17 JULY 1964, page 20

Business As Usual

Battles of the Boer War. By W. Baring Pember- ton. (Batsford, 25S.) DR. BALMER'S undemanding book is the literary equivalent of the historical compilation film. It contains much......

Noises Off

A Breathing Space. By Thomas Blackburn. (Putnam, 12s. 6d.) THOMAS BLACKBURN'S earlier work was SO over- laid with Yeats's manner and imagery that it was often difficult to see......