The New York herald., 1921-02-13

feel huffed IL the best seller tney are aIter
is "out" After experiencing this disap-
pointment they hunt through the shelves
discontentedy looking for a substitute. 1t
is noticeable that the first shelves. including
the Ds Dickens ct al.). don't interest the
novel hunters.
Our novel readers" said an attendant,
"are still in the majority, and as usual they
want the latest stories But they do not
reflect the tendency Of the day. You will
find that in the books that are reserved.
Stand over by the table for little while
and listen to what books the people want
kept for them
Philosophy and SpirituaIism
In Constantly Growing Demand
There was group around the table
ticketed Information" consisting of two
young women, gray haired woman with
cane, two bald headed men and two shock
headed foreign looking youths. One bald
head asked for books by Henry James that
were absent from the shelf In the library
proper. but no other member Of the group
apparently had interest in novels. A
book entitled Mind and Life" was being
sought by one of the young women. 1t
was not in the library. The other young
woman asked for some information about
a new philosophy of aesthetics; the attend
ant had no knowledge Of the book. THE
New Children was the title written on the
slip handed in by the woman with the cane.
Never heard of the book" said the at
tendant.
These demands are being made every
day." she explained, for books of philosophy
or higher culture, and we are not very well
equipped to supply them. Yes, there is no
doubt that people are deeply interested in
subjects that a few years ago were left to
savants.
Books about spiritualism are In constant
demand, and truly 1t seems that the other
shore is more enticing than the background
of any novel. This taste began to show it
self during the last year Of the great war.
and for a time William James was more
called for than the most popular novelist.
Psychology must be study widely inter-
esting. We have calls for all sorts of books
on the subject from the most elementary to
the most abstruse. II one Is able to judge
by appearances and conversation, half of the
persons who are cropping after spiritual
knowledge do so without direction. That is
a queer feature about the present interest;
apparently II extends to people who never
thought of their spiritual side before.
Many Call for Books Promising
Key to Cosmic Consciousness
"Yes, 1 should say that the most demanded
books now are those which have to do with
the old war between material and spiritual
things.
"Tertium Organum' is one of the books
constantly being asked for. II isn't In this
library. but so many people wanted 1t that
l felt curious and went to the publishers
to ask what the book Is about. The title
means The Third Organ of Thought and
there is a subtitle which explains nothing.
This is A Key to the Enigmas of the
World
The statement is made unfateringly that
those who cultivate cosmic consciousness are
bound to regulate human efforts by reason
of a superior wisdom"
The librarian repeated that she could not
get over feeling astonished on account OF
the general interest felt In books Of this
kind. Educated and uneducated, as well as