In Big Footsteps

THE LEAF IS GREEN--John V. Craven --Knopf ($2.50).

Hero Dan Gardiner, Princetonian, is "rich as a louse" but woe comes to him nevertheless. His sweetheart, Lois Miller, whose charm is not clearly indicated, marries another man. Hero Gardiner lies about a drinking scrape, is expelled from the university. After he loafs around home for a while, spending his time with a group of undistinguishable cronies who drink a greal deal and generally do not amount to much. Dan's kindly Uncle Mark is sympathetic when the young man confesses a longing for another summer at Fawn Lake, the resort where, during a previous summer, his love affair with Lois had begun.

"Then that's what you ought to do," says Uncle Mark. "As long as you have the good time."

The good time may seem to most readers thoroughly dull. It consists of a series of parties attended by people who are made to talk like the bullfighters in The Undefeated. A most curious effect is achieved by Author Craven when his vacationing adolescents are given lines like those which Author Ernest Hemingway originally wrote for fierce, sullen men. Sample:

"He [a saloonkeeper] drew another glass of beer and set it in front of the man.

"The man looked down at the beer. He turned and looked at Frank. He said to Steve: 'No. A bottle.'

" 'Bottled beer you want?' Steve asked.

"The man nodded.

"Steve opened a bottle. He set it in front of the man and put out a fresh glass."

It is unfortunate that young Author Craven, like young Charles Wertenbaker (Boojum!) and others, has chosen to imitate an individualist whose style is as hard to approximate as that of A. E. Housman. Author Hemingway, luring parodists but defying copyists, has perhaps done more to corrupt young U. S. writers than strong drink.

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