Pueblo chieftain., 1921-04-11
BY FREpER1c ]. HAsK1N

Washington, D. c., April S.-That
Americans. since tho war, have been
reading more books and better books
than they did before. is an assertion
for which a great deal of support can
be found.
The reports of book sales show that
the typical popular novel, sentimental
and romantic no longer sells In enor-
nous numbers as 1t did a few years
ago, but that several substantial class
es of books are selling in much greater
numbers than usual. Especially Is TINS
true OF novels of a better class. ootn
domestic and imported, of technicai
and vocational books. Of books about
the Peace Conference and the state o,
the world generally, and OF traVei
likewise the Boston Public Library
recently reported much larger cir
culation of books for 1920 than for
1919, and It also reported that books
of a better class were In demand. thus
confirming what the sales RECORDS
show.
The American woman Is the great
reader of fiction. The candy-fed
flapper OF few years ago reveiled
in sugary tales of love and marriage
in which everything was sweet ana
beautiful and happy. She had led a
soft life, and saw no reason why II
of luxury and contentment Then
perhaps she went into war work. be-
came n nurse or canteen worker.
saw death and misery. Perhaps her
own fiance or brother was victim
of the war. II she has an ounce OF
imagination. that girls taste in litera-
ture will have changed. Life no
She sees that 1t is complicated and
even terrible in spots. She wants
truth rather than pipe dreams. And
what is true of her is even more true
of tho man who bore part OF the
fight He is not SO often a reader or
fiction. What he has gained usually
is a sense OF the economic and social
problems that burden the human
race. He often becomes an eager
reader OF books which discuss these
problems, and there have been many
such since the war. few of them
reaching large circulations-circu cula .
t'o~s such as books on economies and
politics never before obtained in this
country.
Changed Me.
Tho man back from the war is
often in search of a new occupation.
too. His old place is not open 10
him. or his Ideas have changed. he
aims at something higher. This man
nical and vocational subjects.
Perhaps the greatest change which
may be noted is that tho American
people are no longer so proud OF their
own country. and that they are more
and more willing TO read books which
criticize or satirize 1t. a little glance
backward is necessary to appreciate
the Significance and extent OF this
change.
Americans have always been taught
and have tended to believe that the
United States possesses the greatest
civilization on earth, and that II not
perfect It is nevertheless nearly SO
This feeling grew after the Civil War
with the new national consciousness
which sp. ang into being at that time
1t grew still more after the war with
Spain. when the United States won
an easy victory over an old European
nation and thereby became world
power.
Until the last few years. American
writer's have never criticized American
civilization or American society as
whole. Tho tone of our literature
has always been ono of SELF CON
graduation. What criticism We have
had has come from abroad and waA
very badly received. Matthew Arnold
the famous British critic, wrote a
very fair account of American civil
lixation. setting forth its faults with
great insight His book was received
with rage in this country and he was
loudly denounced. The same treat
ment was accorded = number OF
other foreigners who tried to write
their honest opinions of America
Now this criticism from abroad has
largely ceased. We have been visit
ed in the past few years by more
foreign authors than ever before In
our history. but mos, OF them have
not criticized US At all. and those who
have done so. have used the utmost
caution and politcncss. Tho reason
for this is that We mean money 70
foreign authors. Lccturing in thi,
country has become their favorit'
method OF making fortune. Ant
the American market for their books
steadily grows. Nobody Is going &c
make fun of the fat boy AS long a.
nc has tho candy.
TIE New Critical Spirit
But the fat boy is beginning tc
make fun OF himself. Altho most oi