The North American Review (Volume 154) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1892. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. BY SIB EDWIN ARNOLD, GAIL HAMILTON, AGNES KEPPLIEB, AMELIA E. BARB, THE RET. DR. CHARLES A. BRIGG8, JULIEN GORDON, AND DR. WILLIAM A. HAMMOND. SIR EDWIN ARNOLD: You have done me the honor to invite me to mention which is the most remarkable book I happen to have read during the past year, and to give my reasons for the choice, as well as some account of the particular book. Ordinarily this would be rather difficult, fori am a varied and omnivorous reader, and should be puzzled in most years to pick out the special work which had made the most impression upon me. But now it chances to be an easy answer which I shall make. I brought on board the "City of New York," when starting for this country, four volumes to beguile the brief voyage. These were a pocket co'py of the Greek "Odyssey," a Russian grammar, a Japanese fairy-story book, and "La Bete Humaine," by Emile Zola. Beyond doubt it is the last mentioned which has most forcibly impressed itself upon me of late, and which I shall associate always with that wild and wintry voyage across the Atlantic. I take it that anybody who pretends to keep at all abreast of modern literature must read, and does read, whatever Zola writes. I myself have certainly gone through every word of his writing: some of it with disgust, much of it with deep pain, and much of it, from the point of view of literary art, with profound admiration. There can be no question but he is one of the greatest masters of fiction in past or present times, and will stand forth in times to come the chief representative of the realistic school of novels. With how subtle a skill, for example, does he not open the grim and dismal story of " La Bete Humaine "? Before two or three pages are perused we find ourselves familiar with Rou...