'BOOKS
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cors is attracted by certain concrete moral situations which accompanied
the downfall of France. His purposes as a writer appear to be topical
and didactic, but he seems to work with the suspicion that his style is
not as fine as his morality. Humbly, he measures out in perfect weights
his portions of dialogue and description, thought and action, comment
and suggestion. The result is a competent and dreary imitation of good
French literature.
ELIZABETH
HARDWICK
A MODERN PLAGUE
LA PESTE.
Par Albert Camus. Librairie Gallimard (Paris
1947).
"WHEN
A
WAR breaks out, people say: 'It can't last; it's too stupid.'
There is no question about it: war is certainly too stupid, but
that does not prevent it from lasting. Stupidity always clings to its point;
people would be aware of this if only they weren't constantly thinking
of themselves. In this regard our fellow-citizens were like everyone else,
they thought of themselves, in other words they were humanists, that is
Kafka's Prayer
by PAUL
GOODMAN
The truth of a great man's life is
most often found in his work. This is especially true of
the introspective Czech genius, Franz Kafka, whose writ–
ing portrayed such subjective characterization and drama–
tic incident that it parallels, in fact, his personal plight
in our chaotic world.
Writing, said Kafka, is a form of prayer. And in Kafka's
prayer all the subtleties of anxiety, supplication, pain, and
pride are brilliantly analyzed by Paul Goodman in this
perceptive book.
Just published
$3.00
Vanguard
