Judge — April 12, 1930 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGING BOOKS I “Pure Gold,” O. E. Rélvaag his turned for the moment from pure epie to the modern novel. It is a MeTeague” of our prairie Nordskies ind, as in Frank Norris’ potent melo- drama, tells of two simple, healthy farmer souls who start on a shoe- string, collect a good many of them ind in time go completely miser. Their pinching niggardliness drives them through the years to a ghastly, barren death. Of course, in’ these days of billionaires, who somehow sur- vive despite their tendency to skimp millions, Rélvaag's sentiments on ava- rice seem a bit grandmotherly, Still he has faithfully recorded his theme ind it will do as far as it goes. We didn’t fall hard for John Dos Passos’ “The #2nd Parallel.” It is a serious literary work, done with nco- impressionistic. trimmings, biting out 1 chunk of American life and inspect- ing it in terms of several varying American characters. But like the manner it uses, it seems somewhat dingy and outmoded in spirit—a hangover from the old Greenwich Vil lagey messianic days: noble, compas sionate and all that, but depressing in its virtuous attitude. It seems to have been written by a very tired man, one who is struggling to keep alive the school of propagandistic writing but realizes that it is as done for as the Communist Party. Robert Neumann's “Flood” is a continental version of “The #2nd Par wllel.” In the old-world manner it represents the aimless futility of the red post-war intellectual, but where Dos Passos holds up a despair of material age Neumann grovels in the ud. ‘Taking a Viennese group, en neshed in genteel poverty be the war, Neumann collects them t in the mad political and whirlpool of the reconstruction per Not one of his characters achieves any peace but lives in a madhouse of per verted desires, futile emotions and lost | causes. ‘The last picture in the book s of an insane, half-blind scholar driven mad by the dissolution of his family, selling rubber men to mangled corpses of women and children killed ina Communist parade. Which ought to explain everything. People who wipe a nostalgic tear | when George Ade is mentioned will roll with laughter on thei sars over Roy L. Me Aunt Angie.” It is the ‘subtle’ ro- cockeyed humor of 1910 with a smack of good clean smut, presumably for that modernistic effect. It would have heen a wow on that buggy ride. —Tep Suane KEEPS TEETH WHITE Smile your way to success! No one can resist a winning smile. Teeth make a world of differ- ence in your smile. So keep them sparkling WHITE. Every day chew the gum especially made to keep teeth clean and white as pearls, Chew delicious Dentyne— it’s the highest quality gum made today. ENTYNE ..and smile/ Judge Publishing Co., Inc., 18 East 48th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Doctor Judge: I'm weary of worry, T want to be I'd like And set I'm ready to chuckle, nger to sob, k you to buckle ight down to your job! 104 Regular Weekly Visits. $7.80 52 Regular Weekly Vi Name Address City Dr. Judge Eminent Doctor of Humor and Mirth, Healer of Worries that sadden the earth, Author of legions of rollicking tomes, Visitor weekly in thousands of homes. Funny Bone Mender, whose his- tory shows Succor and aid for Society's Woes, Jovial fellow, with practice exten- sive, Mirthful and mellow, and yet in- expensive— Why should a person remain ap- prehensive? Stifle your worry and banish your fret, Clip off the magical coupon and let This be a moment you'll never regret! comicbooks.com