Judge — February 1, 1930 — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

\ 2) SUDGING” BOOKS I you would shear away all the phoney De Mille symbolism, the often cheap the cliches, the strain for elliy irony, the first hundred and the last two hundred pages of Manuel Komroff’s “Coronet,” the 677-page Literary Guild January | selection, there would remain a first | rate historical novel about Napoleon's defeat at Moscow. The patient would have lost arms, legs, half a torso and a few heart beats in the operation, but it would have been worth it all around. Something vital and tremendous would h remained, For no one has ever dione the débicle as Mr. Komroff has, giving us, as he has, the terrific real- ism behind the conventional glamor of the thing. Nor has anyone ever done Napoleon himself from quite so | human angle, Komroff has made | him the typical little man cove smallness with big talk. As it is, the book total gives the effect of a Russian pla which everything in the way idea has been thrown, includ kitchen stove. It is relieved onl the aforesaid great chunk and oc sional stretches of fine writing. It would appear that Mr. Komroff is suf- fering from a severe case of epic. Someone ought to relieve him of his symbols, which click with a muffled thud, or at least teach him to play them in the Feuchtwanger manner, Someone ought to tone down his over- ibitiousness to man-size possibilities. Someone ought to teach him selection, and that you cannot sprint a marathon distance. He might stick to literature and leave art alone, Earnestly, this hurts us more than it will Mr. Komroff. We feel that we speak from that old messianic impulse of ours which only aims for the Bigger and the Better. We think Mr. Kom- roff is a considerable figure on the American literary landscape. Had he kept up the pace of the Napoleonic episode, he would have produced one of the outstanding books of all time in our literature. Actually he has pro- duced a book which we like for one known and a lot of unknown reasons. What it is all about, so help us morley, we don’t know. We have received three pounds of pulp jonizing Bernarr Macfadden. All appearing, oddly enough, on the same day, written by three friends and published by the sate publishers, they are Wood's “Bernarr Macfadden, a Study in Success”; Oursler’s “True Story” of the giant, and Perkins’ | “Chats” with his family of little su- permen and womem If anyone cares to cart away these studies of St. Ber- narr, we will throw in the “Special- ist,” too. —Trp Suane —and now the new 200 America’s Ace of Action Again Kermath blazes a new trail in presenting a more bighly refined super power marine . No other engine in the world but 200" will provide equal rotative speeds ower with th ubic displacement. No one but offers such a phenomenal per- inced engineering. Write for special and complete in- 4 to 200 H. P. $295 to $2300 KERMATH MANUFACTURING COMPANY $865 Commonwealth Ave., Detroit, Mich. 90 King St. W., Toronto, Ontario. New York Show Rooms—Sth Ave. and 1Sth St. “A KERMATH ALWAYS RUNS.” ——eesF PLAY A MUSICAL SAW) IMPORTED You have heard our “Musical Saw” over the radio, on phonograph records, ‘and on the vaude- flavours from ville stage. Tt is the easiest musical instrument to play. Fun for you and music your friends will ENGLAND— enjoy. We will send you this Musical Saw with bow, hammer and lessons on five days’ trial. We Ss WwW E D E N will prove that you can play popular pieces in five days. No notes to read, no dreary fnger exercises and FRANCE No obligation to buy. FREE information. MUSSEHL & WESTPHAL 3 Hlovours are (BE 11 South 8rd Street Fort Atkinson, Wis. flovours are [9 ——————— identical with "AN ADDRESS OF DISTINCTION” i b those flavours Aes served abroad becouse they are made In the some di ies. HOLLOWAY'S LONDON DRY ans Especially Distilled for : the American Market. 1 So Much MORE ‘ Direct from London. NTERNATIONALLY known... the habitual stopping place of GRENADINE world travelers . . . conven- NUYENS iently accessible to all Loop - = Made in France Since activities... foods of surpass- . 1802. A Delicious ing excellence. Spacious and : Flavouring Syrup for smartly elegant rooms, Dis- a Manifold Uses. tinguished accommodations at ? remarkably reasonable cost. ; CALORIC Rates begin at $5 per day, i PUNCH Permanent Suites at Special Bacardi Flavour Discounts, From Stockholm A Luscious Flavour THE * Similar to Bacardi. A Good Mixer . . . If your grocer ern and Old-fashion Cocktail Re HOTEL, CHICAGO) pes, o new recipe booklet sent Under Blackstone Management free on request. Address Dept. J. | b.8. DORF & CO., 350 Ww. 31st St.,N.¥.C. al comicbooks.com