Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-25
4-s-s
:ILITERATURE AND LIFE !.
a. j.. N.



In a general survey OF fiction for the
year 1902 the Bookman thinks that al
tho there have been some very clever
and even important contributions to
fiction, there is nothing 10 give the year
a distinctive place in The history of
letters
The most popular writers We're
busy turning out the usual quantity of
books of the usual quality, with the eX-
oeption of James Lane Allen and Win
ston Churchill, from whom we are to
hear at an early date.
The Bookman gives the six most
popular books for this entire year, in
twelve monthly tables, in eight OF which
tables we find Mrs. Wigs of the Cab
bage Patch In five tables occur The
Nirginian.' Right of Way" "Missis-
sippi Bubble" and dorothy Vernon
LII four tables are Hound of the Bas-
kerviles," The Crisis" and The Man
from Glengarry." In three tables The
Lsopard's Spots, "I-azarre," The
Cavalier Audrey" and Sir
Richard Calmady.' In two ia
bles are "Oliver Horn, Castle
Craneycrow," The Lady Paramount"
"Ranson's Folly" and Lives Of the
Hounted.' Those mentioned but once,
Donovan Pasha,' III earts Cour-
ageous," The Eternal City,. The Rul-
ing Passion" IF l Were King" THE
Conqueror,' House With the Green
Shutters" THE Fifth String Cap
tain Machlin" and THE Two Vanrev-
els
These tables put Mrs. Wigs" and
The Virginian" ahead. the latter with
the most points, tho not appearing in
as many tables, and the probability is
the record is not yet closed, as their
publishers send out the statement that
they are still both selling at the rate OF
1900 Per day
These tables contain twenty-eight
books in all. of which twenty-five are
American books and six foreign Give
out of six English), with about the same
proportion of seXes-twcnty-t male
authors and six women
These figures come very close "a
those of the previous year, the number
of books contained in the tables for 1901
being twenty-nine, of which nineteen
were American, and ten foreign; with
twenty-one male authors. six women,
and two whose sex are unknown.
These tables show-as the Bookman
points out-that steadily, with the
passing years, are we drifting away
from English fiction and depending
more and more upon American home
production.
If now we turn to English fiction for
1902, we find that country, as we'll as
ours. has produced little to crow over.
The London Academy points out list
of the twelve most popular novels, de-
termined by a plebiscite of Its readers,
and, SO far as authorship is concerned,
the list is about on par With ours, con-
tanning no names regarded by the crit
les as masters of the art of fiction. And
If we are not dependent upon their fic-
ton, neither is England devoted to ours,
having but one American book on their
most popular list, Audrey" by Miss
Johnston.
Outside these lists the novel which
wins the most lavish praise from critics
on both sides the water is Henry
James wings of the Dove" Both Ed
mund Gosse and w. d. Howells have
crowned him the literary laureate of
the year.
Mr.. Barrie's Little White Bird"
Conrad's Youth" and Miller-C ouch's
"Westcotes" are also mentioned as not
able contributions to English fiction for
1902
The two English leaders Of the old
guard-Hardy and Meredith-were sill
ent for the year past.
In the field of poetry the critics agree
that the supreme effort of the year is
Stephen Phillips Ulysses" William
Watson's and Bliss Carman's corona
ton odes, Kipling's polemics and Mar
garet Woods poetic drama, Princess
Of Hanover" all receive favorable men
ton from the Literary Eigest. Profess
sor Santayanas Hermit of Carmel
and Miss Peabody's "Marlowe'' are re-
garded by the Independent as the best
original verse of the year 1902.
A book of poetry which, lacking per-
haps the classic atmosphere of the
former list, will, in our estimation, APP
peal more strongly than any of these to |
the heart of the people IS Ernest Cros-
by's Swords and Plowshares," of
which the Chicago Unity says: ut
shows what Whitman, Tolstoi and Nor
ris may bring forth in fertile mind
coupled with stalwart independence
and a glowing heart
In addition to these tbs year 1902 has
revealed to the world number of |
minor poets who strike Il high note and |
whose forward look and free express
sion hint of the coming great poet.
The year 1902 was rich and fruitful
n biography, and especially that of lit
arary men. Such biographies may also
be called studies in literature. Of these
We have Mr.. Scudder's Life of Lowell"
.'rederic Harrisons Life of Poe" Pro-
lessor Woodberry's Hawthorne" Colo
lel Higginson S "Longfellow" and Slason
"Eugens Field"
England gives us Balfour's Steven
son. Leslie Stephens Life and Letters
IF Green" Tuckwell's "Kinglake" Reds
Life of William Black" and Sir Walter
3esant's autobiogra ply.
Other important works Of the year
ire the first threa, volumes of Dodd,
Mead & Co.'S New InterEationa Ency-
lopedia," the second and third volumes
# Funk & Wagnalls Jewish Encyclo-
,edia" and Woodrow Wilson's History
If the American People,.
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