The New York herald., 1875-12-23
HOLIDAY LITERATURE.
A Glance at the Gift Books Of
the Season.
The Publications Of All the
Leading Houses.
Books for the Pocket and to Suit
Everybody's Pocket.


OF any OF our book stores what misstatement
he has made Crowds OF people elbow another
around the book lined counters and all the stores have
had put large forces OF clerks and keep open
through the evening One gentleman bought So 900
worth Of books in afternoon at popular Broadway
store and almost ready TO weep when he what
little way toward founding library his purchases
went. There are few attractive Christmas pres
onts than books; they the best Of friends 1t Is
lttlo singular that people leave the delicate task o.
selecting these until the week Of Christmas
and often until the very day before they only began
earlier they could take their time to it. 1t may bo
that they like the excitement OF buying in crowd;
there is something in that People always attract
people 1t pleasant to be wedged in between smiling
faces and hear the general hum OF holiday talk cat
ing through well filled store.
The publishers have done everything this year TO
tempt the nimble sixpence, and he must be msery
old fellow indeed who resist the attractions spread
before him. There very many books gotten
up expressly for holiday SALE with everything the
outside and nothing between the covers this year.
Books that should find market on their own merits
offered and binding has become such nne art that
almost every book that looks up you from the
ters you from the shelves mado attractive
by Its tasteful cover
HARPER BROTHERS
make especial holiday announcements but they
offer some unusually tempting books at this
Miss Virginia W. Johnsons s'Catskll Fairies" OF
the most charming books OF fairy lore we have met
with In long time II peoples the Catskill Noun
tains with wonderful little people, who promise to be-
come real TO the girls and boys who read the book.
Joseph Rodman Drake the nrst in this Geld which
is now in the hands of Miss Johnson alone The book
is profusely illustrated by Alfred Fredericks viii
Carleton's Farm Legends" gotten up handsomely
30
thousand copies of this book have been sold although
1t has been but a short time The book is illus
trated by designs by Relnhart, Sol Eytinge Jr, e
A. Abbey and others. This firm has also ready the
lrst volume of John Forsters much talked OF .Le of
Dean Swift" handsomely bound and-oh, rare luxury
TO the unhurred reader-with uncut leaves This vo
is said to oe OF higher literary excellence than
the "Life of Dickens" by tho author. Besides
this in the biographical line is the very entertaining
"Life of the Rev. John Todd, told mainly by himself
and Castelar's ''Life of Lord Byron" For those in
teresed In Bible history there is Newman's "Babylon
and Nlneveh" being a history of the thrones and
palaces OF Babylon and Nineveh from the
Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea,
and Van Lennep's sBible Lands" This latter
certainly very interesting and attractive
book. 1t contains 800 illustrations aud is handsomely
bound II is full book scarcely to omit any in
teresng fact in the field which II covers The first
part deals with which have their origin the
physical features Bible lands the second part
with those that have historical origin. The style
has the freshness and flavor OF one who writes from
personal observation New facts stirred in with
the old-ncdents which carry the charm OF East
tale The physical characteristics of the
tries the products methods OF cultivation animals,
with description OF the people and their domestic
social and religious life and institutions all find place
in this book II has been prepared with great care,
and may be relied upon for accuracy Altogether IL is
book which Bible students will welcome and prize
General Doubeday's "Reminiscences Of Forts Sum-
ter and houtrie in 1s60-6l" must bo counted among
the holiday publications. The most attractive an
nouncement that Horper's Monthly makes for the
New Year Of George Elots novel, which is said
to be portrayal OF English social life OF the present
day. The Weekly promises a serial by R. D. Black
and by Miss Thackeray. The Bazar will
print stories by f. w. Robinson and Miss Braddon-
scRByER, ARMSTRONG
This is Scribner Armstrong & Co.'s first holiday
In their new home, and beautiful placet is
Notwithstanding the great size OF the store it is full
to over1owng all day long, that it has to be kept
open during the evenings this holiday season. and offer
fine line OF fancy goods as well as books The
noteworthy Of this firms holiday books Rousselets
'Tndia and its Native Princes" which has been re-
viewed at length in these columns more elegant
book geographically, lustratvey and in binding IL
would be hard to nnd- The book bound in New
York. and is much finer specimen OF the binders
than the English edition. The ''New Day." by Richard
Watson Glider with its fame OF peacocks feathers
the and the delicate designs inside men,
ton the poem ITSELF tempting little Christmas
gift Then there is DR.. Hollands Scvenoaks,"
of which 10000 copies have already been sod and
a edition Of the always popular " Rams Brnker,"
by Mrs Mary Mapes Dodge, editor OF 81
Nicholas This book has had several Eng
lish editions aud been translated into French
and Dutch and wasn't 1t OF the FIRST books that
stared OF a shop window at Mrs. Dodge when
travelling through Holland last Year, new volume,
by Mr.. Frank r. Stockton, TALES out OF SCHOOL, is
OF the most attractive juveniles Of the year. Mr.
Stockton knows just how to the young folks,
and the old ones, too. His books abound in quiet
humor, and OF absorbing interest Among tho
earlier publications OF this firm, which still hold their
own among holiday books, DR.. Hollands "Kath-
rina" and 'Bitter Sweet" in the illustrated editions
Pouchetps valuable work, "The Universe and tho
standard histories OF Froude Mommsen and curtius,
with the works OF Whitney, Marsh, Max Muller, TX
Marvel, &c, in fine bindings 'Lange's Commen,
tary'' and ''Tho Speakers Commentary" Tho ten
hrst volumes Of the brc-a-brac series OF which
900 copies have been sold during the past two
years have been handsomely bound in vellum and half
vctum, and sold together, In a neat case Bound
volumes OF Scrbners Monthly and 81 Nicholas may be
found tho counters OF this store Profusely Illus
trated editions OF Jules verne's mysterious Island
two volumes, tempt the wonder loving boy and girl
Scrbner, Wexford Armstrong take tho lover OF
fine books by with elegant edition OF "Dore's
Spain, which contains l2O full page Illustrations and
a number OF smaller wood by the gifted French.
man Another Beautiful book is tho Canova volume
with 15o plates in outline after this famous sculptor
The 'Chandos Poets" and other standards arc among
the books bearing tho imprint OF this house. one Of
whose specaltes the "Roso Library OF the Popular
Literature OF All Countries sold the very low prics
OF 1tty cents per volume
D. APPLETON Co
The piece de resistance OF tho house OF Appleton Is
LacroIxs 'The Eighteenth Century: Its Institutions
Customs and Costumes. France IN 17O0-l7Sgn Illus.