HALLDOR LAXNESS.
Author of "Independent People."
THERE are four novels which, for
literary excellence, deserve to be
remembered out of 1946 s fiction
harvest. They are Halldor Lax
ness’ “Independent People, ’ Evelyn
Waugh’s “Brideshead Revisited,' Carson
McCullers' “The Member of the Wedding”
and Raoul Faure s “The Spear in the
Sand.” Only one of the four, however, at
tains the universal quality which makes a
masterpiece. That is the first-named—
“Independent People.”
In it, superb writing is matched with a
theme of major importance. It is. essen
tially, an epic of the human spirit pitted
against the gods, or fate—if you prefer.
Consequently it belongs in the great an
cient tradition, of wmcn it is quite wormy.
The Years Great Novel
It is the story of one man’s determina
tion to triumph over the environment to
which he has been born. Mr. Laxness is
an Icelander; he writes about Icelanders.
His hero is a peasant of the share-crop
ping class. He undertakes to become a
landed proprietor—an independent man.
For 30 years he
pays for a
penny by
At the end
that time, he
loses his stake
because fate is
too strong for
him.
Withsocial
mindedness the
present rage,
there will be, of
course, an in
clination to view
this novel In
terms Of the SO- Erie E«»»r«o»
c i a 1 q u e stions
involved, the oppression of the poor by
the rich. The book is far more than
that. You have only to compare it
to works which are specifically limited
to the social question to see its superiority.
John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath
for instance, shows as a piece of schoolboy
sentimentality beside it. It is the great
novel of the year.
“Brideshead Revisited” has extraordi
nary beauty. It is a memorable perform
ance. It is cut off from universality how
ever by its theme. That deals with the
specific issues of a specific group andtime
-lit shows us a family of Hkiglish »rLst°"
crats collapsing into decadence in the
careers of the interwar generation. Within
that limitation, the w«*k is close to per
fect a long piece of melancholia in which
me autuum — —- —
The same thing can be said for “The
Member of the Wedding.” It, too, uses
splendid literary quality on a limited
theme. It deals with adolescence, deals
with it as the raw, crude, green despera
tion which it is, without any Mansfieldian
delicacy. But through the nobility of its
prose it lifts that treatment to the beauty
of tragedy. The novel becomes a sort of
solemn hymn on the pain of leaving child
hood behind.
“The Spear in the Sand” is a book which
has received very little notice but which
still stands as a work of striking original
ity. It is a first novel and such a one as
makes a reader impatient for more of its
author’s output. It is a fantasy, a purely
Imaginative work. In it, a young man is
shipwrecked on an island where he has
neither the need nor the chance to exert
himself in any way and where his sur
roundings are those of dreamlike beauty.
He spends the rest of a long life in this
lovely passive solitude. The novel is the
study of what happens to a human being
in an eventless environment. It is beauti
ful writing.
Except for “Brldeshead Revisited,” none
of these works went on the best-seller list.
There were, however, some creditabla
novels which did win that distinction.
“The Hucksters” by Frederic Wakeman
is one of the group which has attracted
wide attention. Plain Journalistic writing,
it attacks the fashions of current radio
advertising with pleasant vigor. As a
study of the entertainment habits of our
day, it may well be read in decades to
come as a serviceable text. As a novel,
however, it suffers from a silly and inhar
monious love story, obviously tacked on to
give the requisite “heart appeal.”
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell is an
•Kcellent little satire on political revolu
Novels of 1946
By Mary-Carter Roberts
The Star’s Book Critic
tlon, its futility. “We HapDy Pew" by
Helen Howe is an acid study of intellectual
immaturity and social snobbishness of
the present-day academicians, particularly
of those who pride themselves on being
liberal. Both books are worth reading.
Out of Hecate County
“Memoirs of Hecate County" by Edmund
Wilson achieved best sellerdom by the
nearly infallible means of being suppressed
for Indecency. It deserved the suppression,
though, apart from the obscenities, there
was good material in it. I make my
unkind observation because I find Mr.
Wilson’s obscenity genuinely obscene—that
is, I quarrel not with the matter—for
anything which can happen can be told—
but with the manner, which is extraneous.
There is no essential relation between the
objectionable passages and the remainder
of the tales in which they appear. One
concludes therefore that they were written
of their European hates. He is as powerful
a pleader in this as he has been in other
causes. Miss Sinclair’s novel is a study of
neurosis born of race shame. It has a
great thrust of emotion in it but, one
feels, its author is a trifle optimistic in her
view of what wonders psychoanalysts can
achieve in remaking the attitudes of
mature human beings.
To Read and Weep
One of the pleasantest of the popular
works of the year is, oddly enough, a sort
of juvenile, a story of a little girls discov
ery of a colony of Lilliputians living on a
country estate in England. It is a thor
oughly delightful tale which a sophisti
cated adult ought to find worth his time.
Its title is ‘Mistress Masham's Repose”
and its author, T. H. White.
‘‘The Miracle of the Bells” is a recent
comer to best-selling glory but bids fair
xui btxcxi uwii sa&e, — - w «
and that is unfor- n I * long time. It is hard
givable. That, in KeCOmmended to describe - you
short, is smut,, if _ could call it a six
you want a deft- INDEPENDENT PEOPLE, by Halldor ring circus in which
nition of it. Laxness. (Knopf; $3.) _ the acts are just
“Britannia Mews” BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, by Evelyn about all the sure
by Margery Sharp Waugh. (Little, Brown; $2.50.) Are stock situations
became a best sell- THE MEMBERS OF THE WEDDING, 0f sentimental fle
er but did little to by Carson McCullers. (Houghton; $2.50.) tion. There is in it
add to Miss Sharp’s THE SPEAR IN THE SAND, by Raoul no erring daughter
reputation. It is Faure. (Harper; $2.50.) driven out into the
1__I__cfnem mi+Vt O miilfv
IVtig UilU
and suffers from repeated shifts of em
phasis. This is surprising, for Miss Sharp
has distinguished herself in the past pre
cisely by the economy and clarity of her
writing method.
Veteran Authors Reappear
Earlier in the year several veterans
returned to the lists with works which
promptly became popular. One of these
was Eric Maria Remarque, with “Arch of
Triumph,” another was W. Somerset
Maugham with “Then and Now” and an
other was Daphne Du Maurier with “The
King's General.” All three of the novels
were the deft works of experienced crafts
men.
Two novels on Biblical themes have at
tained best-selling status in 1946, attest
ing the perennial popularity of this kind
of fiction. One was Gladys Schmitt’s
“David the King” and the other was Rob
ert Graves' “King Jesus.” Both have an
unorthodox approach to their subjects.
Miss Schmitt shows the Old Testament
hero as a modern neurotic: Mr. Graves
portrays Jesus as a mortal man who, by
the greatness of his spirit, did overcome
death. Both books are immensely inter
esting.
Of Jewish Life in A merica
The first novel by Charles Jackson
“The Fall of Valor,” since his epoch-mak
ing “The Lost Week End” came out in the
past year and, like its predecessor, has
promptly gone
on the b e s t
seller lists. It is
another study
of a neurosis in
a mature man.
It is delicately
done but lack
ing in life.
Also on the
list of the for
tunate were two
studies of Jew
ish life In Amer
ica — S h o 1 e m
A s c h ’ s “East
rr«4wic w»k«o»>. River” and Jo
Sinclair’s
"Wasteland,” which latter work won the
distinguished Harper Novel Prize. Hie
Asch book is concerned with New York Jews
and is, in sum, an eloquent plea for the
various immigrant groups which make up
so large a part of New York’s population to
lay aside their Old World prejudices and
learn the meaning of America. Mr. Ascii
blames much of the misery of New York’s
slums on the retention by the immigrants
little bundle, in her arms, but there
is just about everything else comparable.
For any cne who likes to read and wipe
the tears away, it is simply made to order.
Finally, the ranks of popularity have
been ornamented by Taylor Caldwell’s
“This Side of Innocence.” Obviously a lot
of people like it.
You Can Count on These
Here I shall name a group of good solid
novels which you can read without any
risk of wasting your time.
“The House Above the Kiver” by Mi
chael Foster. A fine study of the aristo
cratic spirit, personified in a young South
erner of distinguished family, pitted
against the standardless mob which is
current society. The tale is marred some
what in its ending.
“Letty Fox, Her Luck,” by Christina
Stead. A savage dissection of the type
of modern girl who has it ground into her
from her infancy that her duty is to “get
a man.” It is long and repetitious but its
force carries it along.
“All the Kina’s Men.” by Robert Penn
Warren. Another study of that Southern
State Governor who had it in him to be
come a dictator and died by an assassin’*
bullet. I found it the best on the subject
so far.
“For One Sweet Grape," by Kate
O’Brien. A historical novel of the reign
of Philip II of Spain. It is a genuine
r o m ance, espe
cially fine in
characterization.
“Road to Cal
vary,’’ by Alexei
Tolstoy—a huge
solid thing on
the Russian rev
olution and the
years immedi
ately afterward.
It gives you a
vivid picture of
the anarchy of
the postrevolu
tion period.
“Lost Heaven,” Daphne Dn Maarier.
by Kylie Ten
nant. Another of the gifted Miss Tennant’s
Australian tales. It is the picture of a
village entirely composed of violent indi
vidualists and is salty and original.
“Foretaste of Glory," by Jesse Stuart.
Delicious comedy about a Kentucky village
which mistook the aurora borealis for the
end of the world and vigorously and pub
licly repented. It is Mr. Stuart at his
excellent best.
“The Devil Is a Lonely Man,” by Morrl
CARSON McCULLERS.
Author of ‘‘The Member of the
Wedding:’
' RAOUL C. TJCURK.
Author of “The Spear in the Sand."
EVELYN WAUGH. 1
Author of “Brideshead Revisited * !
son Wood. A study of the lust for war
and power. The book has an unfinished
quality, but its power is arresting. The
author was a soldier in the Philippines
and died in a Japanese prison camp,
sending his manuscript home by one of
the last transports to leave the beleaguered
Islands. It is a first novel and shows
unquestioned talent.
Some Other Names
It should be mentioned. I suppose, that
Theodore Dreiser was represented during
the year by a posthumous work called
“The Bulwark.” It might Just as well have
been left unpublished. It was savorless
ponderosity. But it was also, of course,
Theodore Dreiser.
Then, too, there was one more of Upton
Sinclair's perpetual Lanny Budd series—
“A World to Win.” It was extremely silly.
The same thing may be said of William
Saroyan’s contribution to the year's litera
ture, “The Adventures of Wesley Jackson."
Even for the author of “Human Com
edy” this was a poor performance.
James Parrel brought out a new novel
during the year. “Bernard Clare,” a study
of an ill-educat
ed young man
trying to become
a writer and
turning into an
advertising sales
man. It was tech
nically good and
humanly dreary.
Like Edmund
Wilson’s opus, it
won the distinc
tion of being
suppressed, but
without the same
Justice.
There they are
—what I liked,
what you liked and some of what lies
between.
Late Novels of the Year
Since the above was written, some other
interesting novels have come into the
office. For me, Arthur Koestler has done
an illuminating book on the much-dis
cussed Palestine situation. It is obviously
a problem novel, as they used to be called,
but it is vivid and one reads it with a
sensation of getting a quite unbiased ac
count of Palestinian conditions. Mr. Koest
ler makes no bones about it that the Jews
are in the process of invading and taking
over that country; they mean to own it
and control it, he says. His point of view
is that, whatever you may feel about Arab
rights, such invasions have seldom been
halted in history. Backward peoples give
way before progressive ones. The Arabs
are to be pitied, in Mr. Koestler’s view,
but England has no possible defense for
her deviousness toward the Jews to whom
rn _ _ A a i.1 a l__* 1.^. J
OllC ^uaiaiiwcu v*iv. *»»*«•**«•
A curious novel, quite unlike anything
else which is now being written is ‘‘Titus
Groan," by Mervyn Peake. It is a tale of
fantastic and often horrifying doings in
a vast castle in an unnamed country and
an unspecified period of history. The char
acters are grotesque but not of any con
ventional variety of grotesquerie. The
tiling which makes the work commend
able—apart from the wild richness of its
imaginative quality—is the circumstances
that its author has a puckish kind of
humor. He cannot resist putting a touch
of the ridiculous on even the most horrify
ing situations. The result is a book which
appeals to the Intelligence as well as to the
imagination.
Marquand fans have quickly put the
latest novel of their favorite author on
the best-seller lists but I for one found
“B. P.’s Daughter” written more from a
standpoint of mass appeal than of literary
excellency. It is a wartime story with a
good many scenes in Washington and
those are well done—Washingtonians will
recognize their merit. In the main, how
ever, the story is lifeless and the leading
character, the daughter of a famous cap
italist who is supposed to inherit her
father’s realistic intelligence, is far from
convincing. But I daresay that, to tha
fans, these objections will mean nothing
at alL