Evening star., 1923-03-10
The Library Table
BY The BOOlklover

war, when II was proper to use and
to praise books and other things
made in Germany" Baedeker was q
synonym for the best guide books.
We even had United States Baed-
eker, edited. by the way. by an Eng
lishman, DR.. James F. Muirhead,
though published in Leipzig. Unfortu-
nately 1t has not been revised since
1909, though 1t is still In many re-
spects the most useful guide to this
country as a whole. We now have
sort of Washington Baedeker. 1t isn't
called that, but is officially known at
Riders Washington" However. 1t
does treat of the objects Of interest
in the National Capital in the same
ough way that Baedeker guides treat
London or Paris.
+ X X X
Riders Washington is a most
satisfactory piece Of work and fills
"a place not occupied by the excellent
briefer illustrated guides already on
the market. The compiler, DR.. Fred
eric T. Cooper. spent many months in
Washington just before the United
States entered the war, and carefully
authenticated every scrap OF infor-
nation. which has been further re-
vised within recent. months. The re-
suits are found in nearly $50 pages
of text. and a minute index, together
with general map, and several
Of the large public buildings. Follow
ing the Baedeker plan. objects OF
special interest are starred. detailed
descriptions are given and historical
notes are appended. The book con-
tains general description of Wash
ington, sketch of it's history,
statement of the local government
and d Washington photography. The
guide also covers the suburbs, tnclud-
ing Alexandria. Arlington, Mount
Vernon and those to the north and
west. Although this guide is primarily
designed to be consulted rather than
TO be read. much Of it will be found
to be highly interesting reading, both
for Washingtonians and for visitors.
Another recent book devoted to the
Capital city is entitled THE Book of
Washington" This has been written
by Robert Shackleton, a fluent writer
who had previously written similar
delphia and Chicago. This is decidedly
a readable book. The interest of its
text is heightened by excellent illus
trations, both half-tones and line
drawings. Mr.. Shackleton also spent
several months in Washington while
writing his book. but his search has
brought together not so much the
facts that one expects to find In a
guide book. but a goodly collection
of gossip and stories about people,
public buildings and private houses
connected with past and present
Washington. All these stories he
serves up so pleasantly that his book
is sure to prove diverting and popular
with readers, whether permanent
residents or temporary sojourners de-
sirouS of knowing something of the
colorful things that make Washington
So interesting.
Henry Van Dyke says of Arthur
Trains new novel. His Children's
Children" that it does for the New
York of our own day what
Thackeray's Vanity Fair did for
the London of hundred years ago.
1t lifts the curtain and shows us in
behind the scenes. The novel pre-
sents New York family, founded on
what the author calls piracy. Perhaps
the most striking character Is the old
grandfather. Peter B. Kayne. "a con-
verted pirate" who lives in the third
story of the family mansion and
watches life.
The newest periodical to come to
The Booklovers desk is called Time.
the Weekly News Magazine, issued in
New York. In form about the size
of Life, it consists of briefly told ac-
counts of events, arranged in classi-
fed order. The first number. publish
ed on March 3, covers national affairs,
foreign news. books, art, the theater,
movies, music, education, religion.
law. science, finance. sport. aero
nautics and crime (placed lasto. 1t
is not a journal of quoted opinions
like the Literary Digest, but is made
out editorials. 1t will be interesting
to watch whether there is a place
for such d publication.
The detective story always finds it's
many readers, whether the story be
masterpiece of it's kind by Conan
Doyle or one of the most obvious and
machine-made by a mediocre author.
One Of the earliest American writer's
to win a>public in this field was
Anna Katharine Green. After a con-
siderable lapse of time, she has writ
ten a new mystery story, THE Step
on the Stair" 1t was in 1876 that
The Leavenworth Case" was sub
mtted to a publisher. and. although
the manuscript was written in lead
pencil. the possibilities of the book
were appreciated. and its publication
was arranged for. Since then, prob
ably thirty stories have come from
the same pen. and the announcement
of this new novel should whet the ap-
petite of all that legion who try to
outguesS the writers of mystery
stories.
The publication of biographies In
the interest of expectant candidates
! for the presidency has long been
familiar method of arousing interest
: in persons willing to serve their coun-
try in that capacity. That Henry
Ford has such aspirations has for
it is not surprising that a fine crop
of biographies of him has already
been produced. Following several
earlier books. in 1917 Henry Ford's
own story" as told by Rose Wilder
Lane, was published. and in 1922, two
books. The Truth About Henry
Ford" by Sarah T. Bushnell. and My
self. in collaboration with Samuel
Crowther. For the coming year there
is also promised another book. to be
entitled Henry Ford An Interpreta-
ton" by Rev. DR.. Samuel S. Mar
quis. Mr.. Ford's former pastor, and
now head of the sociological depart
ment of the Ford Motor Company
Most readers of "My life and Work"
agree that it is far more than a piece
of campaign puffery, that it is indeed
we'll written account OF the life and
opinions of an intensely interesting
man. Translations of It into French,
German, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian
and Swedish have also been pub
lished. and the publishers report a
request from Japan for Japanese