New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-10
BOOKS and AUTHORS.
Current Talk about Things Present
and to Come.

The announcement made last week that Henry
Holt IL the author OF "Calmire' and "sturmsee'
has caused many Inquiries for those novels
that Houghton. Mif1in & Co have decided to
place the books the market at once, instead
of waiting for March IT. the date originally set
for their republication.
Edith Wharton's novels and stories are 10 be
brought out by the Scribners In new edition,
uniform in size and appearance with The
House OF Mirth." the popularity OF which has
given rise to a demand for that authors other
works of fiction. The titles included IN the edi-
ton are THE Valley of Decision" THE Descent
OF Man." THE Greater Inclination" Crucial In
stances" The Tombstone" and Sanctuary"
The demands of the publishers press agent
on authors for material with which to keep their
names before the public. so long as the publisher
is Infested IN promoting the sale of their
books, occasionally meet with a refreshing dis
regard of the value of personal exploitation as
means of literary advancement. Thus. young
author who was recently requested to send on
a characteristic "anecdote" failed to grasp the
opportunity afforded him. and replied as follows:
I have never had an anecdOte-to my knowledge.
MY hobby. l suppose, is Hope. judging by my in
diligence in it, and my pet aversions onions and
nant forms l have no other special characteristics
that am aware of-none at least, that can safely
and cOmpanionable disposition. and others other
wise
OF course. he gets his little literary note
just the same.
Eugene Wood. on the other hand is Of
those persons who are constantly having anec-
dotes. They are. as II were. chronic with him
He does not, however. have them for profess
sional reasons. A nature nervously active.
interested in life. observant of its odd manifes-
tations and appreciative OF It's humors is Pc
culiarly susceptible to them and is catching
them all the time 1t is case where custom
does not bring immunity. The other day he
had occasion TO so TO an opticians TO leave mis-
eyeglasses to be mended. The clerk took his
address and wrote down Mr.. L. Wood" What
is that u for?" asked the customer. He
looked at me In surprise" relates Mr..
Wood. "and answered. For Eugene. OF course
st told him 1t began with an e He went
back to the end of the store and presently re-
turned You are right he said. II Is spelled
with an e." He had looked it up and found
/ was correct in my guess as to how to spell
my own name"
A contemporary. in an obviously inspired"
paragraph. under the heading do Congress-
men Read?" notes that last month recently
published novel appeared in The Tribune first
on the list of books most called for" at the
Library of Congress in Washington. and that
the same list included also two other volumes
issued by the publishers. The impllca-
ton that the novel has received the Endorsement
OF Congressman because IL was IN demand one
week at the Library OF Congress appears not TO
take into account that the library especially
In the department OF fiction, receives it's largest
patronage from the unofficial world in the ma
tional capital. The fact that the book men