Twos and Threes

by G.B. Stern

“That’s a dangerous fellow, Stuart,” remarked Baldwin Carr, who had unperceived entered the library, and, over his nephew’s shoulder, read the “Thus Spake Zarathustra.”

Stuart Heron laid down the ponderous volume of Nietzsche, and smiled up lazily at his juvenile “Oh, we’re a depraved family! Not half an hour ago I caught Babs behind the drawing-room screen, reading Ella Wheeler Wilcox.”

Baldwin looked startled. “Isn’t that all right? I myself gave it to the child; the complete edition, bound in white vellum.”

“We’ll send old Nietzsche to be bound in white vellum, and rob him of his sting.”

“And this man is just as bad”; Baldwin ignored his nephew’s flippancy, and discontentedly flicked over the pages of Bernard Shaw’s “Getting Married,” which he had picked up from the floor beside the arm-chair. “They’re both mad, stark staring mad, master and disciple.”

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1916

About the author

Gladys Bronwyn Stern or GB Stern (17 June 1890 – 20 September 1973) born Gladys Bertha Stern in London, England, wrote many novels, short stories, plays, memoirs, biographies and literary criticism.

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early Stern. Falls off rather after we leave the adorable friendship of two women that begins the narrative. An early essay at themes that she did better in her later work. Some good things (besides the female friendship) but a bit all over the place and unsatisfactory.

[Carol Spears · Rating 2 out of 5]

The thing that made this book so difficult to read is that the author assumed that his characters were likable. They weren't likable to me. They were annoying. So this was all about how annoying people become friends and then about how a couple of annoying people pair off and become lovers.