“A connected account of the first phase of the Russian revolution has been badly needed. Mrs Williams has a clear picture in her own mind of what led to Bolshevism, and her main theme is easy to trace throughout the book. In these days, when many English liberals join in the foolish denunciation of nearly all Russian liberals as counter-revolutionaries without examining the positive side of their policy, it is useful to see the aims and policy of the provisional government clearly and sympathetically restated.”
+ The Times [London] Lit Sup p618 N 6 ’19 1000w
WILLIAMS, BEN AMES. Great accident. *$2 (1½c) Macmillan
20–5226
This is a story of American provincial politics and of education gone wrong. The way Winthrop Chase, junior, had been brought up by a well meaning father and mother had brought out strongly the negative side of his character. He always did the thing he was told not to do and was fast becoming a drunkard. Shrewd old Ames Caretall, congressman, returns from Washington just as a mayoral election is coming on. He resolves to take a gambler’s chance with young Wint and uses his influence to have him elected mayor over the head of Wint’s own father. How the “joke” does the trick, knocks manhood into Wint, and develops him into a sober, unusually decent, honorable and lovable character is the burden of the story.
“This town and its inhabitants stand out with remarkable clearness, and it is well worth while for English men and women to read of it. They will see for themselves how different is their country from that huge one which speaks the same language.” O. W.
+ Ath p16 Ja 7 ’21 1300w + Booklist 16:315 Je ’20
“This is a capital story. There are a number of well-drawn subsidiary personages, making the life of the small town vivid and often amusing. Its atmosphere is distinctive and typical.” N. H. D.
+ Boston Transcript p4 S 4 ’20 650w Dial 69:211 Ag ’20 110w