BOOKS PREFERRED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 11

BOOKS PREFERRED.

PUBLISHER'S QUEST.

SEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND. COMPARISON" WITH JAPAN. Searching for information on a trip round the world, Mr. John Lane, a lepiesentative of The Bodley Head, the well-known firm of publishers, informed lip. lp l\ lC:sr "tati v e of the "Cliristehureh I imes that he could hardly leave Now Zealand out, for the Dominion reads more per head of population than nnv other country in the world. Australia and New Zealand were credited with being tlic world's best readers, but no had to say for the Dominion that the bookshops here had a much better reputation than those in the Commonwealth. "Everything we publish at the moment is for world-wide reading," he said, "but if I see anything worth publishing for, say, the New Zealand market alone, we shall certainly do it. "I want to see what types of books are going best here," he continued, "and what is the attitude of people themselves to literature, so that we can do business better when I get back home." On liis visit to Japan Mr. Lane found, after spending one day there, the type of book that was wanted in that country. ''We sell more of some books there," ho added, "than in the whole of Australia and New Zealand." If the book-loving people in the Dominion were not careful, it was liis opinion that tho Japanese would oust them from the splendid position held at present. "Tho Japanese publish twice as many books in Japanese as we do in English," said Mr. Lane, "and they are now devouring English literature. There has been a definite change in material in England," he continued. "People are reading more for literature than for the story. Of bourse, you must have a story, but the public are wanting good literature to accompany it." The most important type of plot in modern novels dealt with the effect of environment upon character, with the aim to unite both character and action the whole time, no matter how sordid the story might be. In the recently published book by John C. Powys, "A Glastonbury Romance," there were 47 major characters; yet if at the end of the story a reader heard the Christian name of one of those characters mentioned he would see the whole history of the character before him. That was tho type of novel that was wanted to-day, and what was being read by the public. « Mr. Lane is discussing with booksellers what type of book is favoured in this country, and also is anxious, if possible, to see some of the Ne\v Zealaud scenery. He has not been to tlic Dominion before and is very keen about the trip; but most of his time is being I devoted to his researches. I