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THE UNION-RECORDER, MILL EDGE VILLE, CA-, DECEMBER 24, im
BOOK REVIEWS
By ALICE HUNTER
DEWER RIDES
By L. A. G. Strrnf
Charlaa Bon., N. Y., 1929
the
This is the fourth volume
series of Paper Books issued by
Charles Boni, in the effrot to bring
irood literature to the reading pub
lic at a nominal price. The other
numbers were The Bridge of San
Luis Bey which was isued an a sam
ple; The Golden Wind, reviewed in
this column previously; und Freder
ick the Great.
Everett -Dean Martin, one of the
seven editors of the series, has writ
ten the introduction to Dewcr Rides,
explaining that the aerier. is an at
tempt to do for the reading public in
America what has been done in Eu
rope. Then.-, from “the Odeon in
Paris, through Finland, into the hin
terland und almost h» the Arctic
circle one may find in stals, on news
stands, and in the Metropolitan
bookstands, great number., of good
hooks purchasable at reasonable cost.
The author, in a foreword, de- j
dares that Dartmoor was for many!
years his home but that all hi:
characters a ,- t imaginary. Were ii
not for this assurance one would read
the book in the belief that the hu
man characters were based wholcly
upon reality so definitely are they
drawn. This sense of reality is in
creased by the dear delineation of
nature ns the seasons advance in
Dartmoor through which the Mcavy
flows.
Dew
the
the superstitious connected with the
storm, and floods upon the moors.
Mr. Strong has filled the story with
the presence of this mythical demon,
employing the atrao -pherc of the evil
and abnormal. Richard Brandon, the
leading charucU r, is a moody, pass
ionate being of contradictory in
heritances. Slowly from boyhood to
his death his story is set forth. Fate
direct, his actions and makes havoc
of them. To her death his own
mother despises the one occupation
— farming—which her son has chos
en to follow. The boyhood friend
by whom he might have risen to
ginth man’s estate is estranged
through a brutal handling by Rich
ard. The good woman whom he
loved refused to marry him becaii e
of his brutal strength.
To Richard religion was insepar
able from the worshipper. Again
and again he was estranged from the
one influence which might have
helped him by the failure of a friend
to measure up to the religion he had
professed. He made a wreck of his
life and died from the effects of a
punishment inflicted by the coun
try mob for a vicious deed he had
committed.
Yet the reader is not made to de
spise the man, but rather to feel a
deep sympathy for the boy and man
who was within himself the battle
ground of warring emotions and im
pulses. The character of Routh Pal
mer deserves to be placed with the
famous women of literature. She is
unique, Excellently portrayed, indi
vidualistic, worthy of study. There
are also other characters in the book
which deserve to be called creations
from u literary point of view. \
Mr. Strong has put forth a book
that merits perusal. Its Dartmoor
hills and daffodil-filled valleys, its
understanding treatment of the p«j-
ple will meet many minds. Those
who, with modern taste, demand
conflicts in a novel will find herein
a number of contests between man
and mun, and the most affecting of
all conflicts, the struggle of good
and evil in human beings.
Mr. Mravin defines Strong's fr.ta-
Iism as nulciival , being “like a per
sonal malice, a spirit of revolt, some
thing ungovernable in nature and in
man." His verdict that Dewer Rides
is a story of earth and powerful
one, suggesting Reymont’s The Peas
ants or Rolvaug’a Giants cf the Earth
ir recommendation enough of
book to the meditative reader.
Messrs Albert Burke and Herbert
Burke of Atlanta, spent Monday with
their father, Capt. J. M. Burke. Capt.
Burke returned to Atlanta to spent
Christmas.
Mrs. J. L. Sibley, who has been
spending some time in Atlanta has
returned nome. Her friends are
glad to learn that her h«alth has
greatly improved.
Mr. R. F. Allison has gone to
Florida to spend several days. Mrs.
Allison who has been visiting in
Florida some time, will return home
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Grote and
children and Miss Caressa Ebcrhart.
came from Zehulon, *>,* ,C„ Riturdcv
and are spending the holidays with
Mr. ^nd Mrs. F. B. Ebcrhart.
CHRISTMAS
Our Best Wishes
We wish you peace on Christmas Day
God’s costliest, Sweetest Gift,
And may it keep your heart alway,
And ever you uplift
This, the Union Recorder’s 109th Christmas and we take
this occasion to pledge anew our devotion to the best in
terest of every individual in the city and county which we
serve.
The
Union Recorder
“Over Ont Hundred Years Devotion to Public Interest”