the artist’s gift more fully. Most of the poems “belong to 1955 and 1956,” Merton says. Some previously appeared in Common weal, Jubilee, New World Writ ing, Sign, and Thought. Of them all, perhaps Elegy for the Mon astery Barn leaves the most vivid impression. The poet likens the flaming cowbarn which, he says, burned down one August evening in 1953 during the evening med itation, to a woman suddenly and surprisingly revealing an un suspected personality. It must, in deed, have been a rousing experi ence to the monks who “left the meditation to fight a very hot fire . ..” Father Merton’s most recent prose volume is The Silent Life, a fascinating study of mona- sticism, past and present. In his prologue he answers the ques tion “What is a monk?”'and ex plains that “this book is a medi tation on the monastic life . . .” The first section, entitled The Monastic Peace, is highly medi tative and spiritually enlighten ing. In the remaining portion, which deals with St. Benedict and his Rule, as well as the vari ous branches of the Benedictine family which flourish today — the Benedictines of Solesmes, the Primitive Benedictines, the Cis tercians (all cenobites), and the Carthusian and Camald.olese her mits — interesting historic and current information is so inter woven with spiritual instruction that the result is sometimes breathtaking, as Father Merton’s writing often is. In addition the book has sixteen pages of photo graphs in the center, all of them meditative studies too, plus most interesting photographs as end papers and dust jacket. BOOK NEWS Chicago—“Man and Happiness” and “The Virtues and State of Life,” volumes III and IV of The Theology Library, were released recently by Fides Publishers. Edited by A. M. Henry, O.P., and translated under the direction of Louis J. Putz, C. S. C., Notre Dame University, The Theology Library brings together more than forty Thomistic specialist. The current volumes in the projected six-volumes Thomistic synthesis comprise Moral Theo logy of “States of Life.” Previous volumes in the series, “Introduction to Theology” and “God and His Creation” were published in 1954 and 1956. The ttwo remaining volumes, “The Historical and Mystical Christ” and “Christ in His Sacraments” will appear in 1958. Chicago, Illinois — Fides Pub lishers Association announces the September 1 release of a new title in the Family Reader Se ries. “Marriage is Holy” (219 pages, $3.75), edited by H. Caf- farel and translated from the French by Bernard G. Murchland, C.S.C. Father Murchland has also written an introduction to this collection of essays on the spirit ual and sacramental aspects of marriage. This book is an intuitive ex ploration of the true meaning of Christian marriage, written with an intensity that is often poetic. The contributors to “Marriage is Holy” discuss the splendor of human love; the personality of woman; the man as father; the flesh and the spirit; the Sacra ment of marriage; vacation to sanctity and the mystery of mar riage, among, other topics, in this penetrating study of the married vocation. “Marriage is Holy” also con tains synopses and discussion questions that make this book an ideal discussion club text. New York, N. Y„ — P. J. Ken edy & Sons has signed a con tract with the Paulist Fathers for the publication of a work en titled “My Last Book” by Father James M. Giliis, for many years editor of the “Catholic World” and a leader in religious and lit-' erary activities. The work was written during the last years of Father Giliis’ life, when illness forced his retirement, and was edited, with a foreword, by Fa ther Joseph McSorley. Father Giliis’ work consists of a series of reflections and medi tations, which in the words of the editor, “develop into a sort of miniature spiritual autobiogra phy. That is to say, it is per meated with recurrent mention of truths which had been the scaffolding of his own inner life and the inspiration of his priest ly activities.” The book will be published in March 1958, on the first anniversary of Father Giliis’ death. Dr. J. J. Doolan, Jr. Opens Office In Savannah SAVANNAH—Dr. John Joseph Doolan, Jr. has opened an office here for the practice of obstetrics and gynecology. A native of Savannah, Dr. Doo- ian attended Marist School and is a graduate of Benedictine High School. Dr. Doolan was a pre-medical student at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., where he received a B. S. degree. He was a member of fhe honorary biological society there. He attended St. Louis Uni versity school of medicine, re ceiving his M. D. degree in 1953. He served his rotating internship at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D. C. Dr. Doolan has received special* ized training in the St. Louis City Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., and re cently at the Medical College of Georgia where he was chief resi dent in obstetrics and gynecology at the University Hospital and Talmadge Memorial Hospital in Augusta. IS EVERYTHING PICKRICK RAY GOOLSBY BARBER SHOP Opposite Qeorgia Power Building 53-A Fairlie, N. W. JA. 3-9143 — Atlanta HAPEVILLE JEWELRY COMPANY 583-B S. Central Ave. HAPEVILLE, GA. BUFORD T. GASSETT • USED MACHINERY SEE US For Bargains In Used Machinery of All Kinds SY. 4-7648 1593 Huber. N. W. Atlanta. Ga.