SIXPENNY EDITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22686, 28 June 1937, Page 11

SIXPENNY EDITIONS

MILHOUS BEING SOLD During the past 18 months the number of purchasers of books in England nas been multiplied many times (says the London ‘ Morning Dost ’). One publisher had sold more than 5,500,000 copies of the sixpenny editions of 90 books. The total sales of sixpenny books are now well over 10,000,000 which figure is divided between fewer than 300 books, ranging from crime fiction to biography and travel. ■ Some publishers say that the sixpenny edition is raising the standard of public taste. Not only, they argue, has it enabled people to become book buyers who have iiitherto only been book borrowers, but it has made them demand better value for their sixpence. One publisher asked readers to suggest other sixpenny books, and the standard of suggestions is remarkably high. As result, the works of Shakespeare will be published on the next anniversary of his birthday, April 23, at sixpence a play. More than half the suggestions sent in by readers have asked for the sixpenny publication of nonfiction books. Their request is to be met by publication of a new sixpenny series coVering science, _ archteology, history, economics, and politics. In tins series, Mr Bernard Shaw, Sir James Jeans, Sir Leonard Woolley, and Sir Julian Huxley will make their first “ sixpenny ” appearances. When some authors complained that the sixpenny editions lowered the sales of their more highly-priced works, they were told that most of those who now buy sixpenny books previously did not buy books at all. More than one firm has found that a sixpenny edition will reduce the sales of, say, a shilling edition, but will increase tile sales of a 7s Cd edition. A best-seller was issued in one of the sixpenny series before its 7s 6d edition was exhausted. A few months later the 7s Gd edition had to be reprinted.