Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-10

| one little spoken of, but it is one OF the
most important. Every good story has
it. Mere bulk will not account for 1t
Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude" Is
a good play-not because it Is a long
play, but, among other things, because
1t manages to give the impression of the
passage OF time with exceptional IA
cility.
Drama on the stage Is helped by make
up, and so on, but the drama of a novel
has no such aids. If there is to be any
mak1ng-up, the reader must do it, with
the writer's help. The moment one
opens the first page, the writer steps
down, and the reader steps into COM
mand. And what this reader will dc
then, and what this next reader will do
and SO on, and so on, is an unknown
quality to the publishers and authors. II
| they knew In advance, much that they
publish would never see the light of
days between boards.
n X X n
The one overwhelming reason why a
reader goes back to the same novel
often with greater enjoyment than be-
fore, Is that the particular book meets q
need Of his nature.
1t Is impossible for every man who
writes not to find certain natures prac-
| tically akin to his own. He will find
himself writing for these people. Kip
ling can do no more. There are millions
Of people in existence, thousands Of
them readers, who have never read a
one of Kipling's stories.
| Shakespeare wrote many plays, but
there exist today millions of human be-
ingS who never ever heard his name
and by no means have read one Of his
productions.
The happiest reading Is not done ac-
| cording to famous names, although that
| sort has its merit, but rather is the re-
suit of reader discovering a nature
/ somehow like his own.
Then he will be able to see life and
men thrown in relief, as 1t were, upon
and believed spring into the life OF
words on the printed page.
| 4 X X
| When such q reader finishes such a
| book, he is not through with it. Even if
he is the type which ordinarily does not
re-read a book he will find his thought
| continually going back to it.
| The time will come, maybe a month
later, maybe year, maybe or 10 years
later, when he will take the book down
! from its place in the case, and begin
again the adventures, which he knows
! by heart, having been that way once
but which he is anxious to see again.
! Having been a participation in it be-
/ fore, he cannot capture again the en-
tire first worth of the novel. Let SO
much be admitted. There are a few
fortunate readers who say they are
able to do this. One of their favorites
! is THE Secret Garden" This they
read and read again with the same
pleasure Perhaps this story has been
reread as much as any other novel
ever printed.
| Most readers, however, will find that
what suffers most in the rereading OF
a novel is the sense Of the passage OF
time. The plot, such as the book has
| has lost suspense, and with it has
! taken some of the time element. The
| illusion of having to do with real
! human beings will be exactly the same
as of old, if the writer has done his
work properly. Physical exultation and
mental eXalta ton will remain almost
! the same.
We are Of the opinion that no SUBJ
| sequent reading can be quite like the
! first reading. That is why 1t Is best
, If one can manage it, to read novel
as much at single sitting as feasible
! in order to capture the senses of mo-
! ton. time surprise, and 50 on. The
| great original glamour of creation, the
| prime merit of a novel. in the last
| analysis, must be dimmed a little by
| handling This cannot be helped
| There will remain enough to win many
reader back to rereading OF some
| few books which possess certain quail
| ties making a peculiar appeal to like
| traits in himself. And the secret shall
! be kept