The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 118

orbir 9p pHlHbflHGpgB Judge Harold R. Medina Background From a Tudcre Helen Howe Advice Puts Bea on Trail Bird' In Her Glory GRAND OLD LADY: The Story of His DC-3 by Lt. Col. Carroll V. Glines and Lt.

Col. Wendell F. Moseley. Pennington Press. $3.95.

More people have flown, been carried in or simply watched the DC-3-C-47 airplane than ony other airplane in the world. "Grand Old written by two frequent reviewers for this page, is a wonderfully documented and anecdoted history of this fabulous workhorse of the skies. It is entertainingly set forth by these; two air force pilots who know whereof they speak since they both have hundreds of hours in this plane which is affectionately called the "Gooney Bird." Great aviation glamour stories have been written about the fighters and bombers of world war The more mundane heroics of the transports have been neglecteduntil now. Tales of the unbe-lieveable follow the fantastic as this book takes the reader from this plane's stormy evoiution on the drawing boards in 1933 through its many present-day modifications. The versatility of the DC-3 has been proven time and time again by such feats as laying telephone wire over mountains or flying a patient from one hospital to another under the Golden Gate Bridge.

To the relief of its pilots, the DC-3 often carries loads much over the maximum the designers thought was possible. Once a C-47 carried twice the allowable weight in steel planking which had been mistakenly counted aboard as aluminum. Although the Grand Old Lady is ancient by aviation standards, there is no sign that she is anywhere near retirement. After reading this book one wonders if still another brilliant chapter in the history of the Douglas DC-3 won't be written by having it modified to fly to the Moon. Having read of its feats as a bomber, fighter, glider, command post, laundromat, hamburger stand and what have you, I'm convinced that it can do anything.

Maybe that's why the authors say that the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3. By this collection of flight stories about the most famous airplane in the world, the authors have made a real contribution to aviation literature, For anyone and everyone who knows what a DC-3 or a C-47 is, this book is certainly in the category of "must" reading. And, if you don't know anything about airplanes, "Grand Old Lady" is the kind of book you'll like anyhow because it is well written and has more human interest material between its covers than most aviation books. Vincent J. Bagli, MD.

by Edith Copeland Nowhere will you find a funnier and at the same time a truer picture of the times and the people" portrayed, than Lewis Meyer has drawn in "Preposterous Papa." Papa settled in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906, betting on Kellyville instead of Tulsa. Tulsa's growth never bothered Papa. Where Papa was, that was the center of the universe. Bookseller Lewis Meyer has portrayed one family, and one phase of life in the early years of the century in Oklahoma, in a way the reader will remember always. (World.

More anthologies, two of them presumably designed for bed-time reading for those who find a suspense story the day's best ending. Margery Allingham's "Crime and Mr. Campion" presents three suspense novels "Death of a Ghost," "Flowers for the Judge" and "Dancers in Mourning." (Double-day. "My Favorites in Suspense" edited by Alfred Hitchcock (Random House. $4.95) is more manageable and the print is better.

It has -one complete novel, "The Blank Wall" by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, a novelette, "Composition for Four Hands" by Hilda Lawrence, and short stories by such favorites as Charlotte Armstrong, Dorothy Salisbury Davis, Carter Dickson, Anthony Boucher. An anthology of short stories from "The Paris Review" has an introduction by William Styron, who tells briefly the history of the magazine and what its editors have wanted to make of it. Here is work by Evan S. Connell Philip Roth, Samuel Beckett, Mac Hyman, Pati Hill and others. (Dutton.

The biggest anthology of the perhaps of the year (694 pages, indexed) is "Gentlemen, Scholars and Scoundrels," edited by Horace Knowles. Beginning with the classic "One Man's Meat" by E. B. White, and ending with the story of the Burma campaign by Charlton Ogburn its 11 sections present poetry, science, philosophy, fiction, national and world affairs as the writers for Harper's magazine have viewed them during the past 109 years. (Harper.

More autobiographies, with every possible contrast in viewpoints, attitudes, ways of life and ways af making a living. "Ed Wy nil's Son" by. Keenan Wynn as told to James Brough, with its picture of family relationships colored by Hollywood and show business. (Doubleday. Katherine Junham's "A Touch of Innocence," wretchedly uncomfortable record a world we'd like to believe possibly exist, and yet know does even in America.

(Har-ourt, Brace. Roy Cam-enella's "It's Good to Be Alive," he world of the Dodgers and of fhat Campenella's life has been ince an automobile accident made im a (luadrinlecric. (Little. Brnwn. THE FIRES OF AUTUMN by Helen Howe.

Harper. $3.95. A group of summer ladies, with Aunt Bea as instigator, decided to stay beyond the usual Labor Day departure in the small seacoast town of Cranford, Maine. Young Beatrice from New York, beset by problems beyond her solving, joined the little band of older women, and from them and her calm, poised Aunt Bea, gleaned the wisdom and comfort that she so urgently sought. "The Fires of Autumn" carries warmth and understanding, particularly of contemporary women.

Oftenesl, manless women. Helen Howe is a skilful writer who wields delicious satire almost gently, graciously where it touches the hearts of women. Winifred Marrs Dumas on Africa "More than any other land in the world, Africa has magic in its very name," Alexandre Dumas wrote in 1846 as he tried to convey that country's charm in "Adventures in Algeria," now reissued (Chilton. New Story-Added to the Chip Hilton sports story scries is "No-Hitter" by Clair Bee (Gros-Rt Dunlap. $1).

THE ANATOMY OF FREEDOM, by Judge Harold R. Medina. Holt $3.50. This is a collection of speeches given mainly in the past five years. Some of these have been revised and- expanded into essays.

They comprise a miscellany, to which the title gives a rather misleading impression of unity, although the subjects generally bear some relationship to freedom. Judge Medina has had two spectacular experiences which figure again and again in these pages. The better-known one was, of course, his presiding in the famous trial of the 11 Communists. The judge describes the trial in considerable detail, and it is an amazing and shocking story. The main aspects of the affair were matters of public record, but the author gives some additional details which were not so generally known.

The other episode was earlier in his career, and his connection with it is perhaps not so well-known or remembered. Hardtd Medina as a practicing lawyer was called upon, without fee, to defend a man who was charged in 1942 with treason on the ground of collaborating with the German saboteurs. This was a rather harrowing experience, since the attorney's status in the case was widely misunderstood. Aside from these two experiences, the subject matter of these speeches seems to be a rather routine, commcncement-lype sort of thing-filled with admirable sentiments, but pretty much the expected thing on such occasions as those on which these addresses were given. One important exception, however, is a discussion of court reform, on which the Judge has some very concrete proposals based on his personal experience.

J. H. Loek. New Translation A Student Special Sophocles' "Oedipus tho King," translated by Bernard M. W.

Knox of Yule University, author of "Oedipus at Thebos," is intended for students who will study the play with the aid of films made by 'he Council fur TvlvWeiuu Cuui.su in thy Humanities for Secondary Schools. Tho films are nlmod at the junior year of highschool, and tho papcrbound edition is in readable typo, with 20 pages of introduction doaling with tho work of Sophoeliw and tho Athens of his time. (Pocket Books. 35 cents). A Boy and a Bugle BUGLE BOY by Roderick Huff.

Harper. $2.50. A plan began to form in the mind of Poter Holcomb when ho discovered that his new friend, Lonnin, owned an old somewhat battered, but still blowable bugle. That was something Pete had always wished to own. With the help of nn indulgent and bugle loving grandfather, the instrument became his, The adventures of Pete, with his neighbor-annoying music, his parents, pals, and various predicaments are told with gaiety and a lino dramatic flourish.

IMe's achievements at Camp Morning Star, where contests of skill and valor made life exciting, uie the high point of the story. The characters nnd spiting are the kind that boys and girls from soven to 10 will 4.50). And Alice Tisdale Hobart's C.usty's Child." The author of Oil lor the Lumps of China" tells a life in many parts of the 'orld, with a quality of swinging ack and forth in time and place; kaleiodoscope of dramatic events experienced by pc womnti. Longman's, Green, yS), rend with thorough enjoyment, Black nnd whilo pictures by Leonard Shortall mnko Peter's pynlolts come alive. Mary Hayi Marabl.

84 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1959 OKLAHOMA'S ORBIT.