Cheaper Books

Southland Times, Issue 23166, 6 April 1937, Page 6

Cheaper Books

A British Official Wireless message, printed yesterday, stated that “remarkable success” had rewarded the publishers who began to issue sixpenny editions of established works of fiction — together with a judicious sprinkling of standard books—about two years ago. It has been estimated that “over 10,000,000 sixpenny editions have been sold since the inception of the venture,” and arrangements have already been made for publishing the works of Shakespeare at the same price per play. The obvious lesson to be taken from these facts is that all other publishers should enter the sixpenny market forthwith, and there are many purchasers of new books who would welcome a general lowering of prices. But there are other facts which detract a little from the value of the publishers’ success as soon as any attempt is made to generalize from it. In the first place, the experiment is by no means a new one. Archibald Constable, whose name is now inseparable from that of Sir Walter Scott, had projected a similar scheme as early as 1825; his Miscellany consisted of original works and standard works republished in a cheap form, and remains one of the most famous of all attempts to popularize good books. Since then there have been other ventures, and middle-aged readers will remember a series of ninepenny reprints which had a great vogue just before the war. A few years ago a well-known London firm issued a series of sixpenny booklets on technical and general subjects, and sales rose

quickly to an immense figure. But when the same firm, encouraged by this success, began to publish new novels—short enough to be classed as novelettes- —at ninepence each, the market became suddenly difficult, and the venture failed. Mr Victor Gollancz, whose name would occupy much space in a hypothetical history of post-war publishing, entered the same field when he printed new works of fiction in paper wrappers at a cost considerably below that of bound novels. This attempt also fell short of expectations, but Mr Gollancz was more successful when he turned his experience to account by organizing the Left Book Club. Under this scheme books obtainable in bound editions at the usual price are distributed, unbound, to members of the club at a reduced figure, and according to a recent statement the membership is now more than 40,000. The significance of this success may indicate nothing more than that members of the Left Book Club, like many readers of Berm’s sixpenny booklets, are looking for information and knowledge; and these people, as distinct from collectors, are interested more in the matter than in the form of the books they wish to buy. It should be mentioned further that the Left Book Club is potentially a political organization. In Britain its members have already held a public meeting, and this means that it must be regarded as something more than a publishing venture. The evidence, as far as any can be available, suggests that standard works usually sell readily in cheap editions, and that books of a serious nature —more especially on political themes —are also acceptable at low prices. But it is surprisingly difficult to sell new fiction in any other than the expensive editions. No one can say with certainty why this should be so. Strange prejudices take their growth in the public mind, and it is just possible that people who have come to associate low prices with reprint editions find it hard to believe that a cheap book is really something new and good. Perhaps the real explanation is that the publishers have made no concerted move to educate the public to a new format. The publisher who ventures alone may be fortunate in hitting upon a style of binding—even a colour scheme —that will attract many buyers; and once a vogue has set in the public will buy eagerly. But until the publishers form some kind o. organization and attempt the problem as a single body there can be no chance of ousting the library edition. And a reform of this kind would be desirable for several reasons. Inferior books would# speedily vanish to a deserved limbo, and it would be quite easy to re-publish successful novels in a more durable form. The principal argument in favour of reform, however, is that it would benefit the authors. Under present conditions few novelists make more than £3O for a novel that sells only a single edition, although very often these novels are widely read. If the books were available at low prices a great many people would prefer to buy them instead of borrowing from libraries; and a small royalty for large sales is much more profitable —as any novelist would admit—than a substantial royalty and small sales. Cheaper books are dertain to come eventually; and it would seem that the time of transition in this, as in so many other departments of life, will be included in the present age.