Evening star., 1923-05-05
The Library Table
BY THE BOOKLOVER.

"The Outline of History" by H. G..
Wells, is not the only recent book to be-
come a best seller and to make history
an eagerly read subject. H. w. Van
Looms STORY Of Mankind" published q
year later than the Outline" has for
the past year likewise stood high on
the list of books most in demand at the
public libraries, and has been read by
many of the readers OF the Wells his
tory and by others who wanted briefer
book. The Van Loon volume was writ
ten ostensibly for children. and l have
known of instances where young folks
of high school age have read 1t with
keen appreciation, but unless l am very
badly informed, it has been read by hVe
grown-ups to one juvenile reader.
Most OF the competent historical crit
les seem to think that the American
writer (of Dutch birth) who has sew
eral other historical books to his credit
is a much safer guide than the English
novelist. He has also more humor and
more real art of story telling than the
practiced noveN; and then there are
his inimitable storytelling pictures that
I SO vividly supplement his text. With
kthis delightful combination of gifts he
makes the people Of the dead past real
human beings, who before our eyes 80
about their business of buying and SELL
ing, cheating, hating, loving, fighting
and repenting.
y * y
There must have been a demand for
it or another publisher than the one
who first issued the book would not
have brought out a school edition Of the
STORY of Mankind I am sorry that
such an edition should have been pub
lished l do not think 1t especially we'll
adapetd to text book purposes or for
that matter to children's reading. 1t
seems to me that it is characterized by
rather too much flippancy and certain
lack of reverence for some of the well
established ideas Of history, so that 1t
is not the safest book to be placed In
the hands of immature readers.
A year ago Van Looms STORY of
Mankind" was given the first award
of the John Newberry medal by the
best book for children published in
1921 The award was made by vote
of the children's librarian section OF
the association. But now 1 observe
that several of the leaders among the
trained children's Librarians deSlore
the choice. and are pointing out very
serious objections to the book. TO
some of which l have alluded. 1t is
claimed that popular vote of all
children'S librarians. unframed and
trained, has resulted in an unwise
choice-just as too much democracy
some times produces bad results in
fields other than literary.
Mr.. Van Loon has shown his COM
bined gifts of vivid historical writ
ing and the making of storytelling
illustrations in two earlier books
History With a Match" a. history
ings made with a match, and Ancient
Man, the Beginning Of Civilization
also illustrated by the author. The
latter covers somewhat the same
ground as Is covered in the early part
Of the STORY of Mankind" The en-
Ancient Man" led to the writing OF
the later work. Mr.. Van Loon is
now at work on the STORY of the
Bible" the earlier installments OF
which, with characteristic illustra-
tions by the author, are appearing
serially in McCall's Magazine. and IL
will no doubt later be published in
book form.
Word has just come that last
week the John Newberry medal for
the "most distinguished contribution
TO American literature for children
during 1922 had been awarded by the
children's librarians section of the
American Library Association to
Hugh Lofting. Technically, the award
was made on his Voyages Of DR.
Doolittle," since it was published
in 1922. but / fancy that the chill.
in mind the earlier STORY Of DR.
Doolittle." I am obliged to confess
that / have not Yet read these two
books. but 1 expect to do SO at once
and will then make my report in this
column.
To thousands Of people ali over tht
| United States Washington is an ideal.
ICED city, not only a place of unique
| beauty and dignity, but also the seal
of all wisdom in science, government
and comprehension of international
| affairs. Many washingtonians have
had the experience, when visiting
away from home. of being asked
j"What does Washington think abou'
this" or. What is Washington say.
Ting about that" The writer has fre,
quently been obliged to explain tha
kWashington is made up of many ant
Various types of persons, of many
minds holding many different views
1t Is this prevalent idealistic view o,
the unity of Washington life tha
lmakes me regret the picture Of Wash
iington given in the new novel "Capi
toll HILL" by Harvey Ferguson. i
would perhaps be too much to sa!
that the picture is untrue, but at leas
; it is a picture of cheap and tawdr!
i side of Washington-as side that may
Ebe found in most cities and is not dis
! tinctive. Presumably there are mer
who maintain secret apartments ane
frequent disreputable places in New
York and Chicago; presumably there
lare social climbers in Detroit and Bal
timore: and presumably there arr
| some legislators who are less thar
strictly honorable men in Harrisburg
and Albany. None of these person!
are peculiar to Washington. Thos'
who know Washington fairly we'll ar.
likely to find in this book a distorted
picture: those who do not know
Washington at all will carry away al
impression that it is a very vulgar
place.
| X II X
have so much enjoyed little book
| entitled Human Nature as the Bi
ologist Sees It." by DR.. Vernon Kel-