By Bread Alone. By I. K. Friedman. (W. Heinemann. 6s.)—
If the faculty of humour went more often in double harness with the gift of serious insight, how much happier would be the task of the reader and reviewer of fiction ! But unfortunately novels are apt to fall into two classes,—those which sacrifice everything to the necessity of being amusing, and those which forget entertainment in the purpose of being instructive. By Bread Alone belongs to the latter class. It is a remarkably interesting, able, and right-minded study of the labour question in the United States. The employer, the capitalist, the " hands," the Socialist, the Anarchist, the would-be Saviour of Society,—all are fully, sympathetically, and convincingly presented. There are powerful scenes in the book ; there are characters that touch. But the effect of the whole is oppressive and bewildering. The detail is so much too elaborate, the manner so monotonously heavy, the sense of artistic proportion so lamentably wanting. One reads to the end for the sake of the information the book contains, and also out of genuine interest in the fortunes of the personages. But one arrives at the end exhausted rather than refreshed by the exercise.
Previous page
