Reviews.

Must Australia Fight?” by Ion L. Idriess (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) must attract much attention on this side of the world with the international situation as it is. Idriess is an Anzac, and as most of us know has a facile pen, a sound, practical mind, and a keen sense of observation. He is well fitted, therefore, to discuss the pros and cons of Australia's danger and comparative unpreparedness. In his foreword he page 48 states: “This book is written simply because our country may be in danger and in the hope that some suggestion written here may help us both in peace and war.” The book discusses the various methods of possible attack and of defence; the navy's part; the many aspects of a big war; preparedness for war; and the manifold aspects of the problems Australia may have to face. The New Zealand aspect of the question is also introduced, and in this connection Idriess makes some interesting observations.

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“The Cruise of the Raider Wolf,” by Roy Alexander (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) is one of the most interesting books I have read. The German raider Wolf provided reams of copy during and after the Great War. This is the first complete and connected account of the amazing exploits of the raider. Here is the story of happenings at sea, on a par, almost, with Max Pemberton's “The Iron Pirate.” The master of the Wolf, Captain Nerger will go down in history on a plane equal almost to Drake or Jean Bart. Fitted out with the greatest secrecy the Wolf left Germany in November, 1916, and returned to Keil Harbour in February, 1918, in a leaking, battered condition. During the interval Captain Nerger had sailed his ship over 64,000 miles of warridden seas and by gunfire, mines and bombs had sunk 135,000 tons of shipping. The author was a wireless operator on a New Zealand 'Frisco ship, one of the Wolf's victims. In company with some hundreds of prisoners taken from vessels that were victims of the raider, Alexander had a “close-up” of the Wolf's wonderful adventurings. The horrors of the prison hold, the terrors of mine laying, the sinking of vessel after vessel, visits to desert islands, hair-breadth escapes from passing cruisers are some of the incidents of the voyage. The mine-laying in New Zealand waters provides a strong local interest. Captain Nerger is revealed as a brave and resourceful skipper and comparatively kind to his several hundred prisoners. The book is one of the most interesting true life stories ever penned.

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“Larapinta,” by R. B. Plowman (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) is the story of an ultra modern city girl whose character is remoulded into a lovable type by her transfer from the city to the back country of Australia. It leaves the thought that many another pert metropolitan miss might be remade by a course of training in rural self-reliance. Beth Forbes, an Adelaide typiste, is so anxious to squeeze the last atom of excitement into life that her health suffers in consequence. She is threatened with consumption and ordered by her doctor to the country. Much against her selfish inclinations, she leaves on a long holiday in the Macdonnell Ranges. On a large cattle station there she is transformed into a womanly woman and finds her heart's desire. The author's love of the Australia back country inspires him to many colourful word pictures of the bush.

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“Call to the Winds,” by Captain P. G. Taylor (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) completes the trilogy of the air, written by this great airman and fine writer. Captain Taylor has a flair for recreating in words the exciting experiences he has been through with such super airmen as Smithy and Ulm. This latest book, the earlier ones were “Pacific Flight” and “Vh-Hxx,” tells the story of the all but disastrous flight of “Smithy,” Stannage and the author in May, 1935, when they embarked on their “Jubilee Mail” adventure. It will be remembered that on that occasion the Southern Cross struck trouble when some five hundred miles out from Sydney en route for New Zealand. One of the propellers was forced out of action through a broken exhaust. The “Cross” had to turn about and endeavour to make Australia, the while Smithy gave the order to dump everything except the mail. With almost miraculous manipulation by Smithy the 'plane limps back on its return journey. Then the oil pressure drops and to avert certain tragedy Captain Taylor performs the almost incredible feat of transferring oil from the starboard engine, which is out of action, to the port tank. In spite of his heroic efforts the mails have to be dumped. This drama of the air is described in breath-taking fashion by Captain Taylor who lives over the happening once more in a fashion so vivid that he carries his readers with him. Included in the book are accounts of a series of interesting flights undertaken by the author for the Sydney Morning Herald. The volume is well illustrated.

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