Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-05

A novel by the author or AN Eng
lishwoman's Love Letters" entitled
"A Modern Antaeus." is leading an
nouncement on Doubleday. Page K COS
autumn list. Several of the hrst
chapters are already in type and some
who have read them think they find
an answer to the most often repeated
question in the Love Letter" mystery:
why wasn't there marriage!
The Antaeus of the story. like the
Antaeus of old. grows strong by con-
tact with the earth. and weirdly Vlvld
IMAGINATION leads him into strange ad-
ventures and still stranger acquaint-
ances with certain representatives OF the
other sex. varying considerably in de-
gree of social position.
Kim" Kipling's. latest novel. en-
loved a world wide debut Oct. |.
Not only was it published stimuli
taneously in the English speaking
countries. but editions also appeared III
German. French and one or more
Scandinavian TRANSACTIONS When one
considers that 10000 copies were ready
for the first edition in England, alone,
some estimate of the tremendous issue
can be made. The American publish
ers, Doubleday, Page & Co. have al
ready put large second EDITION 10
press; their estimate of the number OF
copies needed for the American trade
on the day of publication having
proved too small. 1t is now known
that kipling began kim eight years
ago. and that he has written this most
pretentous novel with palnstaklhS
care: some sections We're rewritten Il
dozen times and then changed or cut
out The scenes and characters are
some of those kipling knows pest ana
the many readers of Plain Tales from
the Hills will recognize people ana
places made familiar to them The
journeys Of Kim and his Lama re
produce many of the same Journeys
of the author, even to the traNeilhs
toward the land of Thibet near the END
of the tale.
The publication. this month, Of
Charles Majors new story, The Bears
of Blue River brings TO light some
thing of the life of this author one
would not suspect in reading Wheh
Knighthood was in Flower. Advent
ure and life away from the city IN
which he was born. such as good part
of seven years on an island after read
ing Robinson Crusoe, has he says
led to the present story of very real
experiences-though he did not re-
frain from writing it with the romance
and glamour of an historical setting
Mr. Major now has taken occasion 10
saw that The Bears of Blue River,
will represent his entire literary out
mt on the publishers lists this year.
Forty years. or Whereabouts, is Sala
to be the golden age of the noVelist
and literary students will enumeratt
, majority of our writer's as those VINO
have written their best novels at that
age-and that not seldom their pest
Elder Boise" may not become a mosl
popular novel of the day-it is too soon
to say-but the author, Everett Tom
Inson the well-knoWn lecturer and
historian. is certainly an example OF
one of those who. as late as middle
life. suddenly turns novelist and makes
a character in fiction to be talked
about. Elder Boise" published only
this summer, is already more than
successful.
Miss Rose Nouchette Carey, in the
years since she began to write-it was
in 1868 that she published her hrst
novel-has given to the reading Worll
more than a score of books. each one
of which has enjoyed well-earned
share of popularity. The Herb OF
Grace" is her latest novel, and has
inst been issued from the Lippincott
press.
Before recommending a book 70
another with assurance, you must
know the book we'll, and the friend to
whom it is recommended you must
know much better. Read the book
which suggests something responsive
and sympathetic. No ne can tell you
this as we'll as you can find it for
yourself Practice will teach you To
choose a book. as practice has taught
YOU to choose a friend. You VIII al
most be able to choose it in the dark.
There are affinities for books as for
people but this does not come at once.
Arthur l.. Humphreys.
That the sales of Winston church
ills three books are running on now
toward the million mark in the three
and a half years since the publication
Of The Celebrity. is a fact that will be
of interest to not q few American
publishers. 1t has been stated on
good authorities that Mr.. Churchill's
first book was declined by six pub
fishers. If this is the case. and there
is little reason to doubt it. it is
good instance of the unknown quantity
with which publisher deals from day
to day. 1t is as much a question of
chance as of Judgment sometimes:
generally shrewd combination of
both.
Last May the National Magazine
asked its readers to answer the queS-
ton who is the foremost living Amer
lean author" and in the September
number a list of authors voted upon is
given. ranked according to the number
of votes received Not only does Mark
Twain head this list with the largest
number of votes. but he also eVokes
the most eulogistic tributes Mr. Will
liam Dean Howells stands in the list as
close second to Mark Twain and
indeed. these two between them seem
to divide the honors which the great