Fiction: Recent Books: Jan. 7, 1935

BACKGROUND FOR VENUS—James Laver —Knopf ($2.50). Patchy, mildly entertaining story of London art, artists, models, dealers and double-dealers.

AMERICAN FAMILY—Faith Baldwin— Farrar & Rinehart ($2). Well-meant but uninspired three-generation family novel (1862-1917).

BETTER THINK TWICE ABOUT IT—Luigi Pirandello—Dutton ($3). Thirteen short stories by the 1934 Nobel Prizewinner.

Non-Fiction

PASSING JUDGMENTS—George Jean Nathan—Knopf ($2.50). Another volume of critical essays by a famed bachelor, onetime second fiddle to H. L. Mencken.

SINCE 1914—J. H. Landman—Barnes & Noble ($1.50). Handy political handbook of the post-War world, in tabloid size, arrangement, format.

THE BATTLE FOR DEMOCRACY—Rexford G. Tugwell—Columbia...