Peake, Elmore Elliott. House of Hawley. [†]$1.50. Appleton.
The story of a family in southern Illinois which had remained true to the Union, but was southern in all its traditions. The heroine has to contend against the whole connection and their prejudices in order to marry a young Republican lawyer. Her grandfather, Major Elias, head of the family, his quiet wife, and their lazy son are lifelike, their southern ways are well pictured; and descriptions of such things as a chase with blood hounds after a negro house-breaker, a negro barn dance, and an electioneering expedition with Chicago politicians, add greatly to the interest and the atmosphere of the book.
“A careful picture of average life in a small town in southern Illinois, drawn with a loving accuracy of minor detail, and pleasantly aglow with local color, both physical and social. A skillful touch. There is a wholesome womanliness about Mr. Peake’s heroines that makes them seem very convincing. Most of the men, however, impress one as rather poor specimens of humanity.”
| + | Bookm. 21: 181. Ap. ‘05. 410w. |
“The book fails of greatness because the plot is too slight and does not trouble the deep places that exist in the life of every town, however isolated; nor does it ruffle the soul of the reader.”
| — + | Ind. 59: 392. Ag. 17, ‘05. 250w. |
“The interest of the book lies not in the story, but in descriptive passages. The story, if it shows no particular art or invention, it remains true that it is about the sort of thing which would have been likely to happen in the place where the author has chosen to plant it.”
| + | N. Y. Times. 10: 141. Mr. 4, ‘05. 550w. | |
| N. Y. Times. 10: 392. Je. 17, ‘05. 130w. | ||
| + | Outlook. 79: 503. F. 25, ‘05. 110w. |
Pease, Edward R. Case for municipal drink trade. P. S. King & son.
“The argument for the municipalization of the liquor traffic is here set forth as follows: The system of licensing does not stand the tests of efficiency, consequently some drastic reform is called for; high license is incomplete and politically impracticable; local veto is wrong in principle and likely to be futile in practice; municipalization is the only other method suggested.”—J. Pol. Econ.