• To include a complete life of King George V
in a well known series of Short Biographies (Peter Davies, 5s.) and have the volume on sale less than five weeks after the King's death is
a considerabli'lieliieVenient-of the pirbliSher and of the author, Mr. Arthur Bryant. If the book is the fruit rather of industry, than of inspiration, it may, be conceded. at once that industry is in itself allut0ityltq he Commended. Mr. Bryant has gleaned rapidly frqm many fields, including' one or two serviceable broadcast. talksj, qtloting pertinent anecdotes and comments freely, sometimes with acknowledge- ments, sometimes (as in the case of that rich quarry, the Esher Journals) without. He includes three of the King's 'broad- casts, and descriptions of the closing hours. at Sandringham,. based mainly on . the Archbishop ..of Canterbury's .sermons; and addresses. Mr. Bryant speaks of his book as " this brief study of this noble man's life and reign." It is in fact rather a record than a study—time, no doubt, was the determining factor—but many will be glad ;to have the record, and in the interval necessary before a more considered work appears it will serve its purpose adequately. Whether the conversion: of the record into a study, even at the cost of a few weeks'. delay, would have been worth while is a matter of opinion. Mr. Bryant (or his publisher) evidently thought not:
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