The age-herald., 1901-12-16
FLOOD OF BOOKS.

-~-~--~~--~---~--~---~--~~ FLOOD OF BOOKS.
 "AIl the world loves lover" is an old thought that might be applied to books and more especially in this year of our Lord, 1901, for if ever there was perfect Hood of books on the market 1t has been during the present season. Beginning at the end of the last season, there seemed to come an avalanche of books from every quarter, and New York especially was favored with much in the shape of literature, cheap in price and good In quality, that 1t had never enjoyed be- fore. Scores of temporary places were opened for book auctions, and many of the standard works and a considerable number of new publications were sold at good figures. The prices maintained in these book auctions must have been highly gratifying to the publishers, be- cause the present fall season has found them on the increase, and go where one will. the red sign of the book auction is Haunting before the eye. A round among the publishers discloses some interesting facts, regarding current fiction especial 1y, and there has never been any pre- vious season in which so much advertis- ing has been done, in order to push popu- lar authors.
 THE "cAvALIER."
 Beginning with Charles Scribner's Sons by far the best selling book they have introduced so far this season has been ''The Cavalier" by George w. Cable. Starting with less than 13,o00 advance sales, this book ran to upwards of 10000 within less than four weeks, and how much it promises in the shape of a long run is evidenced by the fact that it has now passed the 75,000 mark. Another of the Scribner publications which has had a tremendous sale, running past 10000 copies, has been Henry Van Dykes ''The Ruling Passion" and the demand con- tinues strong. Still another of the mar vicious sellers from Scribners Sons has been Ernest Seton-Thompson's Lives of the Hunted" The publishers started with first edition of 5O000 copies which was exhausted within three weeks after publication. 'TWild Animals I Have Known" MT. Seton-Thompson's former book, took nearly three years to make a hundred thousand, but it is selling yet extremely well. and especially in the West. It Is expected that Lives of the Hunter" will pass the hundred thousand mark before the end of the first year This firm has been extremely fortunate in starting the season so early with good running books, but they have also a dark horse which may deveiope a sur prising circulation before the season is over. This is J. A. Mitchells "Amos Juud," which they illustrated in color with drawings by A. I. Keller. They launched this book some weeks ago and gave 1t no advertising whatever. On its pure merit alone 1t has run up a circula ton of nearly 40,000 copies already. It i: the firms intention to push this book 2 little later in the season. and it may prove the best seller of the whole lot. DESIRE FOR INSTRUCTION.
 A member of the house of D. Appleton & Go. gave the following report: Ont of the most interesting features of Amer. lean life is the keen desire for instruc tion and education which characterizes the American people. This naturally finds expression in demand for books and while readers are apt to be impress ed particularly by such a remarkable demand as that shown for David Harum." which is still having a large sale, there are many classes of books outside of fiction which are in constant demand by American readers Fictior is. of course. the popular branch o1 literature and the one which Is mos in evidence. and from D. Appleton 6 Co.'S point of view, the interest in fictior is perhaps best illustrated by the success of "The Eternal City" with it's first edition of 100000 in England and Ameri- ca, which Is at present our most suc- cessful book by the cordial reception which has been given to that remarkable novel of American political life-"Shack- lett" by MT. Walter Barr, one of the many new authors whom D. Appleton & Co., have introduced to the public; by the welcome given to MT. Cyrus Town send Brady's most important and best sea romance "The Quiberon TouchH and the number of readers found for MT F. F. Moore's Nest of Linnets," and other works of fiction which have been brought out very recently by this house Another American writer of peculiarly rne talent. MT. Henry B. Fuller, is to be published shortly by D. Appleton & Co.,. who are bringing out his new "Un- der the SkyIights" Especially important is MT. T. Gallin's Christmas and other romance, '~rhe Man Who Knew Better. ' which is to appear with elaborate illus trations by Gordon Browne.
 If too much is said about fiction, how ever, it may seem to confirm the argu- ment regarding the tyranny of the novel whereas the experience of D. Appleton & Go. is that the demand for what arc termed standard works, is constantly or the increase. It is of course unnecessary to refer to the leading American Cyclo paedia, the Universal" which is ir such great demand on the part of thu public at the present time.
 Turning to the works which are knowr at trade books" the continued popular ity of Admiral Evans Sailors Log shows that it is the most popular bio graphical work of the year, just as thu Life and Letters of Huxley led work. of this class last year.
 In history, D. Appleton & Go. will con tinue their important Great People. Series,' edited by Dr. York Powell OK ford. with "The French People" by pr Arthus Hassall, of Christ church. OK ford. and a little later there will be new edition of Maclay's History of tn, Navy"
 An example of successful popular bio-