... THE scope of Mrs. Markoo sha Fischer's novel. THE NAZAROVS (Gollancz. 12s. 6d.), is very wide, as it embraces not only the Russian scene from 1905 to the end of the Moscow siege in the last war, but also the rise, fall and renascence of a Russian family, together with their husbands and wives and some of their dependants. Nevertheless, the storv is not confused and the author has been able to ...

... MR. J AMES THURBER once observed when challenged in a New York bar that he was the only living writer who had not called on George Bernard Shaw, and who did not want to call on George Bernard Shaw. His statement led him to reflect on the niceties of literary pil grimages in general, and to write one of the funniest pieces in a book that is, from beginning to end, hilariously funny. In fact, ...

... MR. CECIL GRAY calls his autobiography MUSICAL CHAIRS (Home and Van Thal 16s.). He is, of course, well known in musical circles as well as for his writings upon music, and he rather disarm ingly sub-titles this book Be tween Two Stools, for he says he is apt to be dismissed by musicians as a mere writer, and by writers as a mere musician. As a writer he sees the art of autobiography mainly ...

... TO the best of my belief, Hans Yanar's ONE PAGE MISSING (Gollancz. 9s.) is the first novel by a film actor that I have ever read, but that is not its only claim to distinction, since it is a really touching picture of a boyhood spent in Austria about the time of the First World War, though not greatly affected by that. The boy, Matthias, is brought up mainly by his grandparents owing to his ...