“Dr Brown has covered a wide range of manuscript and printed material, and handled it with a just sense of proportion and a keen scent for the significant. I do wish, however, that aspirants for the three magic letters would not be so oppressed by the solemnity of their quest as to neglect the light and humorous aspects of their subject.” S. E. Morison
+ − Am Hist R 26:143 O ’20 280w
“A careful and elaborate monograph.” H. E. E.
+ Eng Hist R 35:625 O ’20 80w + Ind 104:249 N 13 ’20 40w
BROWN, GEORGE EDWARD. Book of R. L. S.; works, travels, friends, and commentators. il *$2.50 (3c) Scribner
20–6150
A book of Stevenson miscellany, alphabetically arranged. “The chief aim of this book is to provide a commentary on his works as far as possible from Stevenson’s own standpoint by showing the circumstances in which they were written, their history in his hands, and his judgments on them.... The scheme of the volume also embraces references to members of his family, and to his more or less intimate friends as well as the places directly associated with his wandering life.” (Preface) The comments vary in length from brief paragraphs to several pages. Subjects covered more or less at length include the Appin murder, on which “Kidnapped” was based; “The black arrow”; Alan Breck; “Catriona”; Father Damien; Dedications; “Kidnapped”; Samoa; San Francisco; In the South seas; and “Treasure island”; and there are also notes on Barrie, Meredith, Kipling, Sidney Colvin, and others. The book has eight illustrations and is indexed.
“The arrangement is handy for reference, and the information sufficiently attractive to repay one who dips into the book for pleasure.”