RETREAT FROM GLORY

It's a grand book, not an atom of let-down after the tonic of British Agent, and what higher tribute can one give. Though the reader might concede the probability of post war experiences seeming drab following in the wake of the glamor and adventure of Russia, and though unquestionably the author felt that to be the case, the faculty for telling the most colorless experiences with verve and originality endows these years in the maelstrom of Control Europe with a personality that could never be dull for an instant. Brimming over with a zest for life, imprudent to the point of madness at times, seeking adventure everywhere and finding it, liking people -- all kinds -- and making himself a general favorite, Bruce Lockhart has filled the pages with the essence of a difficult period, and the personalities of the outstanding men who marched across the stage. Prague, as secretary under Sir George Clerk, banker, diplomat, industrialist, journalist, he ran the gamut and got out of the experience all there was in it.