Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-01

Public interest in the effect of an
increasing number of book clubs in
the United States is getting beyond the
stage of a controversy between the
American Booksellers Association and
the club members. The chief subject
of general debate is the question OF
Standardization, existing in many other
lines, but now declared to be applied to
the sources of national appreciation of
literature. In favor of the clubs are
the arguments that many persons can
not make their own choice of books, and
that the clubs have increased popular
interest In reading by their selections.
mo book club a pretend to read all
the books that are issued" remarks the
Charleston Daily Mail, but it comedies
that the problem of buying the WORTH
while books grows ever greater with the
increasing number to select from"
That paper draws the conclusion: THE
danger of any small group OF persons,
by means of book clubs. controlling the
reading $50 far as DOC are concerned)
of the American people by recommends
ton rather than by condemnation Is
remote. Club selection of literature is
not likely to extend to magazines and
periodicals and the press. Besides, the
book club may be out a passing fad"
~ III uo n W 1onoC y WIZ
book stalls" says h Syracuse Herald.
ito pick up a volume here and n
there, and finally possibly to light on
something that never saw the white
light of publicity, but something that
suits our tastes or our whims perfectly.
If, it were not so, there would be no
book stores. Half a dozen volumes a
month, sent by mail from some central
point, would comprise the book business,
and the b~ibliophiles would become a
forgotten race. 9 Always We
have with us the old masters, and now
and then We add to u treasures a new
volume by a modern. Some of these
have been books of the month and
many have not. In the long run the
book of the month or of the year will
find itself in the acclaim of intelligent
readers"
1T is not beyond the limits of imagi-
nation" suggests the Schenectady Ga
zette, ito conceive of circumstances in
which such selection might be a CRATE,
full thing. II q person were marooned
on a desert isle, for instance, and had
no access to library shelves or book
shop stacks, he might appreciate the
services OF such a committee in coll
liberation with an accommodating air.
ship which would undertake to toss the
volumes down. But for those living In
the heart of civilization the selection OF
reading seems a privilege which should
be jealousy guarded. y . 1t seems
more seemly for those who have reached
years of discretion to choose their own
books. as their own food and clothes
and other necessities, and perhaps luxu-
ries."
The Utica Observer-Dispatch suggests
that these readers would not think OF
paying u certain sum and giving a
blank order to be supplied with lunch
cons selected in this manner, although
they appear to be entirely satisfied to
turn over to others the business OF
choosing for them the food which they
are expected to feed their minds" The
Muncie Star thinks the public needs
special board to count the literary
calories and vitamins in its reading
menu" and the Manchester Leader sees
lust another of the standardiZing
movements that have been sweeping
over the country and tending to wipe
whatesaEa remaining originality of
expression ia~dividaaaity there may