The two new Penguin Specials to rrive in Shanghai—new books written specially for the series—are "China Struggles for Unity," by J. M. D. Pringle, with 24 maps by Marthe Rajchman, and "Between Two Wars?" by "Vigilantes" (K. Zilliacus), with an introduction by Sir Norman Angell. Mr. Pringle, who was born two years before the War, has been on the: "Manchester Guardian" for some time, writing almost entirely on foreign affairs and especially the Far East. Miss Rajchman, who is of Polis nationality, is a political cartographer of European reputation, considered to be particularly competent in dealing with the Far East. She was the first graduate of the New School of Cartography in Paris. was born in Kobe and educated in England and the United States. Becoming. naturalized during the War, he joined the RAF. and New Fiction "Most middle-aged matrons, tied down by the cares of a home and family, like to indulge innocently in the daydream that they are once more young and free and hotly pursued by at least three rich and handsome young men. Miss Elizabeth -Margetsons new novel "Gay Career" (Ward Lock, London. 3/6) affords just such an escape into the realms of fancy. The heroine, Corinne Graham, with no other advantages than a beautiful figure and face, a strictly moral upbringing and £100, goes to London on the death of her father in search of a career.
She invests half her scanty capital on replenishing her wardrobe and falls into a job as secretary in a fashionable bridge club. There she meets several gilded youths, and an old lady, Lady Torrance, gaiety girl of the nineties, who is captivated by her youth and charm. Unfortunately the owner of the bridge club i; also captivated, and his wife is so infurlated by his attentions to Corinne that she turns her away in front of all the members. Corinne is left stranded with plenty of boy friends to buy her meals but no one to pay the rent, until Lady Torrance invites her on a two months' cruise in the Mediterranean in her private yacht. Young men cluster round, all rich. all handsome, and all beautiful dancers, but the one Corinne finally engages herself to is a sad disappoint. ment. He is only a playboy and has no desire for a peaceful home and babies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.