JOHN SLOAN'S LAST SUMMER

By Herbert F. West '22 Iowa City: The Prairie Press, 1952. 52 pp. $1.

In only 32 pages in which West describes various incidents in the last few months of Sloan's life, he gives the reader a most profound insight into a human character. And our insight into John Sloan's character is especially rewarding because of the light it throws on the nature of artistic genius and also because of the light it throws on what might be called the genius for living.

The fullness of Sloan's life is evidenced by the fact that at the age of 80 he had all the love of life and enthusiasm of youth. I am sure all of us hope that when we come near to and have to consider the end of our lives we may be able as he did "to let go," and "to float along like a leaf on the stream of life gently, gently."