Books: Hosts & Parasites

STUFFED SHIRTS—Clare Boothe Brokaw —Liveri”ht ($2.50).

U. S. civilization puts a high value on specialized knowledge; but to get full value for inside information you must take it to the right market. Authoress Brokaw knows her Manhattan society. She was born, married, divorced in it. But novel readers are not so interested in dowager-&-debutante doings as are society editors orf social secretaries.

In a succession of satirical sketches Authoress Brokaw parades a long line of gilded caricatures: Social Arbitress Mrs. Townley, her chief rival Mrs. Topping, climbing Mrs. Crumb, many another socialite host & parasite. All of them dislike one another, exert themselves to the utmost to do one another down. Though Stuffed Shirts is not a continued story, the same stuffed shirts reappear from time to time, and if you are curious about their relationship a genealogical table at the end will make all clear. If you are a constant reader of the society page you may have some fun adventuring among Authoress Brokaw’s straw people. If you know the locale, you will recognize familiar faces.