The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-12
BOOK NOTES.

Just published a History of American
Verse from 1910 to 1897 by James L. On
derdonk, who was constant contributor
to newspapers and literary journals up to
the time of his death in 1899. During his
entire life he made a close study of Amer
lean literature and this book represents
the definite results of his extended re-
the primitive efforts of one of the James
town Colony in 1910 to the close OF the
GENTLY comprehensive and scholarly TO
satisfy the most exacting student IN
eminentIy readable and the treatment so
entertaining that the History viii APP
the scholar. The preface to the interest
ing work is written by William III. On
ing style which Will make it interesting
even to one who has never devoted much
formation and is a revelation to the aver
age man. 1t starts with the statement
that American literature had its origin
in the ill-staIred colony at jamestown.
The author says: 1T was transpianted
note that even amid such discouraging
surroundings the spirit of song was not
course, to enter into an extended discus
sion of the various epochs of American
but, nevertheless, there is enough to give
one satisfactory conception of the scope
and nature of the verse produced in
America
One of the late juvenile books is ''The
Owl and the Woodchuck,' from the press
Rand, McNally, Chicago: The contents
are a song story, the text by William H.
Neidlinger. The pictures are by Walter
Babbett. There have been numerous
books written for juveniles, but it is safe
to say that for unique originality none
has excelled THE Owl and the Wood
music and pictures. There is not a child
living who will l.. not appreciate and be
will be singing or reciting the bits of
usual conceit in music and dialogue with
beautiful fuii-page pictures in colors
add to the artistic value of the book. The
price is 80 cents
Mr.. W. A. Rogers, the. well-known car
Ohio and first came to New York in 1871
Two years later he began work on the
ated with 4. 3. Frost, G. D. Weldon and
other now celebrated artists who were
then only beginning to do important work.
Mr.. Rogers. like other men who succeed,
is a very steady worker and can always
be found at his desk in the office of Har-
pers Weekly hard at it for many hours a
day. Though he is as widely famous as
the most modest and retiring of men and
seems quite unaware of his great popu-
personal response that comes to him from
the public. to which he replied that he
s ne ona for oby e TTer from
juvenile book published by the Harpers
People say to him: s.Oh. you did the pic
lures in Toby Tyler didn't you? why,
success of Mr.. Rogers cartoons IS largely
due to the fact that he can do other
views views men and measures from noS br oa
standpoint than the man who is merely
a satlr1St
1.-THE Political Economy of Humanism''
is one Of the i iinteresting publications publ Of
Henry Wood, whose fame an essayist
made up i from mater revised to dafe
which IA has pa, passed through four editions
q Natural La he
two new chapters upon vital topics have
Properly Expresses the spirit and isp purp os
of the book Many of the most intelli-
Mr.. Wood makes what is conven ttiiiii
IA Their heavy subject not only Interest,"
s anu pty Social needs
philosophical illumination which is gen
eray la th In the b deepSr Analysis
land, wages. profits and values are but its
ganis sis and DISC social relations Cons should be
viewed broadly from the organic and evo-
books have passed through many editions
and are in steady demand by most
thoughtful and Intelligent class of readers.
The old discussion concerning the age at
which the best literary work is done
itor of Current Literature the story of the
satisfaction that the fun fruition rs. of hui
man brain power was reached in that
climacteric. Accordingly he wrote his
great book at the proper time only to
him was a mystery was solved when he
discovered that his birth certificate had
s a IN feay he ew had his best
mat from debate which has long q gone 9 ON
upon the subject emerges the Conclusion
that while no law can be discovered as
have generally done their work in matur-
ity- De Foe was So when he wrote Rob
his 18th and 49th years. George Eliot
Thackeray IS when Vanity Fair was pub
lished. Trollope began his work late in
p pea; ii in his 4ist Year Scott was wa Is
when IN 1914 he wrote Waverley-though
he was famous as poet at the age of "a
Travels. Apparent exceptions are found
land and Bug-Jargol when very young;
he was capable of Les rabies only at
ferior work until he had passed 30 The /
reason of course is obvious activity of
informa ton all of which may be pos
sessed in comparative youth, will equip
in addition to these that which ordinarily
comes only with actual length. of years
man life. The real exception is of course
Charles Dickens yyho, at the age of q,
revealed fully developed every CHARACTER
istic of his genius. Not merely. was Pick
success but it's characteristics remained
those of it's authors later work The fact
is that through the abnormal experiences
of his childhood. Dickens was at "a what
men usually become at twice the age.
In his childhood Dickens was a in
many things. It is equally true that in
his manhood he remained a child in many
things.
That the sales of Mr.. Winston Church
ills three books running now
toward the million mark in the three and
a half years since the publication of 1.-THE
Celebrity is fact that will be of inter
est to not a few American publishers 1t
has been stated on good authority that
Mr.. Churchilrs first book was declined
by six publishers If this is the case.
and there is little reason to doubt it, it
is a good instance of the unknown guam
tity with which a publisher deals from
day to day 1t is as much a question of
chance as of Judgment sometimes; gen.