“The chief value of the book is its excellent organization of the large variety of activities which make up a worthy course in public speaking.”
+ School R 28:635 O ’20 180w
STRAUS, RALPH. Pengard awake. *$2 Appleton
20–17317
Pengard was first discovered by some English tourists, as a bookdealer in Chicago. According to the testimony of his friends, he had been queer for some time and was getting queerer, disappearing from time to time for increasingly long intervals. As he also appeared to be suffering, Sir Robert Graeme sets himself to fathoming the mystery. A famous English physician is requisitioned for the probe. That Pengard is a victim of amnesia, is coming more and more under the influence of another personality and is living in dread of complete surrender, is certain from the start. And this is what gradually reveals itself: John Pengard and Hartley Sylvester are one and the same person, and the latter, author of a book that has made him famous, is gaining in sinister influence. By the aid of psychoanalysis, hypnotism and shrewd guesses, Dr Arne achieves the unexpected result that Pengard fades away as a dream person and Sylvester comes to stay. After more patient experimenting, more startling disclosures, Sylvester transforms himself into John Mathieson, one-time pal and brother-in-arms to Sir Robert’s dead brother.
“We must admit that even an inveterate novel reader will scarcely be able to forecast the various developments which arise, and in particular the utterly unlooked-for conclusion.”
+ Ath p555 O 22 ’20 130w
“The story becomes more and more baffling as we proceed. The mystery is well worked out and the unraveling is exciting up to the very close.”