Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-14
ABOUT REVIEWING BOOKS.
The Hardships of One Who Would write
An Honest Review.

One who is not behind the scenes can
hardly realize the difficult position of the
editor of a literary magazine, says
writer in the Boston Transcript. Unless
his hands are so Tree mat pam spea n, -
ON all subjects is possible he Is obliged TO
hedge his reviewers with certain restric-
tions imposed by the exigencies of TRACE.
The literary business requires RECIPROCITY
like all other business that is not cut
throat in it's methods. Euphemislcally
speaking this reciprocity is noblesse
oblige among publishing houses; CON-
mercially speaking it is the eNigency OF
trade. popularly speaking it is the recoS-
milton of axes to grind.
Some of the truest literary criticism. al
though fragmentary in character, Is now
published in a magazine whose circuia-
lion is so large and so secure that II does
not need 10 ask favors of anyone. II pun
fishes no books. possibly even II Is no.
indebted to publishers for the books that
il reviews: hence it can afford TO De the
medium of frank opinion.
Bat the lot of most editors is not so
easy They are handicapped even more
than their newspaper brothers, for in IN"
majority of cases, if literary magazines
are not entirely controlled by publishing
houses, the publishers own considerable
stock. and it not good business policy
to publish in a magazine Il damnlng crlt-
cism of a book issued by the firm that
owns the magazine. The author has a
right TO complain.
in spite OF their restrictions. editors
differ widely in their attitude towards re-
4
the optimistic view of book. See the
good in it. ii You can, he often says TO
me. What if cant" reply. Look
again, is his answer. This author IS Isl, a
time over his book and he needs the
money. On the other hand the publish
must not be taken as a Definite imposition
of the editors point OF view upon the re-
viewer; 1t is merely suggestion to wear
rose glasses instead of indiso-a dlstinc-
rx-fyh "a ffaya
Another editor once said to me: Mere
is a book on Keats. written by a very es-
Unable young woman, whose father is
veteran newspaper man of good standing.
You see that it is large book, we'll
printed and profuscly illustrated. t'With
badly reproduced Illustrations | inter
pOatcd). Give it a favorable review II
You can" | could. therefore | did. II
was a good piece of work, but can't say
that | was influenced by the editors de-
sire to please the young woman or by the
fact that her father is a veteran newspa-
per man of good standing.
At one time an historical novel was sent
TO me by the same editor. IT was fairly
good but not in any way remarkable. /
noticed that it was published by the
house under whose roof my editor had his
clusion TO my review: This book is as
good any of the large crop of histori-
cal novels now being harvested"
. 1t was my honest opinion. Back came a
penclled protest on the margin of my
galley proof. Come, come! Can't YOU
speak a better word than this? Poor
Georgey brown is an honest lad. and this
is his first novel He has written some
very decent short stories He writes
earnestly and with great enthusiasm
| deiiberatcd. Abandon the review to
someone who could better apprccia te
George Browns ability: No that would
not be business policy. and the judicial
mind must be able to look on all sides of
a question. The ''exigencies of trade
demanded that my editor should request
favorable conclusion for my review. 1t
would not do violence to my feelings TO
leave good impression in the mind of
tho reader. for the editor had directed me
not to cut out the adverse criticism in the
,body Of the review. | struck out my last
short paragraph, therefore, and adued
these few words. taking my cue from
him: The book is written with earn
estncsS of purpose and enthusiasm.
Then | wrote to him: You have a low
ing, forgiVins disposition. | wish that
George Brown could know what A cham
pion he has in you and how cruel to him
a mere woman wanted to be. AS Il mat
ter IF fact. his novel is as good as any
Of the large crop of historical novels now
being harvested. AS matter of print
tand this is true, for YOU yourself said it,
it is written with carncstncss OF purpose
and enthusiasm
In passing / wish ii Ia be understood
that some reviewers have a conscience.
Not all. but some. They can lie about
most matters. but not about their literary
opinions even when those opinions con-
Germ the productions OF their dearest
friends.
one of the literary magazines that has
been mos severely criticised for diCtat-
ing a policy to its reviewers i in reality
one of the least dictatorial. This is "A
good illustration of how little pe"|le
know about Il matter unless they see the
inside workings. and of how much they
talk in their ignorance. Among the hun
dreds of books sent to me by this editor
was one issued by his publishing house.
and what am now writing VIII serve
as the best possible proof of the state
ment that | have Just made.
Every time | went to see that editor |
passed a large. brilliantly illustrated pos
ter announcing that The Sawdust of Ma
tons by fiington .. Downs was one of
the best selling books Of .hc season, re-
markablc for its development OF charac-
style | might nave believed this on the
authority of the publishers if | wee not
it was. I set myself to read the book.
Now Ellington q. Downs is good ar
fist and he knows a deal about art. But
his novel writing is a harmless avocation
which should be pursued in the obscurity
of his studio. The world should not he
allowed to intrude. This il; what | wrote:
The first artist. the hero. is Il prg
The second is a brute. Both are unin;er-
csting. and not at all the kind Of men
with whom a sane woman would fall in
love. The interesting part of the book is
the occasional out-cropping of ideas on
art. expressed in rather poetic Language.
This language. however. is married by the
The hand of an amateur in fiction. Mr..
Downs forte in literature is clearly not
fiction. He eVidentI'' does not understand
proportion in the telling of story.
! sent this review to the editor and
waited for its return. ! saw him short
time afterward and said to him. You
noticed what a black eye | gave The
Sawdust of Nations - Yes, he said.
DO you propose to print the review?
why, certainly" But your house pub
fishes the book" That makes no differ
cnce, | gave it to YOU to review and that
is your opinion.
could multiply instances, but | will
give only one more. A short time ago an
editor sent me book written by au-
thor of international reputation, man
for whose work | care very much. / read
it carefully and | found it clever but inn
possible. | wrote review of a thousand
words expressive of my exact opinion,
and sent il to the editor. In a day or two
| received a letter asking me to call upon
him that morning Its the old story"
he said, when We were seated. 1T is my
fault. tor l did not tell you that this is
the first book of this authors that we
have ever published and we have been
trying for years to get of them |
read your review, liked it. and was about
to send it to the printer. when | had an
impulse to read it to one of my col
leagues We laughed over il. but he ad-
vistd me not to print it. Why? Because
it is too true. Now. can you write an