New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-26
THE BOOK SEASON NOW OPENING
INTERVIEWS ON IT'S PROSPECTS WITH LEADING
PUBLISHERS
Unanimous Expectations Of ProspeNo Fear of the Political Cam
pagn-sdeigkts NAM Aspects Of The World of Books

N--e-'a a. ADt5 ~ tie pA0lAC ~ NoNNNs
good deal more viii be written and said about
the new novels by Mr.. Churchill. Mr.. Crawford,
Mr.. ouiller-Couch and Mr.. Riis. for example,
this fan than about such works The His
Tory Of American Sculpture and The History
Of American Music both Of which elaborate
pioneer works In their field. or about q certain
solid work in two volumes. dealing with the
tenement house problem, with special reference
to New-York City. or about Mr.. Ciark's book on
The Care OF a House or about Mr.. Bolen's book
on Getting a Living But you will be far
astrsy II you infer that the novels referred TO
are more carefully read than the more serious
books. or that they make a deeper impression
on the mind OF their readers.
zone Of our serious books. published last
spring. has sold more largely than any novel we
have published this year. with two or three eX-
ceptions namely Mrs. Ely's A wcman's Hardy
Garden Stfn another serious book on our last
springs list. The Social Unrest by John
Graham Brooks. was In demand and still is In
demand to an extent attained by very few
novels"
Regarding art books. Mr.. williams said they
were increasing in number and in variety Of
subject, and in the sale OF a book OF a given
kind and character and stamp. They are also
increasing good deal more in quality. Side
by side with the increase Of the number Of art
books had come an increase in the number Of
illustrated books. and the processes Of engrav-
ing and printing in colors. for Instance. had i'm
proved so much IN recent years that what were
spoken Of now merely as illustrated books might
very well have been called art books few
years ago.
Among our illustrated books this fall" said
Mr. Williams. is The Worlds Children by
Mortimer and Dorothy Menpes. 1t contains one
hundred colored Illustrations. A few years ago
that book would have been one OF the note
worthy art books Of the season. brought out at
a much higher price than ii is now. and de-
manded only 10 a very limited extent. Now. IT
appears with such colored Illustrations as could
not have been made a few years ago and is
listed among illustrated books On the other
hand. the art books Of the season nowadays
deal with a far greater variety OF subjects. One
Of the new ones. for instance. contains repro
auctions in color Of sixty-eight original water
color sketches by Cruikshsnk for Dickens's
oliver Twist and other books Another con-
tains reproductions in photogravure and COLO
type Of all the important work OF Hans Hol-
bein, while biographies OF great painters. with
thirty or forty fine half tone reproductions Of
their work, are now comparatively common.
THE FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY.
Frederick A Stokes, Of the Frederick A Stokes
Company. said the tendency was still toward an
overprooucton Of fiction. The prospects were,
however for a large number OF interesting and
specially well illustrated book Of a so-called holi
day nature. So far as the company was con-
cerned II was giving great deal more attention
10 children's books both as regards number and
quality In that field the most noteworthy Of the
Stokes books would be The Children Of the
Arctic" by little Marie Ahnighito Peary and
ba- Of a Il
illustrations from photographs taken by them
and by Commander Peary.
The tendency with US" continued Mr.. Stokes.
rs TO give more attention to serious works, es-
pecially in a series Of a semi-educational nat
ure. one that We shall enter upon this year.
"A Story Of Exploration is to be edited by DR..
Scott Kettle secretary OF the Royal Geographi-
cal Society. The idea underlying the series is
that Of the romance Of exploration. with, how
ever, strict adherence to accuracy. It will
cover the exploration OF the entire globe and
contain volumes by hansen and others. We
are not bringing out many books Of fiction our
selves. on account Of the feeling that altogether
too many have been published in the last few
years, and are trying to reach a higher stand
ard with those we do accept We find encour-
agement Tor works having TO deal largely with
collectors and, IN fact, those who are not col
lectors. but are decorating homes. and have
done especially well with our old furniture book
and our old china book. We find. too a strong
interest ia memoirs and letters. as usual. and
our most important venture there is the cor
respondence Of Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm l.
We are also devoting much attention to costly
and luxurious calendars.
The demand for the art book that requires
a large page for illustration seems to have al
most entirely ceased. There is a growing de-
~
be placed on the bookshelf The disappearance
OF the so-caled fat art book is to be regretted
for one reason. which is that large space is
obviously required for adequate reproduction
OF many large and important originals Now
1t seems TO be necessary to make a small page.
and # reduces the beauty and the scope of the
reproduction decidedly. This is caused by the
ubersomeness Of the fat art book and the
great amount OF space Il took and TO the dis
appearance OF the fad for etching and similar
large art prints OF various kinds The mere
matter Of fashion has had something TO do with
Il. although the change. the whole is based
on good taste"
Mr.. Stokes added that there were certain
classes Of publications that sold readily before
the Christmas trade proper began and con-
tinued 70 sell during IT, Many popular novels
sold Christmas gifts. but in general after
December ! was the most unfavorable time
for the publication Of any new works not of
holiday nature. There was a tendency to con-
tinue the season into the summer months and
there had been several successful experiments
this year in publishing important novels In the
time usually regarded as most unfavorable for
that purpose. that is. from July l to septem-
Der 1.
Mr.. Stokes said the cost Of all the materials
and all the labor expended them had in
creased. There was constant tendency toward
a better quality Of paper. and he thought typo