THE PUBLIC TASTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23110, 9 February 1937, Page 6

THE PUBLIC TASTE

BOOKS IN DEMAND INFLUENCE OF THE FILMS Trends in popular taste and the influence of the films in stimulating a demand for books were referred to by the chairman (Mr H. Henderson) in the course of his remarks at the annual meeting of the Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute last night. Reviewing the trend of reading, as indicated by the demand at the library during the past year, he said that, speaking generally, there had been a good average output of literature.. The output of detective stories and thrillers showed little signs of waning, and like “Eb and Zeb” and the Japanese Houseboy on the "radio, readers would appreciate a change, but unfortunately there was nothing at present to take their place. The Western story was also very popular, as it supplied boys of all ages with the thrill of adventure. The vogue for the long novel continued with some writers —Priestley’s last containing 516 pages, Frankau’s 608 and Shaw Desmond’s 960.

The popularity of a film based on a book invariably created a fresh demand for works by that author. In one theatre alone 15 films taken from novels were shown in 1936, among them being “ Anthony Adverse,” “ Last of the Mohicans,” “ Les Miserables,” “ Midshipman Easy.” “ Peter Ibbetson,” “Little Lord Fauntleroy,” “Amateur Gentleman,” and “Shape of Things to Come.”

The following list was given of some of the more popular works during the year: Fiction. —“ A Poor Scholar,” by C. R. Allen; “Clansmen,” by Ethel Boileau; “ Honourable. Estate,” by. Vera Brittain; “The Talisman Ring,” by Georgette Heyer; “South Riding,” by Winifred Holtby; “ Eyeless in Gaza,” by Aldous Huxley; “ Passport to Hell,” by Robin Hyde; “ The Hunted,” by Lee; “ Gone With the Wind,” by M. Mitchell; “Weather in the Streets.” by R. Lehmann; "They Walk in the City,” by J. B. Priestley “Greenstone Door,” by W. Satchell; “ Green Gates,” by Sherriff; “Far Forest,” by F. Brett Young. General Literature. —“ Antony,” by Lord Lytton; “ Farewell to Fifth Avenue,” by C. Vanderbilt; “The Fool Hath Said,” by Beverley Nichols; “ Gerald —a Portrait,” by D. du Maurier; “In My Path,” by Halliday Sutherland; “Inside Europe,” by Philip Gibbs; “In the Steps of St. Paul” by H. V. Morton; “Mrs Astor’s Horse,” by S. Walker; "News from Tartary.” by Peter Fleming; “No Place Like Home." by Beverley Nichols: “ Return to Malaya,” by Bruce Lockhart: “Romantic Adventure,” by Elinor Glyn; “Seven Pillars of Wisdom.” by T. E. Lawrence; “Story of My Life,” by Marie Queen of Rumania; “Way of a Transgressor,” by Nagley Parson; 44 What I Left Unsaid, by Daisy Princess of Pless.