Known and Unknown: A Memoir by Donald Rumsfeld

832 pages
Published by Sentinel, a Penguin Group in 2011
New York, NY

"My life has spanned more than one third of the history of the United States. As I thought more about this memoir and a title, the idea of the known and the unknown seemed to fit. Not only are there things in this book people believe they known about my life, but there are also things that may surprise and differ from what many may have read or heard or assumed." ~ Donald Rumsfeld

From the first moment I heard about Donald Rumsfeld's memoir, Known and Unknown I wanted to read it. What could be more fascinating than learning the "inside story" of my country's government for the last forty years than from a man who has spent most of his life serving as a Congressman, an Ambassador, and even twice as Secretary of Defense?

Most readers of my generation will of course remember Mr. Rumsfeld as the Secretary of Defense for most of George W. Bush's presidency, but what many of these same people may not realize is that that was not his first appointment to the job. Donald Rumsfeld also served as Secretary of Defense during the Ford administration in 1975. By 2001 he had been both the youngest and oldest person in American history to be appointed to the job of Secretary of Defense. Fascinating...

And that is exactly how I found Known and Unknown, fascinating. I was only 100 pages into the tome (and tome it is, for the text, index not included, reaches well over 700 pages!) and I could hardly put the book down.

During approximately the first quarter of Known and Unknown, Mr. Rumsfeld discusses in some detail the years 1932-1969 -- from his childhood, to the time spent serving in the US Navy, and later as a 29 year-old US Congressman from Illinois. For me this part of the book was a quick history lesson. Some events and people mentioned I remember hearing about, but for the most part his memoir filled in many of the holes left over from my childhood history lessons.

The second quarter of the book recalls Mr. Rumsfeld's time serving as a representative to NATO and White House Chief of Staff during the 1970s, as well as brief mention of the two decades he worked in the private sector for pharmaceutical companies. Again, the mention of people, places and events filled in more of the holes in my personal world and American history knowledge. By the end of the first half of Known and Unknown, Mr. Rumsfeld has brought his story up to the late 1990s, a time in which I have personal memories and the starting point of what I consider "recent history."

The "meat" of Known and Unknown is certainly to be found in the last half of the book. It is in this last half that Mr. Rumsfeld reaches the end of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st. It is a time that I consider "recent history" and to a point "current events." It is a time I remember vividly. Some events I remember reading or hearing about in the news and other events I experienced personally. For me the last half of Known and Unknown was the most fascinating section of the book... And at times it was also quite overwhelming. I was blown away with the amount of detail contained in each chapter. I can only imagine the amount of time and the extent of research that was required to complete this memoir. And I challenge anyone who thinks they know the reasons why America was attacked on 9/11 and why America went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan to read this book. This is not just one man's view, this is a memoir that includes details, facts, quotations, citations, and references that explain the known and the unknown of that period. It was very interesting.

That said, I must admit Known and Unknown is not for the faint of heart. If you tremble at the thought of reading anything political or historical in nature than you probably won't find Known and Unknown an easy read. Mr. Rumsfeld writes well, the entire book is woven together almost seamlessly, which makes it must easier to follow than other memoirs I've read, but the extent of detail does slow the reader down. If you have a predetermined interest in the topic then it is well worth the effort.

All in all, I am glad I took the time and effort to read Known and Unknown. While not every reader may agree with every decision made by Mr. Rumsfeld (or his bosses) I still encourage every reader to consider reading Known and Unknown, if for no other reason than to learn another side to the story that is recent American history.

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Related Links:

• The Rumsfeld Papers 
• World Timeline During Rumsfeld's Life (1932-Present)
• Rumsfeld Library (includes thousands of related documents)
• Known and Unknown (Additional information from the Publisher)

Decision Points by George W. Bush

481 pages
Published in 2010
By Crown Publishers
New York, NY

"The nature of the presidency is that sometimes you don't choose which challenges come to your desk. You do decide how to respond." - George W. Bush

Decision Points is not your typical memoir, that is not if you're expecting a chronological retelling of George W. Bush's life. Instead, President Bush chose to focus on key decision points within his lifetime and by doing so, he presents a thorough picture of his background and what has made him the man he is today. Of course, because this is a presidential memoir it should come as no surprise that the majority of the book focuses upon decisions made during the eight years he served as President of the United States.

My thoughts:
Over the years I have found that some of the most fascinating reads are those written by or about people who have had a direct impact on the world in which I live, particularly books about American history and the American people. So it was with great interest and curiosity that I picked up President Bush's memoir, Decision Points. And I am happy to report that I was not disappointed.

From start to finish I found Decision Points to be a fascinating read of current events and recent history. We're not talking nitty-gritty gossip, but the key info as to the why and how President Bush made decisions, both personal and public.

If you think you already have the whole story when it comes to George W. Bush because you read the newspapers or watched the evening news, think again; there are always two sides to every story.

When making any decision I believe it is valuable to hear the "objective" outside view, but I also believe it is extremely valuable to include the perspective of the person on the "inside", the one making the decisions. One can read any number of books on the American Revolution, but to truly understand what life was like and why the Founding Fathers made the decisions they did one must read the personal writings of the founders, as well as books that detail their life and beliefs. In essence, until you learn what made them tick you cannot truly understand why they acted as they did. The same can be said of any modern statesman. Whether you agree with the person or not, you won't stand a chance of ever understanding why they act a certain way or believe a certain thing if you don't take the time to hear their point of view.

As far as the writing style, Decision Points is a easy read. Although President Bush addresses some complicated issues and details he doesn't let the reader get bogged down. His writing is simple, but intelligent and to the point. He says it like it is and doesn't mince words; even when admitting his own mistakes. He comes across as a humble man of faith; not at all one who plays pious or lives a life of hypocrisy. (One may wish me to note there was a smattering of profanity in the book, but always when quoting a previous conversation usually between one politician and another.) President Bush is mostly unapologetic about the decisions he made throughout his political and legislative career stating in the epilogue, "I knew some of the decisions I had made were not popular with many of my fellow citizens. But I felt satisfied that I had been willing to make the hard decisions, and I had always done what I believed was right." (pg. 474)

And that is actually what I admire most about President Bush. Regardless of what others think of his presidency or of him as a person, I personally admire that he took in all the facts, discussed and considered the options, and in the end always made the decision based on what he truly believed was right and good, not for his reputation or career, but for the country as a whole. He was a true example of a politician, one who serves the public not themselves.

Being president of the United States is quite an honor. Only 44 men have held the position in the last 222 years. You don't get on that list just because you want the job. Nor do you get there because you're popular. You get there because you have the experience, the courage, and the leadership to hold the position and you have earned the trust of millions of Americans. I hope those who read President Bush's memoirs do not read it with the goal to nitpick the past, but instead read it with an open mind so as to better understand the man who led the free world for the first eight years of this new millennium, through some of the most difficult decision points of American history.

In the end as President Bush points out within his memoir, history will be the final judge. If historians and critics can still mull over and argue about decisions made by our first president, George Washington 200+ years after his presidency ended, it will be some time before anyone comes to a final conclusion about the presidency of George W. Bush.

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Related Links:

Random House Publishers: Decision Points

Kindle: Decision Points ($14.99)

George W. Bush Presidential Library

The White House: George W. Bush (#43)

Review: Spoken From the Heart by Laura Bush

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

283 pages
Published 1948
Charles Scribner's Sons
New York, NY

"Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing, nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or valley. For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much." (Chpt 12, pg 80)

I knew little to nothing of Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country before picking up a copy to read for my book club, but I looked forward to reading it with great anticipation as I wanted to know why it had been an immediate best-seller upon publication in 1948 and why it continued to sell some 70 years later.

Set in South Africa in the late 1940s, Cry, The Beloved Country tells the heart wrenching story of a Zulu pastor, Stephen Kumalo and the people of his country. As the story begins Stephen and his wife sacrifice their life savings so that Stephen may go in search of his lost son, Absalom, who they fear is in great trouble. The backdrop for his journey is a land of beauty and rich history, but also one filled with injustice, racism, poverty, and fear. As Stephen hunts for his son he encounters many different people, some whom he is able to help and a great deal more who are able to help him. This story may seem tragic at first, but if the reader stops to ponder the heart of book as a whole it becomes quite clear that it is more than that. It is a story of redemption, of hope and courage, and of God's love for ALL of his people.

From the first page I was drawn in. Paton's storytelling is simple and his chapters brief, yet his descriptions are vivid. It was if I were watching each scene pass before my eyes rather than words. The characters and places are real to life and the plot is tragically moving yet redemptive and thus beautiful. I was likewise fascinated by the social commentary aspect of the book. Much like Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope did in their day, Alan Paton took a fictional story and wove within it serious issues of the day (i.e. racism, greed, poverty, illiteracy, etc.). It is said that Paton's personal motto was "South Africa must be saved one person at a time." I think perhaps Cry, The Beloved Country was his attempt to share his heart's calling with mankind worldwide one reader at a time.

"It is my own belief that the only power which can resist the power of fear is the power of love. It's a weak thing and a tender thing; men despise and deride it. But I look for the day when in South Africa we should realize that they only lasting and worthwhile solution of our grave and profound problems lies not in the use of power, but in that understanding and compassion without which human life is an intolerable bondage, condemning us all to an existence of violence, misery, and fear." (Alan Paton, Intro. ixi)

In retrospect Cry, The Beloved Country is a book I truly enjoyed reading and highly recommend to other readers. It is a classic that is applicable to any person, any country, and at any time. There is always a lesson to be learned if the reader's heart is open.

Feeling thus I was not surprised to learn that Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton is on the list of 1,000 books you must read before you die. While there are a smattering of books on that list that I really believe aren't worth any reader's time to read, this is not one of those. Cry, The Beloved Country is not only a worthwhile read, it is a true piece of literature.

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For those who would like to learn more about Alan Paton or his book be sure to check out the links I've provided below.

* The Alan Paton Centre & Struggle Archives
* Cry, The Beloved Country (Audio Book)
* Simon & Schuster: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Wikipedia: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Wikipedia: Alan Paton
* Cry, The Beloved Country Timeline
* SparkNotes: Cry, The Beloved Country
* Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country: A Tale of Two Media by Dr. Glenn Statile (Word Doc)

One, Two Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

211 pages
Published in 1940, reprinted 1986
by Bantom Books

Hicksville, NY

One, Two Buckle My Shoe was published in the UK in late 1940. As was the case with several of Agatha Christie's novels it appeared in the United States a few months later under a different title: The Political Murders. For the sake of this review I will stay with the traditional of the two.

Which reminds me of random childhood memories where I would chant this rhyme (among others) while jumping rope or sitting bored in the car. Of course I only ever knew the first ten verses, so reading this book was not only educational (I learned the next ten), but intriguing as Christie take the children's rhyme and cleverly weaves it into the story and underlines each rhyme by placing them as headers to the ten chapters. Yes, very clever indeed.

One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Knock at the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight:
Nine, ten,
A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate's empty.

For those curious One, Two Buckle My Shoe is the 28th crime novel by the Queen of Crime and once again Hercule Poirot is lead detective, although he is aided by the best of Scotland Yard, Chief Inspector Japp.

The Plot:
"What reason would an amiable dentist like Dr. Morley have for committing suicide? He didn't have emotional difficulties, money problems, or love trouble. What he did have was an appointment with Hercule Poirot, who is not persuaded by the suicide story. Poirot therefore takes it upon himself to question the good doctor's patients, partners and friends. He has a suspicion that Dr. Morley wasn't an unlikely murder victim after all. Nor was he the first..." (Summary courtesy of AgathaChristie.com)

My Thoughts:
One, Two Buckle My Shoe is a much darker novel than most Poirot stories and also more politically "involved" than other Christie reads from late 1930s and early 1940s. I suspect Christie was inspired (if you could use such a word) from the very horror England must have felt as they faced yet another war with Germany. In some aspects I found this novel reminiscent of two earlier Christie mysteries: The Secret Adversary (1922) and The Big Four (1927). The link between all three novels is that of murder for political gain vs. the traditional who-dun-it where the motive of personal gain (eg. love, greed, envy) play a central role.

As far as detective fiction goes One, Two Buckle My Shoe was a definite puzzler. It kept me guessing until the end, which is generally a sign of success for the author. But even though I thought this was a good read it wasn't at the top of my list of "best mysteries" by Agatha Christie. Still, I always enjoy a story where Hercule Poirot "gets his man" and sets to rest all the questions in your mind by the book's end.

Up next: Evil Under the Sun

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Other Agatha Christie Reviews:
*Novels published from 1920-1923 see note below.

The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)
The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
The Big Four (1927)
The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
The Seven Dials Mystery (1929)
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930)
The Sittaford Mystery (1931)
Peril at End House (1932)
Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1934)
Three Act Tragedy (1935)
Death in the Clouds (1935)
The A.B.C. Murders (1936)
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)
Cards on the Table (1936)
Dumb Witness (1937)
Death on the Nile (1937)
Appointment With Death (1938)
Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1938)
Murder Is Easy (1939)
And Then There Were None (1939)
Sad Cypress (1939)
One, Two Buckle My Shoe (1940)

Absent In the Spring by Mary Westmacott (a.k.a. Agatha Christie) (1944)

* Christie's novels written from 1920 (The Mysterious Affair at Styles) through 1923 (Murder on the Links) I read before I began this blog hence no reviews are currently available.

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope

802 pages
Published in serial form 1874-1875
Reprinted Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005
New York, NY

I can't help but find it a little ironic that a few weeks after I first discovered Angela Thirkell and her Barsetshire novels my book club settled upon reading an Anthony Trollope novel. For those who don't know/remember, Anthony Trollope wrote a series of six books set in the fictional county of Barsetshire, which some 80 years later Angela Thirkell used as inspiration for 29 of her own novels set in that same fictional county. (While Trollope's novels were about the people of Barsetshire in the mid 19th century, Thirkell's were her own creation of the people of Barsetshire in the early and mid 20th century.)

The book selected by my book club was not one of Trollope's Chronicles of Barsetshire, but one of Trollope's longer stories, The Way We Live Now, which although not popular upon first publication has in recent years come to be considered Trollope's best work.

The Plot:
"Ruthless greed, relentless self-promotion, corporate swindles and scandals on a grand scale -- indeed it sounds like 'the way we live now.' Though Anthony Trollope's title actually refers to 1870s England, his scathing satire of a money-mad culture cuts close to the contemporary bone. At its center stands Augustus Melmotte, a crooked financier whose enormous schemes ensnare an array of avaricious aristocrats, politicians and 'important people.' Among them are Lady Carbury, who earns the family bread by churning out fatuous potboilers, and her spendthrift, ne''er-do-well son, Felix, who sets his sights on Melmotte's dangerously beautiful daughter, Marie. meanwhile Felix's sister, Hetta, falls for Melmotte's partner, Paul, who's encumbered wiht an American fiancee, herself a widow who may have shot her husband. As the frauds expand and the romantic entanglements grow ever more complex, Trollope revels in the antics of his characters while pillorying the corruption of their morally bankrupt society." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The story plot is thick (so much happens within the story over the course of six months) and the characters richly colorful and quirky.

Some readers might liken Trollope to Dickens, but I think in some ways Trollope is actually better than Dickens. The Way We Live Now is a long book, almost as long as Dickens' Bleak House or Little Dorrit, yet not once did I feel the story lagged or that Trollope was rambling as I admit I have felt from time to time with Dickens. Another aspect that I liked about Trollope's writing is that his characters seemed a little less stereotypical. On the downside I can't say that I loved any of the characters in The Way We Live Now. I liked some of the characters and I completely despised some of the others within The Way We Live Now, but none tugged at my heartstrings as in books like Bleak House.

One similarity between Dickens and Trollope is the ending. Both Dickens and Trollope ended their novels with a "happy ending" -- although in the case of The Way We Live Now that doesn't mean every character lives happily-ever-after or has all their problems solved, but it does mean that the reader finishes the book satisfied.

The Way We Live Now is a satire, which means Trollope was writing tongue-in-cheek as he criticized and commented on various aspects of life in England during the latter decades of the 19th century. His writing is filled with interesting and thought provoking snapshots and at the same time is witty and entertaining. Although a long read (with 100 chapters) The Way We Live Now is not a difficult read. I particularly enjoyed the vivid imagery that Trollope's words painted and jotted down many passages in my Book of Books.

Some might be discouraged by the length of The Way We Live Now, as I mentioned it runs to 100 chapters and depending on the publication can average around 800 pages. It took me 25 days to finish, but it was definitely a worthwhile read and one I highly recommend to any reader. I bounced back and forth between reading the actual book and listening to the complete book read aloud with the free LibroVox iPhone application. Having finished and thoroughly enjoyed The Way We Live Now I am definitely planning to explore more of Trollope's works in the future. As for The Way We Live Now, this is one book I'd advise you to buy rather than borrow.

On a related note, PBS Masterpiece Theater produced a mini-series adaptation of The Way We Live Now in 2001 starring David Suchet (Hercule Poirot) and Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice). I watched this series in 2007 at a time when, sadly, I'd never heard of Anthony Trollope. The movie is fairly true to the book. Some aspects of the story did not transfer to the screen, others did not transfer very well, which means you don't get the full depth of this story by watching the movie alone. But I do believe watching the adaptation does help a reader gain a better understanding of the story as a whole and also helps keep who's who amongst the characters clear within the reader's mind while they read.

I will add that the movie ending and the book ending are different, but only slightly so and both still end happily. The only objection I had to the movie was the addition of some bedroom-type scenes, though not obscene were enough to leave the viewer without doubt as to the intimacy of the character's relationships. Upon further reflection I believe this interpretation is typical of society's views within the 21st century, but not what Trollope intended in his book. It just doesn't work with the social views of the 19th century. Yes, affairs occurred, but not for characters of these types. Still I enjoyed the miniseries and recommend it to anyone who has read the book or requires some assistance in understanding the story before setting out to read the novel.

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Related Links:
* Anthony Trollope Society
* Anthony Trollope.Com
* Anthony Trollope USA
* PBS: Masterpiece Classics: The Way We Live Now
* E-book: The Way We Live Now (Project Gutenberg)
* Audio-Book: LibroVox: The Way We Live Now

First Family by David Baldacci

We interrupt these positive book reviews for the unexpected... a review of a book I not only didn't like, but I didn't finish reading.

I first discovered First Family by David Baldacci while browsing the book selection at Costco. I've always enjoyed a good political thriller, especially when it's set in Washington, DC and involves the White House. And it looked like First Family was just such a book. I'd never read anything by Baldacci before, but made a mental note to check the book out sometime, perhaps at the library. Especially when I read the description on the book's dust jacket along with the praise, "David Baldacci's most heart-pounding thriller to date..."

The Book Summary:
"It began with what seemed like an ordinary children's birthday party. Friends and family gathered to celebrate. There were balloons and cake, games and gifts. This party, however, was far from ordinary. It was held at Camp David, the presidential retreat. And it ended with a daring kidnapping... which immediately turned into a national security nightmare. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell were not looking to become involved. As former Secret Service agents turned private investigators, they had no reason to be. The FBI doesn't want them interfering. But years ago, Sean King saved the First Lady's husband, then a senator, from political disaster. Now, Sean is the one person the First Lady trusts, and she presses Sean and Michelle into the desperate search to rescue the abducted child. With Michelle still battling her own demons, and forces aligned on all sides against her and Sean, the two are pushed to the absolute limit. In the race to save an innocent victim, the line between friend and foe will become impossible to define... or defend." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts
Because First Family is a new release (copyright April 2009) the book has been in high demand at my local library, but after only a month and a half wait I was finally able to pick up my reserved copy and began to read.

And thus followed a series of disappointments. The first being that I expected the story to closely follow the President and the First Lady, hence the title, right? Wrong. It's not actually about the First Family... it's about the First Lady's brother and his family and via them the President and First Lady. Ok, no big deal, it's close enough. I kept reading.

But then there was the two private detectives, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. First Family is clearly not the first book by Baldacci that King and Maxwell star, so as I read I felt I was missing a lot of back story and inside jokes. Perhaps I'd feel differently if I had first read the book where they initially appeared. Still, I kept reading.

First Family is filled with the typical amount of violence found in the book's genre and some sexual content, neither being too graphic, but both a little more than I was willing to handle at this time. The criminals appear hardened and nasty, or at the very least insane. The language is moderate yet frequent, with a fair amount of crude insults included. Added together the book began to lose me.

And call me critical, but I felt the writing style was cheap-fiction, the type of book an author cranks out in order to keep his/her name on the top seller list or to hurry up and meet a deadline in order to make the leap from bookshelf to movie theatre. The plot itself, while intriguing, just wasn't pulling me in like other political thrillers have. Instead I found myself wishing I was reading one or more of the books sitting on my nightstand.

And so I guess it is no surprise that by chapter 10 I called it quits and began flipping through the last two chapters to see how the author wrapped up the story. I was relieved to see I had made the right choice. The way the story ended I wouldn't have been happy, it wasn't at all what I expected and I am glad I didn't spend the time to read all 89 chapters and 452 pages.

My Synopsis
The long and short of it is this, I just didn't find First Family a great or even good read. On a scale of 1-5 (1 being horrible and 5 being excellent), based on the 10 chapters I did read and 2 additional chapters I skimmed, I would rate First Family a 1.5 to 2. This is a book that's headed back to the library where someone else can give it a chance. As for me... I'm moving on to something else.

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament by Paul Gallico

Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament is the next in the series of four books following the adventures of London char woman, Ada Harris and her friend, Mrs. Butterfield. This novel picks up where the previous one, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to New York, left off. Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Butterfield have returned to their simple quiet life in the London suburbs where they spend their days cleaning and cooking for the wealthy and the lonely and their evenings relaxing and visiting with each other and on Thursdays, with their friend John Bayswater, for "tea and telly time."

While watching a television show on one such Thursday evening, Mrs. Harris becomes rankled over the wishy-washy behavior of a certain member of Parliament and gives a speech on "Live and Let Live" -- detailing how she believes things should be handled and would be handled if the right person or people were elected to Parliament. It is when she later repeats this little speech to a wealthy and influential client (while cleaning his house) that an idea begins to form and before she realizes -- Mrs. Ada Harris has been invited to run for a seat in the House of Commons. It is all very exciting and surreal, a dream come true.... That is until Mrs. Harris' friends uncover a plot to use her candidacy to split the votes, in turn causing a third party candidate to win and thus embarrass Mrs. Harris. This cannot be and quickly her friends start planning a counter-plot.

Initially I wasn't sure that Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament was going to be as good as the previous two Mrs. 'Arris novels. And in a way I was right... The first novel, Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, remains my favorite of the series, but Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament is definitely a bitter-sweet comedy and a delightful read. I am curious to see what happens in the last book of the series as Parliament leaves off with some interesting possibilities.

I definitely encourage readers who have enjoyed the Mrs. Pollifax series, or like comedy with adventure and a short novel to check out the Mrs. 'Arris series. While libraries may not always carry the series I was able to find inexpensive used, but good copies online.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Parliament a 3.5 to 4 -- I really liked it. Stay tuned for my review of the last Mrs. 'Arris book some time in May or June.