Evening star., 1927-09-27
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. C.. NJ.

The shop windows. stepping out In
tune with these snappy Autumn morn
ings, are we'll off upon their seasonal
parade OF new fashions and fresh gear
to meet the hosts Of rusty Summer
p'ayfolks now returning to the more
or less serious role of substantial ana
productive members of the commu-
nitv. Moving along beside this paS-
cant Of window displays you Will
find new fashions in everything-ln
ranges and radios. In headwear, IN
footwear and alr in between. A shitt-
ing and brilliant procession OF wares
so artifully disposed as to make rank
luxury and extravagance look exactly
like the most urgent of common daliy
necessities. In the amazing diversity
YOU will find complete agreement at
a certain point. For. in effect. these
are all singing in chorus. vacation
Is over. Time to go to work. Time
to shed that sha abhy, sun-baked look.
Time to get into a complete new out
fit for the sake of the Zest and Vigor
that this will give you. for the sense
of prosperity and Well-being that you
cannot get along without" So. riot
OF refitting is about to set in, partly
for the sake of that fresh start which
everybody is forever making.
Concerned with books and in mind
turning toward Winter reading
yours and mine-I, naturally, draw
up before the bOokshop windows.
These, too, along with the rest. de-
clare new fashions in reading matter.
Not, to he sure, the frivolous and un-
accountable Vogues in raiment that
sniff even in midseasOn. Not that.
But these windows do, nevertheless,
present a marked charge of front
from that of only a short time ago.
1t is not long since the novel had
right of way in the bookshops-novels
OF love, of adventure, of mystery. And
these are still in decided majority
and always will be, ] take it, since
the story appeals to youth and age
alike, since it meets every conceivable
condition and situation. Still, nova
days. alongside the novel, often crowd.
ing it. there are travels. explorations,
history. biography, philosophy. reli
gion. science-the whole whatnot of
research and erudition making
markedly successful bid for attention
and popu 'arity.
The truth is that these writers on
what are called serious subjects have
been going to school to the novelist.
Recognizing the perennial charm OF
the story, they have accepted its
drama of coherent action bent upon
some consistent and plausible issue for
their own vehicle of delivery. They
have, besides, freed themselves from
the puzzling technique Of special
themes. They have moved the past
down into the present along the tide
Of unchanging human nature. They
have simplified. lightened. humanized
learning until, under such glorious
concert OF purpose and achievement,
the most dazzling of human achieve
ments and the most momentous are
within reach Of common readers. And
common readers are simply eating up
knowledge where. once upon a time,
they refused it utterly or received IL
under system of forced feeding. And
the book windows reflect this new
outlook. encouraging it in ready
supply for the growing demand. And,
by the way, a bookshop from window
to rear constitutes a moving picture
of authorshif-populari stable sue
cess. indifference. neglect. oblivion. in
a diminishing order toward the back
door and the alley.
X
Just now there are biographies in
the bookshop windows. or close to
the door. Uncle Joe Cannon's own
story, gathered by his secretary of
many years. There are Emil Lud-
wigs mastery studies of Napoleon
and Bismarck Guedalla's Palmer
ston" is better than most novels
There are aothers. besides. demon
strating the new value of b;ogra ply
as an influence in tn" understanding
Of great figures in their effect upon
the period which produced them.
Close to the door also. and very
prOperlv close to the door. is THE
Story of Philosophy" by Will Durant.
an Inspiration of comparative inlook-
ing upon the content and Significance
of human life by philosophers of all
civilizations, comparison out of
which Mr.. Durant has drawn the
enduring common elements. welding
these to the philosophy Of tho pres
ent by virtue of their vitality and
their bearing upon human life today
and tomorrow. A hook Of stirring
content. calculated to awaken readers
to a consciousness that the present
holds all Of the past and is. i'm a
measure. to be understood by that
mast. Thao. close ny. is Lewis
Brownies "This Relieving World" So
comprehending and beautiful. SO
unifyinc i'm its vision of religion. so
penetrating and priceless. And right
over thore are Bruce BartOn's three
books that every one would he the
better for req ding-''The Book No
body Knows "The Man Nobody
Knows" and the latest one. What
Can a Man Believe" Beside these
~. o.
story Of Jesus bv John Oxenham,
The Hidden Years"
Then such travel hooks as we are
having made for us thase DAYS. every
one Of them supporting my argument
that the hook route of travel is bv
Ill ODDS the verv best route. avoid
inr all the waste and worry while
gathering in the full ara beautiful
essence of far places. Hnre ia the
gorgeous story of Andalusia. or "In
the Heart Of Spair." by Thomas
Islands Of the Mediterranean" and
Along the Pyrenees. And there is
Mother India" by Katherine NIayO.
not so much a. travel book as a hook
OF the womanhood of India. There
are here travels in Asia and Africa
and other remote plac all partaking
Of the new purpose and the new
quality that is inspiring and project
ing books OF this class. OF course.
and to be sure. there are many others
in each of these groups. all OF which
should he mentioned in respect and
welcome. Rut this is. In substance.
the stntchy record Of morning
wall; through some of the Washing
ton book shops.
Now, Of novels there are thousands
and thousa nds. But. out of the crowd,
certain ones stand clear i'm both
promise and proof. I'm going to men,
ton first 1.-THE Grandmothers'-n
because IL Is a nrize Harner novel