The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-04
hooks AND THEIR MAKERs.


Is when he is actually writing, actively
evolving scene or passage that seems
to him successful, or directly after. There
are many poor places in all great books
and all great poems but there are few
spots in each that are as CLEANS of light
after the writing OF which one feels tom
porary satisfaction. Nothing in the world,
especially no long piece OF prose, can be
all satisfactory any more than any human
being can be perfect. On the other hand
smiled the novelist, literary history has
It that even Shakespeare was good busl-
ness man, and will not deny that there
Is certain amount OF satisfaction in the
material benefits from ones work.
Judging from the Bookmdn's list Of popu-
lar books Meredith and Hardy, Barrie,
James and Howells are quite out of the
running, being quite dlstanced by John
Fox, Jr.. Booth Harrington. Kate Douglas
Wiggin. Marion Crawford, Mary Johnston
Gilbert Parker. Richard Harding Davis
and few others. According to the COM
pilations OF the months THE Little Shep-
herd of Kingdom Come and -Rebecca'
take the blue ribbon for being mentioned
six months in tho lists; -In tho Bishops
Carriage gets a red bow for five mentions
and third place is given TO "The Call of the
Wild,' The Deliverance." 1Sir Mortimer,
The Silent Places and 'The Crossing
Four of the eight best books were written
by men and four by women. It must be
remembered in defence of public taste that
Oshkosh and Duluth have Just as good a
chance at the lists and at pulling down tho
~ nj Mt
despite the data of the reports Henry James
has gone into third edition.
Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, tho author
OF Kate of Kate Hall, Ia also the author
of several other books, including the famous
Concerning Isabel Camaby.' Il have
been writing a book year ever since my
first book was published she said to a
friend in respondent mood, but when
look at a set of Dickens with ffty-three
volumes in it, | confess that my heart fails
me. When ono considers the length of the
novels of his day. the courage Of the VIC
torian writer's is positively appalling
Rudyard Kipling has sailed for South
Africa 10 spend the winter months at his
home at Rose Bank. near Cape Town. This
is the house presented to the author by
his friend and admirer Cecil Rhodes.
The two popular authors named Conrad
ere frequently confused in the public mind
Stephen Conr.d. the author OF that clever
b't # hunor. The Second Mrs. Jim is
quite another person from Joseph Conrad,
who writes the powerful sea stories, though,
oddly enough, the latter wrote several
years aco book called Lord Jim Ste
phen Conrad Ia an .merican and is not re-
lated to Joseph Conrad. who is now Brit
ish citizen although Polish by birth.
Admirers OF Henry Harland, author OF
the justly popular Cardinals Snuff Box
will be pleased to learn that the lung trouble
from which Mr.. Harland has been suffering
is not Of the ncurable type and that he is
rapidly improving at San Reno.
The Century Company has In press
new novel by DR.. S. Weir Mitchell, the
title and subject of which has not been
Dr. Mitchell will be Is years
old In February, but he Is still actively
engaged in literary work and considers his
new novel the strongest story he has ever
written
The new volume in the English Men of
Action series is careful and thorough
biography of Sir Walter Raleigh. one of
the famous English navigators and sea
fighters. whose closest interest to US is his
ex plorations in America.
Mr.. Owen Johnston brings out new
book in january entitled In tho Name of
Liberty a story of the stormy days of
the French Revolution. An interesting
history attaches itself TO Mr.. Johnstons
first book, Arrows of the Almighty. which
was written when the author was only 20
years OF age. Mr.. Johnston bad been
student at y ale, and on account Of an attack
of typhoid. had missed the last five months
of his college course and naturally failed
to receive his degree. The faculty of Yale
allowed the book to stand for the work
omitted during his unavoidable absence,
and Mr. Johnston received his coveted
sheepskin and membership in the college
alumni--a very pleasant tribute TO the
value OF first book written by very
young author.
The stories by F. " Hornung which
are being printed in The Strand will be
issued in mid winter in book form under
the title Of THE Singaree, this being the
name Of the desperado-hero of the tales.
Unusual interest in the book is aroused in
consequence of the popularity of Mr.. Hor-
nung's new series of stories now appearing
in Golfers Weekly. which deal with the ad-
ventures OF Rafies, amateur cricketer and
craftsman.
Proofs of the sixth volume Of John B.
MoMasters's History Of the People of the
United States are now in hand for pub
LEGATION. The book deals with the period
OF jackson, the notification and the war
on the United States banks. The author
hRs received valuable assistance in it's
by special permission given
to him TO study large mass OF jackson
papers acquired by the Library Of Congress
hut not vet catalogued and therefore not
available for general reference. Mr.. Nc
Masters has spent some twenty years al
ready on his history, devoting the last five
or six years TO the volumenow in course Of
publication.
Major seaman'9 book on the Japanese
war. now going into its second edition,
has history unique in the annals of book
making. Ii was written, printed and
hound its pictures selected and repro