A half-dozen small essays written by ""some of his Oriental friends"" form an eighty-fifth birthday bouquet to celebrate ""a life in which love of truth, love of friends, love of beauty, love of music, understanding, sympathy, courage, kindness, generosity, tolerance, wit and wisdom have combined to produce a man at once human and unique"". Thus reads the appreciation by the editor, followed by others from professional ""children"", which take on (except for Raja Rao's metaphysically oriented tete a ete) a common color. They remark upon the artist as well as the man, but turn often to his dual assertions: ""If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friends, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country"" and--significant in understanding his work, ""Only connect!"" Thus friendship is the keynote here. The volume also includes a number of Forster's pieces on India, one, in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, not published before in a collection of essays, the others having appeared in Abinger Harvest, Two Cheers for Democracy, The Hill of Devi and elsewhere. A highly civilized encomium for a very special audience.