Shorter Notices
Little Reviews Anthology. Edited by D. Val Baker. (Eyre and Spottiswoode. 8s. 6d.)
THIS is the second selection of stories, poems and criticism chosen from 21 contemporary journals by Denys Val Baker, who has also written a short account of the Little Reviews. It has some excellent material, but unfortunately some of the best of this, such as Kcestler's article on the Intelligentsia from Horizon, and Alun Lewis's story "The Orange Grove" from the same paper, have a:so been reprinted in other works, so that an unlucky reader may meet them here for the third time. There is a good example of that admirable Irish writer, W. R. Rodger's poetry, and characteristic poems by Barker and Betjeman. Clive Bell is almost always readable, but his article reprinted here from the Cornhill about Sickert the poseur is some- what spiteful. The proportion of stories to other matter is rather small ; it includes a sad little tale of betrayal from Welsh Review by Gwyn Jones, and another of those studies of mental breakdown for which Anna Kavan has become noted. It seems a pity that this sensitive writer so rarely attempts a new subject. One of the best features of this book is the ample representation it gives to Scotch, Welsh and Irish writers, together with three articles on the state of contemporary art in these countries.
Previous page
