The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-04-03
The Books You Read
M N. ADDINeros BRUCE
Author OF The Riddle OF Person
Atty" Psychology and
Parenthood." etc.

Sit down for few minutes a..
night and take stock OF your read
ing habits Question yourself most
closely about the kind OF books you
rad.
n you do not read books Al all.
recognize frankly that you are de
priving yourself OF an invaluable
means of increasing your hAppi.
mess and efficiency. n you do read
books. ask whether they are books
really calculated TO bring an in.
crease OF happiness and efficiency
to you.
In especial, ponder the character
OF the novels you read.
Most people read more novels
than books OF any other kind. n
this Is your habit. question yourself
as 20 the probable effects on your
mind OF the type or types Of novel
you generally read
But" you Say. 'the novels ]
read cannot have any particular ef.
feet on my mind read them FOR
amusement only. and quickly forget
them"
Let me tell you something.
No book that a man reads 10 ever
completely forgotten by him. Its
fundamental ideas At least stick
fast in his mind. " perchance only
In that remote region OF bis mind
which psychologists call the sub
conscious.
In the subcon scious the ideas he
has received act. without his know.
ing H. to color In some degree hts
philosophy ~ life. his character,
ard his conduct II any particular
variety Of IDEAS becomes dominant
in bis subconscious mind his whole
nature viii thereby be profoundly
affected
This Is why the kind of reading
man does IL 81 such tremendous
importance 10 him
Whether he reads for purposes OF
instruction or for amusement mere
~, ideas OF some sort are certain
TO gain permanent Judgment in his
mind n they are reinforced by
similar ideas, derived from later
reading. they are certain 20 infiu-
ence him greatly for good or for
evil.
Now. In the case OF many books,
and not least IN that Of many nov.
els n IL unfortunately true that
the ideas these lodge in the mind
are injurious IDEAS rather than
beneficial ones
For example. some novels oy
their subtle Eloriication OF the AMI.
NAL passions and an insidous St.
tack on the sAcredness OF ideal hu.
man relationships. lodge In the mind
ideas which are positively debasing
Many others. thru over-emphAstz.
inr the sordid and ugly in life. force
lo6 gment for pessimistic idesg.
Others foster IN the subconscious
the growth OF selhshness brutality,
and other undesirable traits.
Then there are novels which oro
mote deadeninE. materialistic
view % human existence. making
IN possible the leading OF truly
happy and successful life.
Clearly a man needs 10 be most
careful as 20 the novels he reads
Ard H. on selfanalysis. he hnds
that he has fallen into the habit Of
favoring novels and novelists OF IN
unhealthy influence. ne should -
form his reading habits without Do
lay
But" the question a. once
springs M. how can know the
character OF a book until I have
read some OF it,
by reading a review Of Il in a
newspaper or literary Journal OF
recognized reputation for sanity and
wholesomeness OF opinion. That IL
how you can learn It's character
This. indeed. IL a safe and help.
m! rule 20 follow Read no booS
until competent critical Judgment
hao vntrhad for Ga honaArapca