BAN ON BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 2

BAN ON BOOKS

DOMINION’S LITERARY FARE,

LONDON, September 12

It is natural that the publishers, like other producers of commodities, complain that there is no easily available remedy for the shrinkage of "markets (says the ‘Manchester Guardian’ in an editorial). One or two types of books have- been almost annihilated by the fall in the purchasing power of money. These include brief popular studies of social problems. For a year or two after tho war many publishers” produced whole series of these, but wage cuts destroyed tho market. A glance at tho publishers’ announcements For the autumn does not suggest any revival.

The ‘ Morning Post ’ is displaying a worthy curiosity about the fortunes of authors and tho* taste of readers in these days. This has revealed the fact that for English bocks of an informative kind there is a constant request in the dominions. Australasia has become a ready and persistent purchaser of books explaining the working of Nature and commenting on tho social scene. Japan is active in acquiring the translation rights of English books. These eastward sales gladden tho heart of the writer. It is good to know-that the hardships of peace have not been everywhere made tho reason for diminishing the library.

Those who still believe that the dominions are populated with people of great physique and little reading (concludes (he article) should realise that the dominions arc doing more than their share, to keep the creditable side of British book production from withering away.