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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 8 (November 1, 1938)

Reviews

Reviews.

“A Guest of Life,” by Nelle M. Scanlan (Robert Hale, London), is the ninth novel written by New Zealand's most popular novelist. Miss Scanlan's page 50 first novel, “The Top Step,” was published in 1931, and it is surely a tribute to her industry that, in addition to her many newspaper articles, she has written so many books in seven years. Obviously, also, Miss Scanlan is not indulging in pot boiling, for all her work shows a careful and conscientious pen. Better still, all her novels are sincere and absolutely wholesome. How many of our modern novelists can make the same boast? This latest book is an unaffected and true picture of average people from average English homes. The central characters are two young Englishmen, one so honest in himself that he is ever on guard against others, and the other who has to reach sincerity through hard struggle. In search of fortune these two diverse characters leave for New Zealand. Their respective adventures provide the material for a most interesting story. There is an appealing thread of love interest throughout the story. The New Zealand scenes are well done. Miss Scanlan has never written so easily and with such sincerity. She is a faithful recorder of the vagaries of human nature.

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“Madman's Island,” by Ion Idriess (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) is the first book ever written by this popular Australian author. The manuscript was first offered to A. & R. in 1927. As there was no demand at that time for true adventure stories, it was “coloured” into a work of fiction and published. The Ms. is now published in its original form—a true story of the extraordinary adventures of the author and a companion who were forced through circumstances to spend six months on a microscopical island near the Great Barrier Reef—near Cape York Peninsula. The adventures and hardships of the pair are almost incredible. Idriess's style recreates the whole scene for the reader, who in truth, will feel he is on the very island himself, battling against Nature and with Nature for his very existence. The wonders of the great Barrier Reef are painted in all their manifold and sometimes terrifying colours. A remarkable book this, the orders for which have been such that the first printing is over 10,000 copies.

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“The Human Situation,” by W. Macneile Dixon (Angus & Robertson, Sydney) is one of the most remarkable books I have read this year. I must confess though, that where I revelled in its beautiful literary style and its wealth of peculiarly appropriate and rare quotations, the subject matter of the book disturbed me as it will probably disturb others. In brief, the author, who is a distinguished professor of English literature, sets out to arrive at an estimate of man and the universe. He attempts to answer three mighty questions: What is the ultimate reality? Is life worth the battle? Does the soul survive the death of, the body? Truly has he undertaken a colossal task. I admire the way he has marshalled his facts, his questionings, and his surmises. He quotes many of the great minds of the centuries, and although his interpretations and his commentaries on them may not be accepted by all, his observations are always interesting.

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“The International Press Who's Who New Zealand, 1938,” has just been published by National Magazines Ltd. It contains biographical sketches and photographs of representative commercial, professional, financial, pastoral and business men of New Zealand. National Magazines Ltd., have already established a sound reputation in the publishing world and with their organisation, which includes leading journalists and business men, is well fitted to have completed such a big undertaking. The illustrated section comprises over 300 pages on good art paper and the biographical section another 557 pages printed in good, clear type and nicely laid out. The book is solidly and attractively bound. It is some years since a comprehensive New Zealand “Who's Who” has been published, so that the appearance of this up-to-date compilation will be welcome.

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