The morning times., 1895-12-25
FAvoRITE BOOKS OF AUTHORS.
Preference of Noted W writers of IA Ger
tain Work of Their Own.
Ri,stpu TrauScriItf


! 1t is curious to note how seldom an author
regards as his favorite the book whseh cs-
tablishes his reputation. For instance. DIR.
! Edward Eggleston and 'The Hoosier
| scho olmaster" are almost Synonymous
names. but the atuhor thinks that Roxy"
is his strongest work and The Faith Doc
/ tor is his favorite. Mrs. Margaret Deland's
| favorite is Philip and His Wife" Will
| lam Dean Howe!ls slys Il think A Modern
! Instance my strongest book. and | like
/ Indian Summer best
Capt. Charles King thinks '.Retwecn the
Lines" is the pet of the heart.
Richard Malcolm John ston's reply is:
''Of my own novels rather regard Wild
ow Guthrie as the strongest, and | am in
clined TO estima IT, in like manner among my
short stories Mr.. Absalom BillingsSaie.'
F. Marion Crawford's answer is that
''Zoroaster' most nearly satisfied me as
a piece of work, when done. though now
see much in it which might be improved"
Henry Il. Fuler's favorite among his
works is my 'Chatelaine.
Hjalniar Htorth Boyesen wrote: OF my
own novels regard The Maminon of In
righteousness and Social Struggicrs' us
the best, as they conform more closely to
my aim in literature. which Is TO steer as
close as possible to the shores OF reality,
10 embody the results OF my experience and
observation in fictitious tales which are.
in so far as l tan make them, true TO the
logic of reality-in fact. 10 interpret and
represent life"
Kmd-hearted Charles Dudley Warner re-
plies: Il have no favorites among the things
/ have written, and never thought whether
one was better than another. Perhaps the
book that took most out of me is the picture
OF our materiaistic life in A Little Journey
In the World 1t was months before es-
capped from the profound sadness that work
caused me-"
Edgar Fawcett says: For some reasons
/ should say that An Ambitious Woman Is
above all others, and again l am tempted
to pronounce in favor of The Evil THAT Men
Do Over this last novel / spent many
weeks or mingled pain and pleasure-the
pain, as l freely admit, often predomi-
uating."
1.-THE Sentimental Calendar and Three
Zones contain, think, my best work." says
Frederick ]. Stimson(J. S. of DaieI.
Dear Robert Louis Stevenson wrote from
Samoa some months before his death: "Out
Of my own books find il very hard TO
choose, but l think ] may say that my
favorites-those in which / seem to have
done more nearly what / tried to do-are
the two parts of David Balfours Ad-
ventures
DE- a. CoDaH DOyle s 'SneriOCk Holmes
stories brought him into public notice and
favor, but he considers them the worst
things he has done, and he killed Holmes
because he did not wish to be identified
with the clever amateur detective any
longer. DIR. Doyle's fayorite among his
books in THE White Company"
Stanley j. Newman says: II cons itler the
Gentleman of France my strongest work,
though many who should know do not
agree with me-"
Hall Caine writes: Il have no favorites
among my writings, and l do not stop to
think of anything have written. No author
who really loves his work-that is, aside
from pecuDiary remuneration, celebrity, etc.
should do so, but believe that the work in
hand is all and everything. Happily can
believe this. When an authors work is
done, then is the time to choose favorites,
but not in the up and down hill of in |
activity"
Emile Zola says: 81 am very fond of and |
quite wei satisfied with .Pot-Boulle, which |
call my sentimental education