The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-26
PubHcs War Reaction ObserOed By Librarians
Books on War, World Conditions in Great De. mand - Greater IntereSt Shown in Serious
 Reading - "Best Sellers" Recalled

facts instead of fancy even here, say librarians in many cites.
 There are exceptions in individual cases, such ag HeEningway's For Whom the Bell Tolls" and Knights "This Above All," which ranked high in popularity everywhere.
 Record Established
 No novel touched the record es. abolished by Cronin's Keys of the Kingdom" which iB in steady de- InandI in almost oil libraries can- vasged. This bears out the observas ton of many librarians that Q no. ticeable number of readers find special satisfaction in novels with Q spiritual theme, In times of world depression or crisis. "The Oracles of Nostradamus," 0 translation of prophecies by c medieval sage, is erl- toying 6 vogue which may be due to the same interest in unusual powers of the human mind and spiyt.
 Usually library readers request titles which have had great publicty either through book club selections or advertisement or through adap- tAtion ila the movies. Because they were written by local authors or be- cause of local interest at the mo- Ynent some books have great pop- iilarity in certain sections of the country. Thus, Georgia is reading Native Son." according to the At- lanta public library, perhaps be. cause of the current interest in the Negro question. The war and Eu., ropeari politcs are responsible for the popularity of many titles. "Mein Kampf," "Out of the Night" "White Cliffs of Dover," Blood, Sweat and Tears are some of the most popu. lar boks of non-1iction read during i04i.
 Librarians report that requests continue to be received for books that have dropped from best seller lists. "Normthwest Passage" and How Green Was My Valley" are al- most ag popular ag they were last year, while Gone with the Wind" Is still cropping up in reports from | few libraries.
 American Background
 Questioned about the reading in. terestS Of children, librarians re. ported that stories and biographies with American background were arouSing moro interest than former ly. Most libraries pointed out that this iS due in large measure to Bpe. cial stimulation by school assign. mentS, home discussion, radio pro- gromS and movie shorts. Books on Latin America, especially Mexico, are also popular with child patrons. Several librarians commented that children win read good stories what- ever their background and that bokS which point Q moral or stress particular ideals at the expense of the story never meet with general success. Interest iS waning ifl books cfi countries outside the Americas, according to many libraries, al. though goFnei ike "Heidl," Good Master" and Chateau of the Swan" are still as popular ag ever.
 Comic strip books are evidently not affecting library reading in . very marked degree, since librarians report that they are not disturbed about their competition with library books. They comment that ctil- dren who have learned to read what the library provides take comic strip books in their stride, # they read them ct aIi, while children who read only the comic strips do not usually have sufficient reading ability to use library books.
 To develop wider tastes, children's librarians recommend books which have some of the comic strips color, appeal to sense of humor. and vivid action. 4 few suggested are Honk the Moose. To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, the Walt Dis- ney books, Doctor Doolittle and T. Model Tommy.
 Current Events
 The pressure of current events is reflected in the rpading of high school boys and girls. Always fav- orites, demand has scared for books on nursing, aviation, and radio. Ac- cording to the librarian of the Bal- timore public library, there is Q strong tendency in this group to read more non n-fictioa than former ly, perhaps because practical iri- terest is strong today, and because more interesting ncn-fiction is writ- ten for the high school age.
 The senior high school group is reading books like Escape, Out of the Night, Berlin Diary as avidly as their elders, in some sections of the country. But the public library of Oakland, California is doubtful about the spOntaneity of their inc teregt. The librarian says boys and girls im oakland "seoln qnlte ch- liviUus os world affairs." Many librarian says boys and girls fn Oakland Hsoem anIlo onilvloas of
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