12 JULY 1930, Page 19

Mr. Dreiscr has gathered together in Color of a Great

City (Constable, 10s.), a number of sketches and impressions, w-ritten sonic years ago, of the New York that has vanished. Contrasting that city of the early nineteen-hundreds with the New York of to-day, he finds much to lament, and few changes to applaud. The older city had more colour, and a more abundant sense of life. The sketches of street, and riverside, and people, are of a smoother quality than readers of Mr. Dreiser's novels might expect. "Hells Kitchen " lia.s the familiar ring : so has " The Men in the Dark." Mr. Dreiser the commentator is less impressive than Mr. Dreiser the chronicler. There can be no doubt of the sincerity and the emotion behind these pictures, but the expression is often elephantine and strangely naive.. It is not a book with which to make Mr. Dreiser's acquaintance for the first time. The smudgy, rather squalid illustrations by C. B. Falls suit the book

admirably. * * * *