Life's a Circus

DOUBLEDAY, DORAN

THE author is a strange daughter of a strange father whom the war floated up into the peerage and the chancellorship, Lord Birkenhead, better known by all true and righteous Irishmen under the opprobrious name of Galloper Smith — a strange character! His daughter here describes her bizarre doings as a circus performer, horsewoman, novel writer, a pal of gypsies, and a wanderer on the face of Europe in search of adventure. She writes in a dry angular style which for some reason becomes her narrative remarkably well; indeed, she is so matter-of-fact that one sometimes has to think a moment before one sees how amusing her story actually is. It is amusing; mildly so, but amusing, and apparently meant to be no more than that.