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THE Civil War continues to be a rich lode for writers and publishers alike. I find myself digging into almost as many books concerning it as I can find. The reward is great. Take, for instance, Bruce Catton's This Hallowed Ground which is the story of the Union Side of the Civil War in one volume. Already Mr. Catton has won his spurs with his now famous trilogy, Mr. Lincoln's Army, Glory Road and A Stillness at Appomattox, which won the 1954 National Book Award. Here, he necessarily goes over much of the same ground, but he has gained in perspective. He handles battles with deftness and conciseness. He makes the war very real indeed. In 400 exciting pages you can relive the enthusiasm, disillusionment, bravery, the mistakes and failures, the ultimate success of the Army of the Potomac. This book, another in the Mainstream of America series, will delight any lover of history. I would be surprised if it is not the best one-volume history of the Civil War extant.

Another writer, who lacks the skill and finesse of Mr. Catton, but who knows his Gettysburg, has written a book which has kept up my interest. It is They Met atGettysburg, written by Edward J. Stackpole and published by Eagle Books in Harrisburg. In one volume Mr. Stackpole relives the momentous July 1st, 2nd and 3rd of 1863, when the South and the North clashed in the most decisive battle of the war. Though Lee got the remnants of his army away safely, he never again packed the punch he had before Gettysburg. Had the North had a more decisive general, it might have won the war then and there. The North was so surprised at winning a battle that it settled for that and Lee and his men got away. General Meade was good enough on that day to save the North; not good enough to win the war.

It is high time for a revival of interest in that tumultuous figure of my youth, Jack London, who died of excess living at the age of 40. I believe it is no secret that he committed suicide, as did Ambrose Bierce and George Sterling; at least that is now the prevailing thesis among the West Coast literati. Hanover House has met what I hope will be a current demand for London's writings, in a large, 531-page book with many photographic illustrations of his life and times, called Jack London'sTales of Adventure. The first section is called "The Young Man," the second "The Adventurer," the third "The Reporter," and two more "The Novelist" and "The Short Story Writer." Here is a representative sampling from all his books, including the most famous of his short stories. Jack London had prodigious vitality which he expended so lavishly that he was worn out at 40. Like a comet he came and went; his glow remains, however feeble, and this volume should, for awhile at least, make it incandescent again.

For children of all ages (adults as well) Samuel Eliot Morison, the Harvard historian, has written a clear and delightfully written story of the "Old Colony" of NewPlymouth (Knopf). The book contains reasonably good illustrations, but not outstanding ones. Like all Knopf books, it is well printed and bound, and I daresay this one will be in print for a long time to come. It covers the Pilgrim and Puritan colonies around Eastern Massachusetts from 1620 to 1692. I feel sure you will find herein much that you didn't know before unless you happen to be a professional historian.

After four years of research and writing Charles K. O'Neill '31 has created another exciting book (Morning Time was his first) and I am enjoying it very much indeed. As it is soon to be reviewed in this magazine I will only add my word: buy it. Random House published it; its title: Wild Train:The Story of the Andrews Raiders. Still another Civil War history of nearly 500 pages. Congratulations, Chuck, and more power to you! An exciting story!

James Ralph Johnson, though no genius as a nature writer as yet, is the author of a nicely printed little volume, with illustrations, telling the story of a vanished species, The Last Passenger. Shortsighted and greedy as hunters are, they completely annihilated the passenger pigeon: a tragic chapter in the history of our wild life. Macmillan is the publisher.

Still another volume of Boswell's papers: Boswell in Search of a Wife, 1766-1769, edited by Professors Brady and Pottle of Yale. This volume takes us back to the spirit of his London Journal, and gives an accurate and amusing picture of an eighteenth century gentleman in love with (a) the gardener's daughter, (b) the poor relation, (c) the Irish heiress, and (d) the Scottish heiress. Recommended.

All these books would be suitable for Christmas presents. A Merry Yuletide to all who have stood by the Hanover Browser for almost 24 years. Thank you.