Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-18
= sSS-sSs-s
!: LITERATURE AND LIFE.
a. j. N.

! /
| "A novel-reading nation, which num-
bers its readers by millions. is turning
the current OF letters into fiction on a
scale not yet measured or plumbed." So
says Talcott Williams in the November
| Review of Reviews.
The critics have been telling us this
| for some time, and now come forward
the publishers with their evidence and
statistics In the last issue of the Review.
They tell us that not only has the sale of
| fiction increased enormously within the
past Ave years, but that 1t has done so
| to the exclusion of other letters; that
the demand for biography. essays, trav-
81 and other classifications outside fic-
ton has not increased at all in the past
| five years.
The Review selects a dozen popular
] fiction books, taken at random, which,
according to the publishers statement,
! have sold up to date as follows:
4 David Harum .............. o20,V0V copies
Richard Carvel 100000 copies
The Crisis 800, 900 copies
Janice Meredith .......... .275,OO0 copies
Eben Holden ...............265,00 200 copies
Quincy Adams Sawyer. 200, 900 copies
4 D,ri and I............10O .0 900 copies
To Have and To Hold -. 1855, 900 copies
The Christian .......... 200, 900 copies
The Eternal City...........1o 100, 600 copies
An English Woman's Love
Letters ................ .25O0O0 copies
/ Black Rock and Sky Pilot,
/ together nearly 500. 600 copies
1 There are two other novels (names not
i given) on which the combined sales are
100000 copies. Further. the publishers
4 say there are eight or ten new books in
sight which by the first of January will
have passed the d-thousandth
mark.
From the game Review take the fic-
. ton figures Of Talcott Williams (not ac-
curate, but approximately for the past
year alone. Six novels which run to q
circulation Of 10000, one-half as many
more that reach 100000, a score or more
with $4,000, and from forty to fifty books
with editions of 10000 to 10000. To these
add the 100000 more with normal edi-
tions and there is a novel production Of
not less than some 100000 volumes!
The statistics of four cities-NeN
York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston
give a public library circulation o.
: s 900 goo volumes year, of which nearl.
s. 900, 900 are novels The smaller librar
les will almost double this making II
all from seven to eight million volumes
of Action, new and old, in circulation
thru public libraries.
Among the dealers, the big seller!
give one million volumes year. Thu
next grade. another million, while thu
crowded rank and file give as man!
more rather than less. Never, says Mr.
Williams, in the history of the world
have letters had such a demand ant
supply.
In ascribing the enormous increase II
the demand for fiction to skilful adver
, vertising alone. there are probably SOM
who will take issue with the writers IL
. the Review.
While the huge display" in the ad
yertising columns of the current period
Gals is potent factor in whetting pub
|lic curiosity, very much doubt whethe
:. it is the sole or even the CHER explana
ton There are other important factors
In the problem which, strangely enough
these critics appear to have overlooked
!, factors any one of which might profita
, bly, be elaborated into paper by Itself
: which this column will merely allow mi
: to touch upon.
1. Culture and education ar
more generally diffused, thus Great
: Ing among the masses the appetite TO
books. Mr. Talcott noticed this poin
and yet curiously enough made it an ar
gument for the paid advertisement. HI
says: The reading public is no longe
special class of educated and well-to
= do to which the English publisher one