Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Those who do not particularly care
about being the first to read book are
going to be richly rewarded from now
on, as four important New York pub
| fishers enter the field of dollar books. "
Cheap editions of successful non-fic-
ton titles will be issued by Harper &
Bros, Dodd. Mead & Co., Little, Brown
g. Co. and Harcourt, Brace e. Co.
These editions will join the already
successful books at low prices known
as the Star Library, issued by Double
day, Doran; the Modern Library. the
Everyman, the Nelson and Oxford
classics, A. L. Burt's Home Library"
the Brozoi pocket classics, the Sundial
brary, Grosset g. Dunlap's issues of
fiction; Charles Boni's Paper Books. y
The average reader who has not
kept Up with book trends will be
amazed, when he looks into the mat
ter, to see how many hundreds of the
best books ever written he can purchase
for as little as dollar-or less.
Now this is hopeful sign. The cry
for cheap books-cheap in price-ts a
natural desire in a country where the
mind and its products are held in
esteem. The people of the United
States, brought up on book learning"
feel that print should be almost as free
as air.
There has been no little resentment
among many people, ranging from mem
bers Of Congress to just plain folks over
the fancy prices which many novels,
biographies and other works have
borne.
Some of this feeling, no doubt. has
not been entirely just. for the book trade
is business, too, the same as coal and
Ii~Iai 1e ~ ~
of gamble, since no one yet has been
able to devise method of issuing only
best sellers"
In the main, however, the demand for
good cheap books Is natural and en-
couraging. It means that people every
where, especially young people, and
those with little money to spend, want
to read.
Now, this is healthy national tend
ency.
field where this may easily develop,
owing to the "enfant terrible" combi-
nation Of high prices and the desire to
be first.
Owning something that others do not
possess intrigues many adults as well
as children. In the latter it is heralded
by the universal cry: st got somethin'
amt got!"
Their elders, not so uncouth. content
themselves with saying easily, oh,
you haven't read 1t yet? You should,
by all means. It Is very fine"
The demand for cheap books shows
conclusively, we believe, that what the
reader Is after is the good work, whether
it is old or new.
Good writing is timeleSs.
After all, every one living is 300
years behind time with Shakespeare,
and what difference does it make2
Hamlet" is still a mighty good play,
either to read or see.
Owing to the accumulated traditions
of the years, the plays of Shakespeare
are in some senses tstter plays now
than when they were written.
There can be little doubt that vastly
more people appreciate them for their
real worth than in the days when they
first saw the boards.
The difficulty Of properly judging
artistic works at the time of issuance
Is notorious. Who is the critic, how
ever great, who dares definitely to say,
This novel is good for eternity" or
This biography is poor and will not
live?
The writer here takes credit for
being something of prophet himself
In this matter of cheap books. He