The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-07-17
Just Among Ourselves
Psssirs Comment considersd or ineonsidsrsis

have just bought should speak so glowingly of
itself on the back part of the gaudy paper sipcover
in which il to you? We are told sometimes
that books are like friends, and indeed hear
that good book tdissenters say mans mother:
others say dog others say horse) is mans best
friend But you wouldn't be inclined to make friends
with person whose first remarks meeting
you ballyhoo of his own real pretended
merits But that's the thing modern bookfriends
spring on you
The SNUG actor author might, on occasion
(after five six hgh-bals) say to an acquaintance
by the way wish you'd glance at these clippings
will you? Notice the parts I've underlined in red
That's what they think of me on Broadway. Here's
The Time article: calls me one of the foremost melo
dramactorrids. Some press what?" Even five
six hgh-balls couldn't make this approach
ceptable Selfadvertsement wins few customers
Little Jack Horner has managed 10 live in liter
ature because, when he INDUCED his tendency to
self praise, he very wisely picked the proper place
for IT, you will recall that he spoke TO nobody, but
sat in corner and talked to himself
But the New Book tells all about itself II brings
you the opinion of journal and review, of the
London Times Literary Supplement and of Chris
topher Morey. The publishers add little sketch of
the author, and perhaps picture of same, prefer
ably canted forward and holding pipe In fingers
iowls, or. according TO the exgencies, looking
rather and spinsterish. with expression cal
you survive the blurb and the biography and the pic
ture you may have strength left to start reading
the book; chances are, however, you'll have small
gust for it,
What's the purpose of all this pother? After all
you've bought the book or borrowed il, which comes
to much the thing. What good is there in beg
ging man TO buy what he has already bought Tor
borrowed1? Is the craze for advertising so mad
thing that no vacant space can be left alone. but
must be cluttered with claims? II seems so. Even
the banks have hard time holding off the advers-
ing virus when they issue a book of blank checks:
you're apt to find nestled down among the official
printing boast that strength is your
curity. that roomy lock-box is available for
rent al modest fee.
Maybe the publishers envison a hestant Gus
toner paving over the volumes the booksellers
table. They say. Something must be done to help
this poor goof make up his mind. Wen put down
some brief and glowing recommendations for each
book, printing them in large and easily readable
type the slip-c0yer That ought TO fetch him"
And so the muzzy minded ookbrowser finds him
self facing the proclamation by the London Times
that this is the book of the century exact identi-
fication of century not giyen) Or he reads that
Christopher Morely, after stern determination
and mental analysis finds that he simply could not
exist without this book
But this is all dubious stuff There are people,
among the dreamy lads who dawde in book
shops, who don't give two faint chrps for what the
London Times thinks. And there are some,-we
trust, many,-Who upon hearing that G. Morely
cannot live without certain book eager TO
prove that they There have been people TO
whom purring puff by William Lyon Phelps was
sufficient 10 lock the lauded volume from their
eyes forever
And certainly the world has had its full of this
Txn tI,n Al. k,nl-
must" for kindergarten teachers Tor pupils. or
that this other tome is must for historians,
psychologists and brick layers is cry that irritates
the prospective buyer and turns him away from the
book-counter when duty whispers low, Thou
must' then youth replies 1 cam" Revise that line.
when book blurbs shout aloud Thou mustr then
book buyers mutter between clenehed teeth, I
WON'T"
The nature of the claims is always little silly.
Burbads ANYTHING bat statements of fact They
statements of fancy, and of very gifted fancy.
You read on the slip-cover of book by Ogden Nash
or Stephen Leacock, or book about Harpo
Marx, that you'll die laughing over this volume Or
you'll be told that there are million laughs in
the book Neither claim is justified Thousands
have read Nash and Leacock and are still alive and
hearty. And the million laughs like the gold in
the hills; there, perhaps, but undiscovered
The man who laughs heartily over what he reads
silently is the very exceptional Some do, of
course, The psychiariss have word for these peo-
pie. And there fewer books less likely to pro,
duce audible mirth during silent reading than
books that professedy funny. Any man who reads
such book for more than ten minutes al stretch
is only taking basic lesson in sourness and cync-
ism. Books with laughter their end and goal are
like seasoning 10 be used sparnRly) the food of
conversation. And you can't make meal on sea
sonings
The works which Christopher Morely finds abso-
lutely essential to existence those of ogden
Nash. Now, that o. Nash is clever and original,
and very funny, few people will deny But try SIT
ting down TO the five.volume Nash put out by
Little, Brown & Co It's unfair to comic poet
to put his work into volumes. This work is meant
for odd corners in magazines. When II comes in
bulk, there's Sating, and cloylng and an over
plus II is like serving up gallonlug of mustard
and two.gallon bowl OF casup on the lunch
table But Morely cannot live without II. oh, we'll.
Here we have wandered far from the original
point of inquiry. The point is still there /
is an unanswered and perhaps an unanswerable ques
ton Why advertise a book the cover of thu
book itself? ST Augustine says of certain matter