Books: The Editors Like

The Fig Tree BY AUBREY MENEN

Crusading against high-minded nincompoopery, Mr. Menen has come across the theory that science will solve humanity’s problems; by the time he has illustrated this notion with the activities of an English biologist, the Italian government, and a horrendously improved fig tree, nothing is left but giggles, SCRIBNER’S, $3.50.

Twenty-two stories of the odd, the fantastic, and the outright impossible, by an author who can make these normally recalcitrant qualities serve his purposes, from farce to tragedy, meekly as tame tigers, DOUBLEDAV, S3.75.

Regency romance, neatly plotted and frankly featherweight, full of amusing dialogue spoken by persons of title and, usually, money — all of it offering a nice distraction from the vulgar troubles of this inelegant century. PUTNAM’S, $3.95.

This well-written narrative of the last stand of the Confederacy includes not only the military action but a wealth of subsidiary matters which often throws unexpected light on the official facts, RINEHART, $6.00.

Mr. Moscow, a reporter who covered the hearings on the sinking of the Andrea Doria for the Associated Press, has written a lively, lucid, careful book about the disaster and the subsequent legal scuffle, settling everything except how in Neptune’s name the Doria and the Stockholm managed to do it. PUTNAM’S, $4.50.

Two paperback anthologies covering the course of World War II have been assembled from a variety of sources and edited by Don Congdon, with introductions by Merle Miller. The material by service personnel, easily holds its own alongside that of the professionals included: John Hersey and Hanson Baldwin (Pacific theater) and Eric Sevareid and Fred Majdalany (European theater); DELL, 50ȼ each.

Translated by A. E. Murch, this is a condensed version of a work which has never before appeared in English. Full of zany mishaps, bullfights, bad food, and bandits, the story nonetheless arouses sympathy for the Spaniards, for Dumas traveled armed like an artillery train and accompanied by his son, a drunken batman, and a posse of painters. CHILTON, $3.50.