TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

Books like Day After Tomorrow (Doubleday 1952) and Half Way to Heaven (Whittlesey House 1952) have led us to expect great things from Ruth Adams Knight, and while this has a theme as big as the others, a boy's first steps in working towards international peace, it has an ill constructed, unconvincing framework for the ideals it sets up. Young Jordan Scott, whose father is an international bigwig (whose work is unfortunately never really defined) is presented with the prospect of a boring year in Geneva because of bad eye sight. On a trip he is lost near the St. Bernard Pass, but his rescue by a Swiss boy Asper Arni, leads to adventures that bring new interest in life, romance and a jelling of his dreams for international understanding. In Bern, on their way to work at the international childrens' village at Pestalozzi, Jordan and Asper stay at the Kraeyens' where both fall in love with Clara. Later, Jordan clears himself of the debt to Asper by rescuing him in a skiing accident, but decides to go off with his father on a world mission instead of staying near a yet undecided Clara. Provocative, and many-sided but too contrived and ""popularized"" to really prove its points.