Bradley beam., 1944-04-08
a SPEAKING 0E .G BOOKS
Joe PRIVATE SAYS


 three best-sellers whose stories are based on religious themes. These are no formal treatises re- plete with foot-notes and biblio- graphies, dull or difficult to read; they are full of human interest and down-to-earth philosophy written by such popular authors as Lloyd c. Douglas, Sholem Asch, Thomas Mann, Louis Bromfield, etc.
 In a year when America needed to forget itself and needed also re- assurances and a renewal of faith there came a book which broke all records in the history of American publishing. For more than a year this book "The Robe," by Lloyd c. Douglas, held first place on the weekly best-seller lists. Now, four teen months after publication, it still stands high, being topped only by "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" As inspiration for his theme Mr. Douglas took the Bible story of the crucifxion, "The soldiers there fore, when they had crucified him, took his garments (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: Let us not cut, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be-" "The Robe" tells the story of the soldier who won, and how the coat influenced his life.
 Sholem Asch, as all readers know, is the most famous living Yiddish novelist. Only a few years ago his heroic novel about Jesus, "The Nazarene," won him great est triumph of his career. Tn his latest novel, "The Apostle" MT. Asch tells the story of the life and work of St. Paul in the same man. ner and spirit. That he has been successful is apparent for this book rates third place on the best seller list, with much of the in- tense reader-interest of "The Robe." The story is the life of St. Paul as told in the Book of Acts and, by implication, in his own Epistles. MT. Asch follows the Biblical outline, telescoping, rear ranging, suggesting new motives and above all filling in background.
 Tn conversation with Herman Rauschning, Arrnin L. Robinson, the Austrian publisher, conceived the basic idea that grew into the book, "The Ten Commandments" another best-seller. That Hitlerism is in the final analysis a war against the moral code crvstallized in the Ten Commandments serves as the basis for these ten short novels written by ten of the worlds famous writers. Each author chose one commandment on which to base his denunciation of Nazi ghastli- ness. Thomas Mann has illustrated the text of the First Command ment by a dynamic retelling of the story of Moses handing down the law: Franz Werfel's rabbi, in his death agony, twists the swastika into the form of a cross; John Erskine reinterprets the meaning of Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" giving it a new meaning for all men. The novels, all but one, are present-day tales of what happens when the princi- ples of Christianity and humanity are basely denied and refuted.
 As modern as the planes its young author now flies, is "Amen. Amen,". new book on morals and religion. This book shows what young men are most concerned about in these modern times. No buncombe, no pious phrases here as It. Constantine writes what he, as a typical young American, has to sav about religion, sex and money. These books are in the Library collection, yes, but you may not find them on the shelves for they are too popular! Ask at the Loan