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The final chapters of ".Arundel" move more swiftly. The romance spreads its wings and lifts the reader with it. The end is happy; the inevitable love-romance develops into fact and the final words are "I was at home again-in Arundel." Mr. Roberts has done a good work for us. We repeat that if 50,000 words were cut from this book, it would be one of the greatest of our historical novels-and we are not sure that it is not, as it is. But we like "action" personally; and as the eminent Supreme Court Justice said of his choice between five-centers and ten-centers in his fiction 'I prefer the five-centers; because there is quicker action." Hence, I am no critic.

KENNEBUNK STAR - JANURAY 24, 1930.

PUTS KENNEBUNK ON THE LITERARY MAP

Kenneth Roberts Writes An Historical Novel About His Native Town

 Of the making of novels, with real history for a background, there always has been,-and doubtless always will be,-no end.  We readers,-and true lovers,-of tales like a strong flavor of fact with our fiction.
  When one recalls the work of any famous novelist it is nearly alway one of their historical stories that first comes to mind.  Walter Scott suggests "Ivanhoe"; Dickens, the "Tale of Two Cities," Thackeray, Henry Esmond"; Robert Louis Stevenson, "Kidnapped," and so on.  If an author has one big historical tale in his brain, can get it safely out and down on paper, his niche in the Hall of Fame is secure, no matter what he has written previously, or may write subsequently.  Kingsley's "Westward, Ho," Charles Reade's "Cloister and Hearth," and 

i.nd reality, tragedy and comedy, trifling anachronism here and theie

character and plot, sustained inter- in the tale. Tomato sauce for baked · est, thrill, and noteworthy ab£ence of beans, when tomatoes were held to "padding" of any sort or descrip- be highly poisonous in New England tion. This may sound like fulsome well into the nineteenth century; a "blah," but it is not. "Arundel" is steel engraving of "Philadelphia from truly a great piece of fiction. In Cooper's Point," when even wood Kenneth Roberts Writes An this flood-tide era of sublimated dime cuts were beyond the artistic skill of Historical Novel About His novels, known as "mystery talea," American illustrators, and the faand pathological "sex stories," a mous settling of the disputed bounw good clean book of this sort is as dary lirie between Well,;; and Kennebunk for a rum bill almost a centur, welcome as a raft. To those of us who know and love later than it really occurred, for hrove , wit real m ng Of t history for a back ound, there al- Kennebunk and its shore line and stance. Still, Shakespeare put a striking ways as been,-a d doubtless al- rivers, "Arundel. has an add~ ways will be,-no end. We readers, ~harm. The opemng acen~s are la2d Iclock into "Macbeth" a century or .- and true lovers,--of tales like a m and. afo~nd that portion, of the I two too soon, and gave Bohemia a strong flavor of fact with our fiction. township lymg betweef! Oaks Neck seacoast, so Mr. Roberts has preceWhen one recalls the work of any and the &;enn ebunk _River, t~e sea dent to go by, and these are but famous novelist it is nearly always and ~o~ch s C:cek, m the ~1me o trifles. What is a mere anachonism one of their his~orical stories that Hard mg s garnson house, ~111, and or two between friends after all? That the writer of these linea has first comes to mmd. Walter Scott ferry. The author knows his Kennesuggests "Ivanhoe"; Dickens, the bunk and pictures it with a loving ample ba~king in h18 opinion of.

?ale of Two,, Cities," Tha~keray, hand . Here th~ storr begins,-and "Arundel" read what Booth TarHenry ~s~ond ; ~?bert Louis Ste- 1ends,- ~canwh1le tak1i:ig the reader, kington, _ another author-resident

venson, Kidnapped, and so on. If along with the actors m the drama, we claim with pride -has to say: "A book that will be liked by anyan author has one big historical tale from Washington's camp at Camin his brain, can get it safely out and bridge, up th~ Kennebec valley with body who liked 'Lorna Doone • the down on P.aper, his niche in the Hall Ari;o!d's hero1c,-though ill~fated e?C- 'Three Musketeers,' 'The White' Comof Fame 1~ secure, n.o matter what p~1t1?n, and through the yvmtry Wll- pany,' or 'A Gentleman of France.' he has wntten prev10usly, or may! de1ne~s of northern Ma1!1e. Then Whoever reads the great episode and Kingsley's ~he desperate,. though futile, storm- climax of this story, 'the American subsequently. write "Westward, Ho," Charles Reade's mg of the citadel of Quebec-hut march on Quebec• will not only bet"Cloister and Hearth," and Conan th,ere ! Read t~e tale for yourself. ter know the hi~tory of our Co.an• t , but must almost feel that he . Doye's "Micah Clarke," would alone Its well wort~ it. To. anyone mte.rested m th~ earl:!: t~k a part in that Homeric strugbe enough to make their authors faest history of Ma1!1e !1nd particularly le through the wildernesa himself," mous. But there is another ;;ide to the th_e part played m it. by ~he much g M honest O inion ts that "Aru'l\. . picture. When an author adven- misunderstood Abenak1 Indians, Mr. r:-: Y tures, with his hero or heroine, into Roberts's story has additional value. de!" will not only be a "best seller," 1 the Land of Fact, and among Real On pages 96 to 99 inclusive he ex· / -that is assured,-but that it is on People, he must watch his step and plains, accurately and concisely, the the broad highway to become a 1 five great divisions of this famoua "classic. bead warily. F. L. H. Noble. 1 Anything might have happened to tribe, their characteristics and model A copy of "Arundel" has been Gulliver in the Kingdom of Lilliput, of life, and the important part each or to Crusoe on his island. We have division played in the French and placed in the Kennebunkport It• never visited either place. The in- Indian wars, extending over a pe- brary thro.ugh the kindness of Mrs. habitants, manners and customs are riod of nearly a century and a half.I Booth Tarkington. A copy has been unfamiliar and we cannot "check up" It shows long and careful research{ purchaaed for the Kennebunk library on them so to speak, but in actual on the author's part and a thorough and will be put in circulation in a history and amoffg historical figure., 1 understanding of the Indian, his man-I short time. -well, that is something else again, ners, customs, mode of life and men-' and demands an author's very best, ta! attitude toward the first· white With "ARUNDEL, the Recollections aettlers. That the reader will agree with me of Steven Nason of Arundel in thE Province of Maine, Attached to thE that the blundering, though honest Secret Expedition Led by Colonel and gallant hero of the tale, "Steven Quebec, Nason," is all that a hero should be, Benedict Arnold A · own pa ticular and that the heroine, "Phoebe MarKenneth Ro rts, n, comes to us in vin," who designs and sails a trading d author ot only his fir;; sloop, wears "pants" and tea!N:a a new r 1 his firs ·Steven almost beyond endurance, 1s bu ' historica and the a "dear, I am perfectly confident. book-Jen to make "Taken From Captivity" Huff, the reader is roaring, ranting and deplorably lightallowan fingered comedian of the cast enThere forces an unwilling admiration, al• del, Mr. most amounting to respect. and "Eueve squar nice, the seal, as a· iiatanrstud ," shot. als Ernest Thompaon Setim at Me9.811

Purs KENNEBUNK O N THE LITERARY MAP

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