Best of The Paperbacks

Novels: Three by Morris West,

)Aughter Of Silence, The

Lig Story And The Second

HCTORY, are in this author’s minor ;ague and never became world best ellers (like The Devil’s Advocate, tc.). The first two have the Italian ackground in which this author is lost at home; but the last of the rio is a departure from West radition and is a story of the nmediate post-war occupation of tustria. (All Pan.)

A House For Mrs. Biswas,

y V. V. Naipaul, is the hilarious, rilliant and poignantly pathetic ccount of how Mr. Biswas, an East ndian journalist in Port of Spain, rinidad, escaped from the octopus mbrace of his in-laws. Although it as a West Indian colonial back round it could be about a poor but spiring Indian family almost any where. (Fontana Library.)

Captain From Connecti

CUT is in the Hornblower tradition y Hornblower’s creator, C. S.

'orester, but Captain Josiah 'eabody is the hero of this one.

Four Square.) In SHIPMASTER, by Gwyn Jriffin, the first mate of an Italian hip on a voyage to Australia literally ops the lot. He suddenly finds imself acting as captain, he runs ito a hurricane, he has to put down mutiny and slap down a Royal Javy commander, a psychopathic pinster and a sadistic widow.

Fontana.)

Something Light, By

dargery Sharp, is just what the title ays—an amusing, pleasant change rom the hard-going of much current ction. (Fontana.) act:

The Hell-Fire Club, By

)aniel P. Mannix, takes a look at he morals of 18th century London, articularly those of the so-called lell Fire Club, dedicated to black aagic, sexual orgies and political onspiracies. What the book might ack in accuracy the author makes ip with droll stories on a wide anvas. (Four Square.)

Quest In Paradise Is David

Attenborough’s readable account of two journeys he made in the South Pacific during which he visited Tonga, New Hebrides, the New Guinea Highlands and Fiji. In the New Hebrides he saw the sensational land-divers of Pentecost; in New Guinea he recorded the dance of the birds of paradise; and in Fiji saw fire-walking and turtle calling. We reviewed the hard cover a few years ago. (Pan; illustrated.)

The Diamond Smugglers,

by lan Fleming, is not a Jamyes Bond thriller but almost as fantastic, though true. It is the account of how the vast smuggling racket that was siphoning-off about £lO million worth of African diamonds per year in the early 1950’s was smashed, with the help of MIS. (Pan; illustra ted.) Thrillers and Crime:

The March Hare

MURDERS, by Elizabeth Ferras, is murder among the English upper middle classes. (Four Square.)

A Man Called Jones, By

Julian Symons, is the story of another perfect murder, that wasn’t, (Fontana.)

The Dance Of Death, By

Algernon Blackwood, is a collection of six spine-chillers for those who like weirdies. And Frank Edward’s

Stranger Than Science Is

based on a US radio series of the same name and presents some of the greatest unsolved riddles of the world. (Pan.)

Self-Improvement Dept.:

Bridge For Beginners, By

Victor Mollo and Nico Gardener, consists of 12 concise lessons that have served as the basis for tuition at the London School of Bridge.

With charts and disgrams. (Pan.)

How To Write English, By

Hugh Jarrett, principal of the Jarrett School of English at Cambridge, explains the basic principles of good English, how to choose the right words and correct idiom and how to write letters, speeches and reports.

It is of particular interest to foreign students as well as to the home grown product whose mother-tongue is a little shaky. (Fontana.)

The French Cookery

BOOK is by internationally known chef, Jean Conil, who has divided his life between cooking in France, cooking on luxury liners and cooking in England—and writing about it.

His book has everything for turning you into a cordon bleu genius. (Pan.)

What To Listen For In

MUSIC, by Aaron Copland, is a revision of a 20-year-old discourse on music, bringing the subject up to date. The author, a noted com poser, is most interesting when he deals with the art of composition and when he gives his opinions on other composers. The straight forward style might well be followed by other writers on music. (Mentor.)

The Wisdom Of China,

edited by Lin Yutang (Four Square)

And The Sayings Of Chuang

CHOU, translated by James R. Ware (Mentor Classics) put the Chinese philosophers in handy form. Better value of the two is Lin Yutang’s.

Asia In The Modern

WORLD, edited by Helen G.

Matthew, is designed to give general readers a background on Asian (and SE Asian) art, religion, geography, resources and politics, and does it well enough if you allow for the American outlook, which sees things differently. Includes a bibliography and index. (Mentor.) Pan and Fontana are distributed by William Collins (Overseas) Ltd.; Four Square and Mentor by Tudor Distri butors Pty. Ltd., Sydney. Prices vary from 4/- to 12/-. All prices quoted in “PIM” reviews are in Australian currency unless otherwise stated.