Books: Wells in Parvo

STAR-BEGOTTEN—H. G. Wells—Viking ($1.75).

Every man, it is said, has one good book in him. But many a professional writer distributes his first-rate potentialities over a series of second-rate books. This is one of the most serious criticisms that has been leveled at 70-year-old Herbert George Wells, who has written more than one book for every year of his life. Star-Begotten, published last week, made his 79th. Enthusiastic Wellsians would indignantly deny that Author Wells had never written one good book, might cite Tono-Bungay, The Outline of History, Anticipations, many another. But...