DOG CORNER PAPERS by William Whitman, 3rd. Houghton Mifflin Co, Boston, 1927. $1.50.

THIS very small book-really a book let-of some 90 pages contains about a score of short essays on subjects of a diverse nature, ranging from asparagus to goats in Italy and Scotch terriers in this country. The papers, so the jacket vouches are reprinted from "The Piper," the Publishers' monthly bulletin on books.

Perhaps because of this all the essays deal more or less with books and their great value as friends, companions, educators. Most of the pieces are not very profound, and the less fortunate ones are but thinly disguised book advertisements. Dog Corner is evidently the country home of the author, and the main characters of the volume are he, his wife Margaretta, Anne, his somewhat phenomenal five-year old daughter, and the terrier, Michael.

The style of the essays is sentimental, faintly whimsical, but is lacking in any real humor. But the book is perhaps suitable for a parlor table where its gay binding would add a note of colour and its very short essays allow you time to straighten your tie before welcoming your caller. If this be faint praise, let it be said that the another and his publishers could hardly have intended the book for anything more than the lightest of light reading. V. O. J.