Life — October 15, 1925 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

Life and “A RNOLD BENNETT,” by Mrs. Arnold Bennett (Adelphi), is a hook which every husband should put in his wife's Christmas stocking, if he feels entitled to better service than he has been getting. “But of course she is French!” the American woman re- flects, as she Is of the thrill that comes from taking the short end of every domestic deal in order that an artist. spouse may never be irritated and thereby rendered less fit for his Letter work, But inasmuch as Mrs. Bennett glories in her martyrdom, the latter is none of our business beyond the fact that it has inspired her to give us an intimate glimpse of her husband's hu- man side. It has even afforded her the unfortunate opportunity to quote some of her own verses and to admit that she recites poetry in public. Just what Mr. Bennett would do with a less sympathetic and understand- ing wife cannot be imagined. He won't “WILLIE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” NOTHIN’.” “STOP IT THIS INSTANT.” let a chair or clock or photograph be moved an inch from the spot in which he has originally placed it. Even the dog must be trained not to bark whilst he is at work. He lives strictly hy schedule, thus practicing what he so beautifully preaches. The thing which impressed me most is that he always knows where his notebook is. But in his seldom hours of case he is a de- lightful companion. His weaknesses are endearing ones, such as his love of nd his faith in Moreover, he praise patent m is an excellent provider, and thoroughly enjoys s; ing his money, facts which will be all the majority of wives will need to kn cines. “THE NAKED MAN,” by Vere Hutchinson (Century), is not at all what you might think. Bernard Shaw once said in effect that those who do not xet their hearts’ desire are better off than those who do. This novel tells of a man who gets his heart's desire loses it. Luke Baddock, at the outse of the story, is an English coal miner of thirty-five or so who, having lost in youth the girl he wanted and also t chance of working on the land he so passionately loved, is married, for com- fort and convenience, to a woman older than himself and reluctantly to the monotony and drudgery of what appears to be his fate. hen cx word that he has inherited, through the death of his cousin, the farm of which he has never ceased to dream. Upon taking possession of it, counters young Cherry Snow, and the story of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah i: repeated in an English hamlet with the conclusion rewritten for dramatic pur- he cn poses. The Naked Man” is a fine, poignant novel written with amazing speed and simplicity in the tradition of Th Hardy. Miss Hutchinson should be proud of it. HEN the French start writing about their younger genera they give you the whole truth and Ii else but, if we may judge by Jean Coc- teau’s “The Grand (Putnam), which, being translated, means “The Big Stepping-Out.” M. Cocteau is one (Continued on page 30) comicbooks.com