Non-fiction
Elgar Michael Hurd (Faber 21s). The story of his life and a general appreciation of this work plumped out with scraps of music. photographs and some curiously Lear-like drawings by the composer himself—in particular. one of 'Phil- harmonic ladies going to Cambridge' to wit- ness his acceptance of a Mus.D.
The Story of Noah Erich Lessing (Time-Life 63s). A variety of mediaeval works of art— manuscripts, stained glass, mosaics, sculpture and woodcarving—starting from the page, in a series of superb photographs arranged to illustrate the history of the Flood. The ivories (from San Matteo, Salerno) and the enamels (from the Verduner Altar. Klosterneuberg) are captured magnificently; but best of all is the detail from the great silver altarpiece of Pistoia, showing workmen banging nails into the ark with thumb-knocking realism.
Glass, Stones and Crown Anne Rockwell (Mac- millan 21s). Fresh from Filippo's Dome and its gingerbread splendours, Mrs Rockwell turns to the Abbe Suger's rebuilding of the church of St Denis in the twelfth century : a limpid and instructive commentary marred by some arch attempts at mock mediaeval illumination.
The Zealots of Masada Moshe Pearlman (Hamish Hamilton 21s). Mr Pearlmanlaccount of the great Masada dig, the ingenuity of Pro• fessor Yadin and the.prodigious efforts of his hordes of volunteers from 1963 to 1965, is pleasantly straightforward, if occasionally pedantic on the uses of archaeology.
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