Reference Books
Kelly's Royal Blue Book, 1927 (7s. Cd.), has been pub- fished for a hundred years and, as is well known, gives the names and addresses of people living in the West End, accord- ing to streets and also alphabetically, with their telephone umbers. From the heights of Hampstead to the reaches of Chelsea, and from eastern Bloomsbury to Occidental Kensing- ton, we have here a survey of householders which is of vast usefulness to those who need this sort of book. * * * Philips' New handy General Atlas (13) is the last word in maps : a boob over which one could happily spend hours merely browsing on its suggestive and delightfully coloured pages— in fact, the Travellers' Joy of geographical literature. But it is, of course, much more than this. Supplied with an exhaustive gazetteer and a good index—which will be found utterly unimpeachable even for the uses of cross-word puzzles—and entirely up to date as to changes since the Peace Conference as it is, this atlas may be regarded as a standard work which no student of modern history can afford to be without. A new and useful feature will be round in the series of Railway Maps of the United Kingdom, 'bowing by colour-zones the times taken from the three capitals—London, Edinburgh and Dublin. This is one of the best atlases in the world. * * * The Printed Maps in the Atlases of Great Britain and Ireland, 1579-1870, by Thomas Chubb (Homeland Association), is a massive quarto representing the work of an expert's lifetime. It fills a very obvious gap in the geographer's reference library. Mr. Chubb, 'rho served for forty years in the map room of the British Museum, has compiled the first detailed catalogue of the dated maps of Great Britain and Ireland, beginning with xton, Keer, Camden and Speed, going on to the delightful 4-maps of Ogilby's Britannia (1673), and continuing ugh Cary's excellent atlas of 1787 to mid-Victorian times. Chubb's catalogue is admirably printed, as befits a ndard work of reference, and it is illustrated with photo- phs of early maps and title-pages. A useful appendix tains biographies of many map-makers. Mr. Sprent, of the p room, contributes an interesting introduction on the Ty of English cartography. * * * The first issue of he Gardener's Year Book 1927, published by Williams and 'orate at 3s. 6d., is probably as good value for its surprisingly w price as any reference book yet published. Information advice is given on a vast number of subjects ranging r the amount of energy derived from eating a cabbage a list of plants and shrubs which are distasteful to rabbits. re are chapters on the cultivation of double primroses always so difficult to grow—iris, chrysanthemums and lilies, perhaps most useful of all, a Garden Calendar, suggesting at work must be done, and what plants planted throughout year. The book is indeed a necessity rather than a luxury all gardeners. * * * Last year's Europa Year Book one of the best reference books that have been issued for iv a day. We can say the same of Europa 1927 (Europa ublishing Co., 15s.)—and more ! There is no book like it, it is indispensable to anyone who wants a compact sum- p' of European affairs. The Survey Section has had to be itted this year for reasons of space, but we hope the authors carry out their intention of issuing a complimentary um at a later date. * * * The Railway and Cohn- ial Gazetteer (McCorquodale, 21s.) gives the distance from on to every station, town, village or hamlet in England, ler with through-rate routes and much other valuable rmation for business firms. One of these days we presume will be a road gazetteer for motor transport, and then also an air gazetteer. * * * The learned librarian the University of Toronto, Mr. Wallace, has published a useful compendium in the Dictionary of Canadian raPhy (Maemillian. 52s. 6d.). * * * The Stock Ex- ne Year Book (Thomas Skinner, 50s.), now in its fifty-third , is as complete and informative as ever. It is a book h it would be an insult to recommend to any reader d in finance, for everyone knows that it is prac- Hy indispensableneed do no more than mention it. * * The Pocket Guide to the West Indies, by Mr. A. nail (Sifton Praed, 10s.), is a guide-book (and a very good too in general format and arrangement), but it is more tly written than the majority of such publications. We not descant on it, for it is already deservedly well known. * We have also received Messrs. Debrett's excellent Lion The House of Commons and Judicial Bench (20s.), ran recommend the following :—The Musical Directory, (Ruda, Carge and Co., Os.), Short-Title Catalogue of ugh Books, 1475-1640, compiled by A. W. Pollard and lledgrave (Bernard Quaritch, £3 8s.)
* * * *
In a publisher's advertisement in last week's Spectator ,William Brown was erroneously described as Wilde lessor of Mental and Moral Philosophy in the University t )11"rd." The description should have been " Wilde er of Mental Philosophy in the University of Oxford."
Previous page
