Newark post., 1914-09-30
AMONG THE
NEW MAGAZINES
The Living Room For Books;
Lesson From The World War

Housekeeping" The first article
by S. M. Crothers, discusses "The
Living Room for Books" The
writer charmingly defines books as
our guests and urges the creation
of sunny, comfortable living
room atmosphere for them, rather
than the best room suffocation that
surrounded the guest chamber OF a
generation ago. The idea of a liv-
ing room for books comes in happy
contrast to the picture so many Of
us recall-of irreproachable glass
cases, filled with row after of beau
tifully bound "sets.
Alas Should one really fond of
these glance their way, and stop to
"browse' for happy moment, he
finds their immaculate uncut leaves
as fresh as the day they were re-
leased by the publisher. These un-
happy books have failed to make
their way into hospitable home.
Where we find a living-room for
books the idea is quite different.
"Only dead books" Mr. Crothers
tells us, "will stay put You may
arrange them in ornamental rows,
or make them into frieze that will
be an excellent substitute for wall
paper. But living books are incor-
rigible truants. They have way
of getting off the shelves. They
follow the members of the family
about, after the fashion of Mary's
little lamb. l."
just as in travel abroad, one con-
tinually runs into acquaintance in
all the great capitals of Europe
for all visitors are bound for the
same places-''in literature there
are books which serve as intellect
ual exchanges and spiritual tryst-
ing places. And there it is not
merely the authors whom you meet,
but the multitude of readers Of
many generations. s
"To get acquainted with Dickens
is like joining a secret society. You
given the grip and the password
Ih introduces you to many a
nce acquaintance with whom,
lherwise, you might have had
Aothing in common. Meet me at
'Bunyan Pilgrim Progress, -
Mr.. Crothers says. ''If you keep
the appointment you will meet
great many pople besides John
Bunyan. You will meet the people
who have been brought up on Bun
yam, and you will recognize them
when they mention the Hill Diff
Guilty, and Vanity Fair, and the
Slough of Despond, and the Defect
able Mountains. If you know your
Bunyan, you will recognize his
style when you come across it. You
will know Abraham Lincoln and
how he came to write the Gettys-
burg address.
The series promises to be i'm
mensely interesting. The remain
ing articles by Montrose j. Moses
will be suggestions Of what should
find it's way into our Libraries and
what books should remain unread.
The authors ideal is to develop
real home library, where an affec-
ton for book friends is gained, in
a fashion seldom approached by
the formal training of later years.
"The Outlook Of September %,
contains an article by Theodore
Roosevelt on "The World War: It's
Tragedies and It's Lessons. Mr..
Roosevelt believes the duty of the
United States to be twofold: to
read Alright the lesson which the
awful war teaches; to stand ready
to act as an instrument to achieve
a just peace, and to work for some
agreement whereby
the chances Of such worldwide
disaster shall be at least minimized.
We quote the following pertinent
paragraphs:
"To serve these various ends we,
all of us, without regard to party
differences, must stand ready 10y
ally to support the administration,
asking nothing except that the pol ;
icy be one that in truth and in fact
tells for the honor and interest Of
our Nation, and in truth and in
fact is helpful to the cause of a
permanent and righteous world {
peace.
"In particular, she (England) I
Is entitled to the praise Of all true
lovers Of peace, for it is only by ac-