20 DECEMBER 1969, page 18

Great Escapes

GEORGE ROWELL Houdini: The Untold Story Milboume Christopher (Cassell 42s) Barnum in London Raymund Fitzsimons (Bles 35s) Musical Comedy: A Story in Pictures Ray- mond Mander......

Bunthorne's Day

LEONEE ORMOND The Aesthetic Movement: Prelude to A Nouveau Elizabeth Aslin (Elek '100s) 'How cheap even pretty aesthetical effe are—Japanese chintz curtains, mats & ts penny......

Old Pros

KENNETH ALLSOP Personal History Vincent Sheean (Hamish Hamilton 35s) Order to View Rene Cutforth (Faber 30s) Vincent Sheean, patriarch American foreign correspondent, says that......