Cirrus@Austlit

Contains brief section noting that, 'A charming visitor to Sydney during November was Mrs Henrietta Drake-Brockman [q.v.] (Henry Drake), of Peppermint Grove, Perth, the author of several serials, short stories and plays, many of which have their setting in the far north-west, which she has visited with her husband...Two plays by Henry Drake, recently performed at the Repertory and Playbox Theatres in Perth, were acclaimed by critics.' (content, which includes biographical details, appears in the Sydney 'Personal and Social' column)

Includes a section reporting that 'Miss G. E. Lyttelton [sic] arrived in Sydney by the Mooltan and left a fortnight later for New Zealand, where she intends spending about two years with her people. Miss Lyttelton [sic] is the author of that outstanding book, Pageant, which she wrote under the name G. B. Lancaster [q.v.].' The report includes an 'amusing' anecdote which relates how two women on a tram were overheard 'discussing Pageant and one announced that she was one of the few people who knew the real name of the author.' The lady accordingly confided her 'secret' to her companion, that the true identity of the pseudonymous writer, G. B. Lancaster, was Mary Gaunt (q.v.). (content appears in the Sydney 'Personal and Social' column)

Contains a brief section, 'H. G. Wells and Intolerance' (by T. C.), which reports that the 'magic of H. G. Wells's [q.v.] name drew more than a thousand guests' to Foyles's Literary Luncheon at Grosvenor House, London. 'Wells spoke on Intolerance', referring to 'the happenings in Russia, Germany and Italy, where radical writers are muzzled, persecuted, maltreated, even killed.' He subsequently made reference to 'the burning of books by the Nazis', stating that 'in the long run books will win...Men may suffer and men may die, but human thought, embodied in science and literature, goes marching on.' (content appears in the topical monthly column, 'Contributed Comments')

Includes the monthly column 'The Bibful', by E. J. Francis, which comprises two sections of untitled, humorous prose. The first is a descriptive piece about 'a crowded surfing beach'. Discussing the topic of beach culture and the Australian identity, content does include brief literary references e.g. the writer ponders the question as to what Thackeray and Dickens would have 'thought of Bondi'.
The second untitled section is written in the style of a parody, describing the rise to fame of a literary critic called Mr Dwight Ibrox. The piece recounts how the 'conscientious and penetrating but quite benevolent reviewer of novels' was soon 'to suffer the penalties of his rank' as he 'became more famous'. Publishers began to 'use his words in the "blurbs" on the dust-covers of their books and in their advertisements' - at times, taking his words out of context to contrive 'cunning...publicity to sell large numbers of...pretentious and inefficient books.'

Contains a brief obituary for the English playwright, Alfred Sutro (1863-1933). (content appears in topical column, 'This, That and Them' by London correspondent T. H. Cochran)
Note: Contemporary Authors Online states: Sutro's 'first and biggest success was The Walls of Jericho, produced in 1904. It focuses on an honest Australian in conflict with the debauchery of English high society.'

Includes a brief reference to Mrs Lawrence Meynell (aka Shirley Darbyshire, q.v.) who 'has had her first novel published by Grayson and Grayson. The title is Something Human. It is a quiet story with romantic flavour, full of clever character delineations. Her publishers are so impressed with the young writer's work that they have contracted for another book, which Miss Shirley Darbeyshire [sic] will write during the coming English winter. She is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Taylor Darbeyshire [sic], so well known in Australian journalistic circles.' (content appears in topical column, 'This, That and Them' by London correspondent T. H. Cochran)

Contains portrait of Derek Patmore (q.v.) with accompanying caption: 'Mr Derek Patmore, one of London's brighter young writers, who has been engaged by The Home to supply a series of illustrated interviews with famous people of to-day, including Aldous Huxley, Osbert Sitwell, Michael Arlen, H. G. Wells, Noel Coward and Vicki Baum.' The first of these interviews, with Somerset Maugham, appears in the December issue.