Shorter notices
The Strange Story of False Teeth John Wood- forde (Routledge and Kegan Paul 30s). From the gilded snappers of the Etruscans ('Dental craftsmanship of this order was- not to re- appear till the nineteenth century') to the ingenious palate that enabled Churchill to pro- nounce his wartime speeches intelligibly, Mr Woodforde traces the curious social history of false teeth with rare humour and frequently astounding insights. Fastidiously written (though gruesomely illustrated), Mr Woodforde probes and polishes with wholly undentistlike deli- cacy.
Marx Robert Payne (W. H. Allen 70s). Having now added a biography of Marx to his earlier lives of Lenin and Stalin, Mr Robert Payne has finally achieved the hat-trick. A sigh of relief is in order. Mr Payne can at last go on to other subjects, better suited to his doubted talents.
The Mad Old Ads Dick Sutphen (W. H. Allen 30s). A look at advertising from Al) 79 to 1900 when blind, insane, weak, getaway people with tired voices cured everything by buying health jolting chairs ('the never to be without'), pi Scott's electric cigarettes and Edson electric garters. Fascinating illustrations.
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