The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle from Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Page 35

THE WISCONSIN JEWISH CHRONICLE Outstanding Literary Work Of Jews in the Past Year (Continued from page 2) FIRST MORTGAGE REAL ESTATE BONDS REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE LOANS GENERAL INSURANCE SURETY BONDS by Richmond Brooks Barrett, "Miranda Masters" by John Cournos, "Tents of Jacob" by Hyman Cohen, and "Verdi" by Franz Werfel. Barrett's volume is a refreshing story of the futile love of George Morgenthal for a non-Jewish girl. It is the struggle of a Jew within himself against his race, to which he finally succumbs. This book has been attacked as an epitome of non-comprehension of the Jewish mind. Such attacks merely mirror a misunderstanding of the particular type of mind possessed by Morgenthal.

"Miranda Masters" is an additional nuance of John Cournos' autobiography. It continues the daring mental adventures of John Gombarov, isolated English-Jew, who pictures himself as the embodiment of world Jewry and its sorrow. "Tents of Jacob" by Hyman Cohen, a new Jewish author on the horizon, gives a Freudian interpretation of Jewish love in a Russian village. Such treatment has never been attempted before and it throws new light on the narrowness as well as the vastness of the Pale. Oriental love was never stifled even in the rigid confines of the ghetto.

"Tents of Jacob" is recommended as one of the 1- i 'Jews; that duty he fulfilled ade-ely and trenchantly. It is more oable that the nationalist element ated the best part of "Israel" for ny people. That reason alone should ve been sufficient for Lewisohn to deprecated his new found Zion. must be remembered on the other and that Lewisohn's book might not ave been at all possible if the funds or his trip to Palestine had not been urnished by the Zionists. In rendering these Olympian decisions on the most important books of the year, one must satisfy all one's preferences by dividing the year's literary output into its component parts; non-fiction, including biography, essay, science, travel and criticism and fiction.

The best novel of the year written by a Jew is "Peter the Czar," by Kla-bund (Alfred Henschke), the young German lyricist. Although it might be termed an historical since it adheres strictly to fact, the treatment of "Peter the Czar" is essentially that of the novel. I believe it ought to be considered one of the first three novels of the past year, regardless of the origin of the author. Written in staccato, impressionistic style, unusual to the American novel, "Peter the Czar" succeeds in painting an epoch "Our Investments Bring No Losses" RICHTER-SCHROEDER CO. 1 ut REALTORS by Franz Werfel is a laborious recrea ABRAHAM SIMON WOLF ROSENBACH, PH.

D. Formerly Professor of English Literature at University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of "Unpublished Memoirs," the story of a literary Raffles; President of the American Jewish Historical Society and of Gratz College, Philadelphia. He is seen here with the first folio of Shakespeare a coveted rarity. Tel.

Broadway 8822 617 Caswell Block A Happy and Prosperous New Year to All! tion of the relations between Verdi and Wagner. Unfortunately, the heaviness of Werfel's style has marred the possible beauty of narration. Works of fiction which may be mentioned in a general review of the past year are "The Marriage Guest" by Konrad Bercovici, "Doodab" by Harold Loeb, Transit" by Isidor Schneider, "Mary Glen." by Sarah G. Millin, "Grobo" by E. H.

W. Meyerstein, "The Office" by Nathan Asch, "Jacob's Well" by Pierre Benoit, "Appasion-atat" and "Mannequin" by Fanny Hurst, "Show Business" by Thyra Samter Winslow, "Krakatit" by Karel Capek, and "Count Bruga" by Ben Hecht. Non-Fiction Non-fiction is easier to judge because of the more limited fold. It is surprising that Jews should so preponderantly take to the fiction form of writing; their adventures into the concrete, more cerebral realms are A Bell Master Portrait and a gigantic personality in the compass of a small volume. It is infinitely more successful in conveying local color and depicting historical characters than the innumerable volumes that have been written recently in the fashion of "Glorious Apollo" and Best English Novels by Jews It is significant that the best novels published in England during the past v'ear were written by European Jews.

The two which deserve ranking imme-liately after "Peter the Czar" are ooth by Arthur Schnitzler, "Beatrice" ind "Fraulein For sheer power psychological insight, and mastery of the art of conveying thought, Schnitzler's miniature volumes are unparalleled in any literatuer. Though Jacob Wasserman's "Ober-lin's Three Stages" is one of the German author's best novels, it hardly ranks in importance with Schnitzler's, though its breadth is greater. Was--ermann's "Faber," also published during the past year, is comparatively insignificant. A great deal of its incoherence and obscurity is attributable to a faulty translation. Other novels which emerge above mediocrity are "The Enemy's Gates" The best two travel books are "Virgin Spain" by Waldo Frank, and "Sicilian Noon" by Louis Golding.

The titles of these volumes indicate the countries visited. "Virgin Spain" is more of a historical retrospect than an actual description of a contemporary country. Its portrayal of Queen Isabella is one of Frank's best pieces of writing. "On New Shores" by Konrad Bercovici, though not deserving mention in the same paragraph with the foregoing, is a compilation of articles describing the various racial groups in America. It is really a valuable reference book in that respect.

It is hardly fair to speak of a volume as outstanding, when it can not be compared to anything else. Nevertheless, Isaac Goldberg's biographical essays on "The Man Mencken" and "Havelock Ellis" stands as original, and the most authoritative histories of the American and English authors. The biography of Benjamin Disraeli, as given in "Gladstone and Disraeli" mortals" are two important volumes in literary criticism. -The past year has indeed been a fruitful one for Jewish authors, and their volumes stand out, on the whole, as more than temporary contributions. None of them has reached the best seller list, but their quality will be tested by their permanence.

Any survey of the past year must naturally include reference to the death of Israel Zangwill. His loss is irreparable in the sense that any great writer's is. Although his contributions to literature wTere less frequent toward the end of his life, they demonstrated a vitality and vigor equal to that displayed in his earliest volumes. There is no Jewish professional writer of the present day to take Israel Zangwill's international place. That does not mean that there is not alive today a Jewish writer who is not Zangwill's equal.

No other Jewish author has as yet been translated into twenty languages, including the Japanese. Israel Zangwill will be missed for his wit, his paradoxes, his broad humor, his keen understanding, and his intense independence. (Copyrigrlit by Sveii Arts Feature Syndicate) of you is a holiday gift that only you can give. For an Appointment Telephone Lakeside limited. In fact, the great disparity between the number of Jewish novelists and essayists offers enough ground for the erection of an elaborate theory, which will be disregarded The George Clayton Bell Studios in the limits fthe present article.

by D. C. Somervell also deserves fa 587'2 Downer Avenue T7 T7 1-A The Man Who Made Milwaukee's Great White Way vorable mention. 1 Meet iuy contemporaries" by Maximilian Harden is hardly worthy of that great German-Jewish writer, being a collection of unsatisfactory, complicated evaluations of several of the great men and women of his time. "Medical Follies" by Morris Fish-being is an amusing study of the fads that have followed upon America's adoption of physical culture as a habit.

Osteopathy, chiropractic, and all the other therapeutic professions are skilfully derided by the editor of the American Medical Association's Journal. "Are the Jews a Race?" by Karl Kautsky is a belated English publication of the German Socialist's inade-ouate appraisal of the status of the Jewish people. "Broken Earth" by Maurice Hindus may be considered a history of contemporary Russia at its core, since Hindus dissects the attitude of the peasantry to the Soviet government, and describes their present modes of life. "Key of Faith" by Michael Gershenson is the English translation of the Russian Jewish philosopher's interpretation of the Bible. "The Road to Peace" by Herman Bernstein is a notable collection of the opinions of the world's leaders on the possibilities and means of attaining world peace.

"Jews of Eastern Europe" by Dr. Arnold Margolin describes the part played by the Jews in the overthrow of the Romanoff government, their victimization in pogroms, and also tells the story of the famous Mendel BeUis ritual murder trial "Jewish Anthology" by Ed- iii USUI The Great Electric Signs That Attract Thousands to Leading Theaters and Business Houses Are MILNE MADE When They Seek the Best for Theatrical Signs They Call on Us for the Electric-Sign. Our Theatrical and Spectacular Electric Signs and Changeable Letter Canopies Are Great Business Builders. They Excel All Oth ers in Quality Individuality Beauty and Life MILNE Electric Sign Co. 1S9 Fifth Street Tel.

Grand 766G MILWAUKEE, WIS. mond Fleg, translated by Maurice Samuel, gives extracts from Jewish literature, beginning with Talmudic times. The collection is quite inadequate, although everything is admirably selected. Dramas Dramas by Jews published during the past year include: "The Butter and Ege Man." by G. S.

Kaufman, "The Dybbuk" by G. S. Kaufman, "We Moderns" by Israel Zangwill, and "Tho Goat Song" by Franz Werfel. Of these, the play by Werfel is the most significant. Joseph Lawren's compilation of interesting statistics regarding the theater in "The Drama Year Book" is also worthy of mention.

Other interesting volumes written by Jews or dealing with Jews are "Genius and Disaster" by Jeannette Marks, in which she treats of the effects of drugs on certain well known poets and writers; "The Real Sarah Bernhardt" by Basil Woon, being the story of the Jewish actress as related by the wife of one of Bernhardt's proteges, Pierre Berton; "Marco the classic travel book, edited by Manuel Komroff, and "Notorious Literary edited by Albert Mordell; "Grace of a collection of thort stories by Manuel Komroff; "Nize purporting to be the reproduction of English-Yiddish dialect as heard by Milt Gross; "Mendel a history of a Jewish, epigrammatic, slightly too boisterous philosopher, by David Freedman; "The Puppet an analysis of the public mind by Abram Lipsky; "The Religion of Rudolf Kittel's authoritative survey of the Semitic origin of the Jewish religion; "The Works of edited by the renowned Jewish Nietzschean scholar, Dr. Oscar Levy. Benjamin de Cas-seres' essay on James Gibbons Hune-ker; and his essays on his "Forty Im AVic Year Greetings! 44 IVill make your hospitality famous" Saefke Nienow Co. Engineers' Supply Dealers MARINE SUPPLIES OF ALL KINDS Order a Case for Your Home JOS. SCHLITZ BEVERAGE CO.

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