25 APRIL 1969, Page 19

Shorter notice

Hunting Tigers Under Glass Mordecai Richler (Weidenfeld and Nicolson 35s). M4 Richter's concern is mainly with Canadian, Jewish, or Canadian-JeWish topics. Despite numerous on- slaughts (which he recalls with relish) from those who regard him as an anti-semitic Jew and a Canada-hating Canadian, Mr Richler emerges from these engaging and wholly inoffensive essays as something of a patriot and defender of the faith. Never less than generous to the ob- jects of his irony, he has a sharp eye for absur- dity, a rich appreciation of the tinier human vanities—and, on occasion, a formidable turn of anger wherever national or, racial preten- sions are a blind merely for stupidity and intolerance.