The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-25
THE LITERARY OUTLOOK.
Good Books of the Season News OF
the Publishers

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The spring season of 1903 is now fair
ly on its way and the reading public
may we'll congratulate itself on the
quantity OF good books which are being
brought out. In novels there are
enough worthy of note to last through
the dog days of late summer and long
before that time the fall season in book
publishing will have begun. AS for SER
ious books. few seasons have been SO
productive.
Let us. look over this latter field first.
Have you ever read such a book as
Helen KeIlar's Autobiography Here
is a great story of a wonderful girl
blind. deaf. until lately dumb-which
makes those who have all five senses
wonder what they have been doing to
get so little in comparison out of life.
The Letters and Memoirs of Jane
Carlyle, More Letters of Darwin, -
The Diary Of John Q. Adams The
True Abraham Lincoln THE Real
Benedict Arnold. Memoirs of de
Blowitz, Crossings Life of Dickens, -
and Dillon's Life of Gorky''-here are
human documents and volumes of in
struction whose Importance is at once
apparent.
In the field of fiction, there is Lady
Roses Daughter" youth " Lovey
Mary THE Pit . Golden Fleece and
a score of others in the first rank.
More Jflan luU.OuU copies OF illtle
book called Wee MacGreegor" have
been sold in England within the past
few months. 4 success SO remarkable
that, though the story is told in a broad
Scotch dialect which almost requires
translation a firm of American pub
fishers are to bring the book out in this
country. A few days ago copy of the
book was handed to a New York pub
Usher Of Scotch parentase. He kept it
a day or so and then returned it to his
friend with the words.
This seems to be a good little story.
but can't translate it fast enough to
really enjoy it !"
question IS not only an enthusiastic
Seotchman but he is also a most ar
dent defender of the Kailyard school
and delights in the worst-or best-that
Ian Maclaran and J. NJ. Barrie have
done in dialect.
A most persistent rumor is quietly
circulating in New York publishing
circles to the effect that the house az
Appleton is to be merged into the Bar-
per establishment. Granting that such
a consolidation actually occurs, the cry
that there will soon be a publishing
trust would have some weight if il
were not for the fact that almost every
week sees the birth of some new con-
ce-n-
AS matter of fact. ten rumors fly
and one lights. There is ALWAYS q srea
deal of misinformation about the doings
OF the publishing world which passes
for the truth It was recently reported
that several American publishers were
planning to establish huge plants in
London with which they might capture
English book markets. but the American
publishers are still here.
One Of the most attractive plays Of
the past season was '-Everyman' and
its recent publication in book form by
new firm of publishers recalls its
ancient history. 'EyeIynan' was pub
lished in book form first as long ago
as 1923 by John Slat Of London The
great English critic. Hazlitt. regarded
the play as enc of the very best of the
pre- Elizabethan literary productions.
and his son included it in his edition of
old Plays According to Hazlitt" The
play was written some time during the
reign of Edward ". That play
should live so long is remarkable. The
republication Of it in its present form
/ is most worthy
Simeon Ford who is one of New
Yorh's most famous after dinner
speakers and whose Few Remarks
are to be published shortly, was offer
ed 81, 800 the other day to talk ten min
utes twice a day for a week on the
stage at Proctcr's Fifth Avenue the
ater. 1T is certainly alluring.' said
/ Mr. Ford, when seen by the newspaper
reporters. 1T figures up SIPS turn.