Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-03
What Do You Read?
BY BEATRICE FAIRFAx.

Have you "the tired business man"
type of mind which insist on gayety for
relaxation and is ready to be entertainment
Does your daily reading consist of the
headlines in the newspapers? Do you
carefully omit in your perusal all edi-
torials, and are you particular not to
read the serious instructive articles
which the magazines offer you? Do you
ignore all the world Of literature in which
poetry, the drama, essays and charm
ingly written Biographies, histories, works
of science and philosophy lie?
Reading worthwhile things is honestly
nothing more or less tran question Of
getting the habit.
know a young woman who proudly
boosted that she had read none OF the
classic novels And then someone gave
her Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame" Feel
ing that she owed 1t to the donor to read
tho book she set about what she sup
posed was going to be very dry task.
Here Is the confession she made to me:
II found as thrilling a romance. as
fascinating a love story as any of my
favorite best sellers, had ever given me.
Then. too i discovered a real philosophy
back of the story. l found myself inter-
ested in the discussion of architecture
and in the description of old Paris My
goodness. when I got through with that
book was fairly inspired to go off and
study architecture, the history OF the
church. the dresses and customs OF the
fifteenth century. and the chronicles OF
Margaret Of Flanders. And I give you
my word that / found reading the ordi-
nary love story about as interesting as
drinking hot water in place of a fragrant
cup Of coffee"
There is the testimony of an average
! girl anent the classical novel versus tho
! passing romance.
/ Reading merely for amusement he
/ comes rather appalling amusement to any
mind that is at all ambitious Reading
| for instruction is by no means a dull
and dry affair. You simply have TO
know what to read. Cast about in your
mind for something in which you are in
/ terested-for every thinking human being
has surely One major intere and several
minor ones. suppose you like music. Go
to the nearest public library station and
ask for suggestions as to reading along
! this line.
Even II your interest is merely in the
melody Of popular songs. you will find
I
/ fortitude of Beethoven's life. for in
stance: by the romance OF Mozart's, or
by the magnificent capacity for work OF
Able Franz List.
In all OF life there Is interest. Tn all
sorts OF writing there Is the element OF
! being "a human document" writ
ing must chronicle conditions Of life and
living or theories about them.
There are no more splendid historical
novels than the actual facts OF history
There are no more thrilling adventure
stories than the real tales OF such a man
as Stanley. for instance. And so through
all the departments with which fiction
deals. fact supplies romances fully az
great as those which fiction offers.
II you have ever listened 10 a really
brilliant and charming man talking. you
have undoubtedly thrilled responsive &c
his viewpoint and commentaries on life
The good essayists offer you the same
stimulation.
Reading worth while books WIN open Z
magnificent vista OF understanding, Of
life and people and Of yourself too. II
will keep you from boredom ana from
slipping back mentally. II win prov,
just as interesting. even at first, and IA
more interesting when you get into IN,
swing OF learning through your aInuse-
} ments than does the hot water diet" o.
, reading trash. Good rcading-the Aroma
: OF fragrant coffee-the stimulation o.
! your own thoughts through the thought
Of others. Doesn't II sound tempting
Try IL.