The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-10

&kRS readers, and, although it is such a
SlyS young City, the general literary taste
here is equal to that of any of the
older cities Of equal size. There is large de-
mand for frst-class books, and history and
biography, the most scholarly works on
science and the useful arts, as we'll as the
masterpieces OF fiction, are bought from our
bookstores and borrowed from the big
libraries in large numbers The favorite
writer's in fiction are a bout the same as in the
great cities of the East The amount OF fiction
read In proportion to other works is less here
than in an average amount of reading done in
big cities generally. The big Public Library,
with its record of 100000 volumes read per
annun, gives pretty fair test of the ratio OF
o. fiction read to the demand for books of more
serious study. judged by that test, about SO
per cent of the books read here are fiction,
and the usual average is 20 per cent. There
are many people here with both fine literary
taste and abundant means to crafty it by the
ownership OF fine private libraries and this
creates q large demand for all the handsomely
bound books of real merit that are issued.
There is sale here, too, for those treasures OF
literature which bring very high prices be-
cause of their rarity from having been long
out of print.
Think of bookseller pulling down from his
shelves single volume for which you would
have to part with $75 to become the owner.
Thatrare OLD books will bring rich prices is well
known, but it will surprise some that there is
demand for them that justifies their being
carried in stock in the home market. Some of
our booksellers estimate that there are more
books sold in California, in proportion to the
population, than in any other State, and say
that it is an undoubted fact that this is one of
the best of markets for the most choice and
high priced books.
1t will be of interest to know some of the
~, rHo 1;-+
of favorites in this City. Recently "Senti-
mental Tommy" by J. NJ Barrie, seems to
have been the first choice here, as well as all
over the country, and kate Carnegie" by
Ian McLaren and king Noanett," by Stim-
son, are pretty evenly matched for second
choice. Outside of fiction Max Nordau's
'Degeueration' was most read during the
past year. Among the more serious books
Whites Warfare of Science and Theology in
Christendom" received the greatest attention.
In the realm of history and science John Fiske
has been king OF popular favor, and for juYe-
nile books Tommy Toddles," by Albert Lee,
entertained a multitude of young folks, and
Henty's many books for boys and the bound
volumes of Harper's Round Table were in
great demand.
At William Doxey's recently the largest sales
were made of Tales of Languedoc," by Brun;
king Noanett." by Stimson, was second and
Checkers" by Blossom, was third. Large
sales of Sentimental Tommy" and kate
Carnegie" were made. The class of readers
who get their books at Doxey's prefer Thack-
cray among the Old standard authors, and
Walter Scott leads Dickens by long way. For
young people he finds Henry's historical books
are much appreciated, and Captain Marryat
and Maria Edgeworth, maintain their old es-
'tabIished popularity.
At A. NJ. Robertson's the biggest sales re-
Gently were OF "Quo Vadis" by Sienkiewicz !;
'Seats of the Mighty" by Gilbert Parker;
''Kate Carnegie" and liking Noanett." In
juvenile books the leaders were Tommy Tod
dies" by Albert Lee; Rick Dale" by Keith
Monroe, aud 'Seraph." by Mrs. Jameson. Mr..
Robertson finds the fayorites among the older
authors are Dickens, Thsckeray and Bazac,
with honors pretty evenly divided. He had a
very large demand for the political novel,
1.-THE Honorable Peter Stirling" by Ford,
and, surprising to relate, it ouIsold ''Trilby"
even during the height of the Trilby fever
The works of the American writers of history
John Fiske and Captain Mahan-are much
read, and in poetry there has been good sale
recently OF the seven Seas" by Kipltng
In the big and busy Emporium the sales OF
fiction are hundredfold greater than those
of any other class of literature, and here "Sen-
timentaI Tommy stands first on the list; then
follow in order Kate Carnegie" "Taquisara,"
by Crawford, and "Sir George Tressady," by
the prIn eipal ones have been "The Book OF
Famous Americans" got up by the Cen
fury Company, and George Hentys works. In
calls for the Older au thors Dumas is the prime
fevorite, with Dickens second. and Thackeray
far down on the list, which is a noticeable diff
ference from the demand at Doxey's, where
Thackeray was the first choice. Although fc-
ton is the main thing ct the Emporium, they
sell large numb Der of scientific works, and the
favorite has been the Scientific Series Of the
Appleton Company. John Fiske's History of
the American Revolution" has been a good
seller.
At the San Francisco News Company, where
the trade is principally in books of cheap pa
per binding, the leaders in fiction have been
Marie Corellf's and Anthony Hopes works, but
here during the last year the sales of fiction
were largely exceeded by those of the popular
books on the all-absorbing financial question,
and the sale of novels became very second
airy interest at that store. In holiday books
the first place was taken by Palmer Cox's
Brownies Year Book" second by 'Twixt
Cupid and Cresus," and third by Gibson's
books of drawings
From the Public Library the works of fiction
that were drawn out in largest numbers were:
/, "By the Bonny Brier Bush" 'The HONORABLE
Peter Stirling" "Sir George Tressady," ''Sen-
timental Tommy and "King Noanett." "Ben
Hur" keeps up in popularity without the pas
sage Of time showing any effect in firing the
publie-they have to keep sixteen copies to
supply the demand for this "tale of the
Christ" "Kate Carnegie is very popular.
The most largely read book during the past
year was Degeneration" by Max Nordau,
butt the interest in it has died out to a large
extent and just now Sentimental Tommy"
is in perhaps the first or second greatest de-
mand. OF the old standard authors here
Scott stands first, Dickens second and Thack-
cray third. There are very large number of
books used from this library on scientific sub
jects and useful arts; the fiction is only so per
cent OF the whole number Of volumes drawn
out during the year. History and biography
cover about ID per cent, philosophy and re-
ligion per cent, sociology about 3 per cent,
and poetry and the drama something over
cent Most prominent in popularity among
the books for people studiously inclined was
Whites warfare of Science and Theology in
Christendom." The numbers of volumes
made use of from this big library are increas-
ing at the rate OF about is, 600 per annum.
Members of the Mechanics Library have
shown g decided preference for THE Honour
able Peter Stirling" 1.-THE Prisoner of Zendan
by Anthony Hope and ''The Sewers" by Merri-
man. Sentimental Tommy" "Taquisara,"
'seats of the Mighty" king Noanett" and
'Sir George Tressady" are books much read
from there and in which the mem ers show
similar taste to all the rest of the world. but
they have displayed a speciality in the way OF
an absorbing interest in the study of palmistry
and oanealoov No exnlanatiou is given of