HOLIDAY READING

Evening Post, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 15

HOLIDAY READING

HOW AND WHAT TO CHOOSE

CONSIDER TIME AND PLAGE

There is one golden rule about fcoli. day reading which no one who contemplates a holiday should fail to learn by heart, states a writer in an exchange. It is this. In your choice of holiday literature do not be influenced by the devil/ or you will find yourself landed with the book of his choice, namely, your pass-book. It is the one book in all the cathtlic literature of life which wise men leave behind them when they sef out in search 6f sunshine and health. . One of the greatest pleasures of reading on holiday is the opportunity it affords us of not only reading for recreation, but reading when we are relaxed. It gives a sense of exquisite luxury.which we cannot experience in the same degree at any other time. On holiday, one's approach to any kind of book chosen to "fill in the gaps should be definitely as indefinite as the holiday spirit itself. For a brief space we are dressed in a little brief authority over Father Time. In fact, this is so much the case that we some^ times ruin, our holidays because of our unworthiness in the art of doing nothing in particular, gracefully and intelligently. The choice of suitable holiday literature presents no difficulty if we approach the task from the right angle. A good deal of disappointment and irritation would-be avoided if we consistently kept in mind the absurdly simple fact that a good part of any reading we may do will be done out of doors. Now, reading in the open air is delightful chiefly because it is casual. We are free to combine the pleasure of reading with the lazy joy of taking in the beauty of our surroundings and marking the idiosyncrasies of our fel-low-men on holiday. Therefore, our reading on these occasions should be, if not light in texture, at least lighthearted in spirit. We have all, at one time or another committed the folly of burdening ourselves with books which remained unopened throughout the whole length of our holidays. We chose them at the wrong moment and for the wrong moment. Books which would thrill us when read in the quietude of our own homes are often the worst kind of Irritants if tackled from the depths of a deck-chair and when surrounded by the friendly distractions of sea and scenery and the innocent frivolities of. children of- all ages.