Daily Independent Journal from San Rafael, California • Page 48

i I i-1 ii VI 5 Til M14 jtutilrpfiriViil-irinirftar. -------The Biography Marinite Tells Too Little Of The Man WILLIAM PENN PATRICK by R. C. Allen; Best Books, 145 pages, $4.50. Reviewed by Don Keown.

William Penn Patrick, remarkably successful cosmetics magnate and extremely controversial right-wing political figure, could be the subject of a most interesting book that would tell us much about our times. But this is no such book. While it is labeled biography by R. C. it reads more like a promotional piece for Patrick the person and for his Holiday Magic business empire.

Allen, a veteran plower of the positive thinking furrows, gives us a thin book devoted largely to own quotations summarizing and re- summarizing his personal philosophy of devotion to country, to the free enterprise system, to hard work and to the motivational pattern that is generally categorized as Allen quotes Patrick: I can find 10 men, before 1 die, who can stand up as strong and unwavering in the Truth as 1 can and, if one of those 10 men can step out as the leader, then I will consider my life a No shrinking violet, Bill Patrick. Yet even he might be embarrassed by the overly-effusive tone in -which Allen sings his praises in the scant material by which the author connects own monologues. What biography there is to be found in the book after some skimpy coverage of early years and meteoric rise in business revolves largely around Holiday Magic and his incentive, training and sales techniques employed there. There is a chapter on Califor- i a gubernatorial campaign But one learns from it very little about the ultra-conservative cast of the Patrick platform. In fact, it is an account remarkably shy in details.

For that matter, the Holiday Magic material also raises as many questions as it provides answers. For instance, we learn of Patrick's struggles with various state governments concerning liis distribution methods and of his eventual triumphs. But we are never told very specifically just what the controversy was all about. The dynamic Patrick is unquestionably a fascinating personality who has left his mark upon the business and political worlds, and who, no doubt, will continue to be heard from in the future.He is deserving of i better than this one-dimensional piece which, if you will pardon the immodesty, tells us less about Patrick the man than did a one-page of a feature that appeared in this magazine some time back. We are not urging a hatchet job upon this outspoken, strong-minded Marinite.

That, too, has already been done too often. Simply a study, or true biography, of some objectivity. Patrick apparently is quite big right now with those who insist that the American system can still produce its Horatio Alger-type success stories, given the right kind of material with which to work. He is the subject of one entire chapter in and Grow Rich Through (Hawthorn, $5.95) by Napoleon Hill and E. Harold Keown whose earlier work along this same line has enjoyed immense sales.

It includes a long interview. And the co-authors WILLIAM PENN PATRICK Deserving of something better rate Patrick as second only to another millionaire, W. Clement Stone, as a living and example of the rewards of the Science of Personal Achievement philosophy they expound. man to watch, a man who knows, and knows that he knows He is a man to they write of Patrick. R.

C. Allen say it more flatteringly. But he tries. A New Novel About Mussolini's Lost Millions TREASURE by A. E.

Hotchner; Random House, 304 pages, $6.95. Reviewed by Wayne Hathaway. April 1945, Milan. Italy: Front page photographs in all major newspapers show Benito Mussolini and Claretta Petacci, his mistress, hanging by their feet in front of a Milan gas station. Those of us who remember World War II will never forget those pictures.

violent end came at the hands of Italian partisans as he fled before the Allied advance, attempting to reach sanctuary in Switzerland. However, the fate of some 100 million dollars in currency, gold and jewels that he was known to have withAim remains a mystery. This intriguing puzzle is the basis of novel which APPLY NOW FOR EVENING CLASSES Beginning August 31 OAKLAND AND SAN FRANCISCO credited State Bar ol California 2 College required for information or catalog SAN FRANCISCO LAW SCHOOL 20 HAIGHT ST. S.F. 94102 PHONE 626-5550 from the East Bay Zone our toll-free number 1 Enterprise 1 -11 74 begins in 1969 as Paul Selwyn is released from an Italian prison after serving 24 years for the murder of one of his fellow members of an allied investigating team attempting to trace the missing treasure.

Paul is consumed by the desire to be compensated for the 24 years of his life he has lost. He seeks to do this by launching an archeological expedition with his former compatriots as a cover for his search for the missing treasure that he feels is still in the area. In addition to his search for the missing treasure Paul spends considerable time searching for the sexual virility he apparently lost during his imprisonment. He finally recovers his potency with the assistance of the daughter of the man he was convicted of murdering. (The head-shrinkers should have a field day with that.) Paul gradually becomes aware that the treasure was not all lost; his fellow investigators had managed to recover some of it 24 years ago and used it to launch their successful civilian careers.

He also finds the rest of the this scene stretches credibility well beyond the breaking point. In his book, Hotchner has passed up the opportunity to write two novels. He could have written a sensitive, moving story about a man in search of potency, or lie could have drawn upon the fascinating historical events surrounding the disappearance of the treasure to write a gripping mystery; however, he did neither. His cliar- acters and situations are just not quite believable. He could benefit greatly from study of the works of his friend Hemingway.

Contrived Modern Version Of Greek Tragedy THE KILLING GROUND by Steven Linakis; McKay, 182 pages, $4.95. Reviewed by Bob Raab. A Long Island housewife is raped by two hoodlums. She knows the identity of the men and so it seems justice should bo served swiftly. Not so.

Our housewife is an irresistible beauty who moonlights as an exotic dancer. The rape takes place in a sleazy night club. Her aecosters are mem- ominic WEDDINGS in a memorable setting overlooking the canal DOMINIC'S $07 BLvafS Rafail bers of the Mafia and the Family pays off or threatens everybody in sight from police detectives through district attorney, even the lawyer. Her husband relentlessly pursues justice but is hampered by a criminal record for rape. Finally, skewered between frustration and rage, he attempts to assassinate his tormentors.

He fails and nearly gets killed by his own 45, which fortuitously misfires three or four times. At the end our protagonist, Johnny Hutchinson, is thrown out of his house where his wife and family are staying after leaving him. This is the second novel by Linakis. It is impossible to get emotionally involved with the characters in this book because they are one-dimensional. Linakis can move things along in brisk fashion but his modern version of a Greek tragedy is too i too; strained, to be effective.

Marin Homemaker Joins Science Fiction Writers STARBREED by Martha de- Mey Clow; Ballantine, 220 pages, paperback, 75 cents. Reviewed by Don Keown. Martha deMey Clow, Ross housewife and mother of five children, has enjoyed the experience of having her first book manuscript accepted for publication. It is also, she says, the first writing that she has done of any kind! Her choice of the science fiction field, she says, was a natural one, my father fas an engineer who would read no fiction except science fiction. So i read it, i Her book, written over a two-year period, is an tive, well-constructed, suspens ful tale of a menace confronts an already war-torn and susp cious earth by a hybrid, tl i of centaurian ar earthling, super intelligent ar bent upon revenge against ti civilization that has discrimina ed against and abused his National and international pol tics are skillfully integral with interstellar heroics.

The science fiction book ma ket remains strong, and its suj porters are certain to welcoir Mrs. Clow to the ranks of vored suppliers. The wife of certified publ accountant John W. Clow, Mr Clow remains a homemake Rut she says, she is now also, professional writer as well. A.

E. HOTCHNER Not-believable novel.