Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-11
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

In considering the so-called "detec-
tive story" the critical reader Is con-
fronted with a facet of modern Ameri-
can reading habits. There always have
been detective stories, and there always
have been distinguished readers OF
them, but it is only within the past 5
years, or about that length Of time,
that the number of readers has been
increased manifold.
EXACTLY the same thing has taken
place in regard to biography. There
always has been biography, and always
its quota of discriminating readers. but
during the past 10 years this form
of writing has become popular, In the
best sense.
Just how much universal education
has contributed to this happy result 1t
is difficult to say, but there can be
little doubt that nowadays men and
women by the thousands are enjoying
books which few years ago only the
wise ones read. Thus it is possible
to say, not that the level of apprecia-
ton is higher, but that 1t is more
widespread. Democracy and its uni
versal education are bearing fruit in
the only possible way. Maybe the world
is no happier or better because more
pepole can write acceptably and read
appreciatively, but surely 1t is more
interesting to the great mass Of the
people.
The National Capital has had, for
many years, one of the most successful
of woman writers of the detective story.
Miss Natalie Lincoln's crooks and de-
tectives have appeared in score OF
books. Her stories mostly have been
issued first in serialized form in one
or the other of the weekly magazines
devoted to this type of fiction. 1t re-
manned for the author of THE Bellamy
Case" to crash the gates of periodical
of general circulation, the Saturday
Evening Post.
Echoes of past Washington appear in
Fulton Oursler's THE Worlds Delight, -
novel based on the real career of
Dolores McCord. afterward known as
Adah Menken, famous throughout the
world just before the Civil War as
Mazeppa. The dolorous life of this Sc
ductive creature ended in Paris, but
just before she died Mrs. Eliza Riggs,
wife of Washington banker" took
an interest in the girls poetical abil-
ity. This is just flash, a small but
interesting one, illuminating past days
through the medium Of Washington
traveller.
The National Capital is the locale of
Claude Bowers The Tragic Era" Just
published. This work deals with the
Johnson administration and places
many famous characters in new lights.
The reader of Republican persuasions
will feel that Mr.. Bowers che who made
the keynote speech at the last Demo-
cratic convention) is not entirely free
from the tinge of bias. The book will
create some excitement among the
politically minded. but probably will
leave the rest of the reading public
perfectly composed. For one thing, the
title is none too good. 1t is a trifle
oratorical, too much SO for the best
effect
These are but few notes on the re-
lation of Washington to the literary
world of the moment. 1t can be seen
that the city and it's people creep into
books in the most interesting ways, and
it can be predicted that this will occur
more and more as the National Capital
wakes up to itself in this respect. New
York has been book-consciouS for dec
AIDES, largely because it has so many
! publishing houses, but partly because
the people there have largely realized
that books are something more than
things to be sold. More and more the
people here must come to the realiza-
ton that books are the symbols of
wide-awake America.