Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-08
WHAT u. S. SAILORS READ
IN A MOMENTS
Daily Letter by Frederic J. Haskin

the strong silent men OF the plains
who roll cigarettes with n hand
and who shoot quick with the other.
OF the 81 classes into which the
catalogue divides the Navy fiction.
western stories lead with 213 titles.
b. M. Bower is the gobs' favorite
author he leads with 25 western
novels listed in the catalogue. zane
Grey runs him a close second.
A second surprise ONE when one
notices the large number of juvenile
books supplied to the libraries.
Many of the enlisted men are mere
boys not yet done with thrilling over
such stories as "Rifemen OF the
Ohio or The Great Sioux Trail
AS a class juvenile books rank
fourth in number of titles being ex-
ceeded only by westerns, love stories
and adventure stories.N j.. A. Ait
! sheler has 20 titles listed in the cat
alogue-all stories tor boys.
Ralph Henry Barbour another well
known writer for boys has ten.
Juvenile books are closely pressed
for honors by detective stories. Snort
stories come next in popularity. In
lowed by humorous stories. In
eighth place standard and
classical hcton.
Some Solid Reading
Yet, although the preponderance
of tatste is fo4' light fiction, consid-
cradle percentage of the men aboard
Uncle Sans warships demand the
best in fiction. George Meredith
for instance whom even some pro-
fessional critics find difficulty in
reading, maintains a place among
the live books with three novels,
including his masterpiece, "Ine
Egoist.' Conrad Is a much-read ia
vorite. Nine of his novels appear on
the Navy Shelves Thomas Hardy
has one-"Far from the Madding
Crowd'-but neither of the other
two great moderns, Henry James
and George Moore is represented
Arnold Bennett is there with four
novels and Kipling with nearly ev-
| erythng he has ever written. Almost
every ship in the Navy has to buy
a new set Of Jack Londou's novels
each year, so great is the wear and
tear upon these volumes.
But Jack does not always read
merely fol amusement. His library
also contains a large number of nom
fiction works. C~uriously enough. a
| class of books in large demand are
books on etiquette. The boy who
enlists in the navy is often leaving
home for the first time. He finds ne
u write letters and simultaeous-
ly he discovers that he cannot write
good ones. He applies to the ships
librarian for help and receives a
model letter-writing book to help
him over the rough spots. Then
when the ships are in port. the boys
are entertained ashore; n some OF
them fear that their department Will
not be correct. So they take the
etiquette books from the library Inc
study the social graces.
The whole aim of the Bureau OF
Navigation is to make the Libraries
as interesting and at same time as
useful as possible. Naturally enough
there is a large class of books deal
ing with travel. When the fleet Is
voyaging and approaching strange
lands these books are most in de-
mand. Poetry Is not neglected
there are some so volumes of it In
the standard list, Robert w Ser
vice leading by a comfortable mar
gin. There are scores OF books on
practical subjects mechanical en-
cheering, electricity. radio, a en-
sines. business. even farming. each
ship librarian is instructed to use
the bulletin boards to apprise the
men of books in the library which
he thinks would interest them. the
men are allowed direct access to
the books; and the librarian is not
asked by authorities: How many
volumes are in your library, but
rather How many volumes are Is
sued to the men each day."