APPEAL OF THE NOVEL

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1930, Page 15

APPEAL OF THE NOVEL

modern reading tendency

SOCIOLOGY BOOKS POPULAR. \

INTERESTING LIBRARY RETURNS.

Facts that reveal the modern tendencies of the reading public are contained in the half-yearly returns of the New Plymouth Public Library covering the six months from the beginning of April to the ©nd of September. During that period the library book issues were as follows with flic figures for the corresponding period of last year shown in parenthesis: Fiction 51,4b0 (47,804),general 6502 (5931), children 5389 (5095), magazines 3839 (3770). The increase of 631 in the public reading of general books- must be considered highly satisfactory, for it brings the proportion of general books read »t0'124 pm- cent. Seven per cent, to 10 per cent is considered usual and the 24 per cent, to 5 per cenf. increase can be accounted for to a large extent by the increased number of biographical books written lightly and brightly. These now form a very popular type of literature. In this general section tho reading of sociology books increased by between 25 per cent, and 33 1-3 per cent. Other increases in the section were in science, useful arts and travel books .

IN THE PUBLIC FAVOUR. “As time passes we notice books on different subjects finding public favour,” said the librarian, Mr. A. Low, in conversation with a News representative. “Fiction, of course, is always the most popular, but in the general section a few years ago books dealing with religion were widely read, due no doubt to the interest created by the Prayer Book crisis of the time. With the lessening of interest they lost a great deal of their appeal. And so on through tho different subjects.” .- , Mr. Low mentioned the fact that a great many more modern novels- well much larger than had been the case previously. "We find they are very popular,” he said, “but probably the reason for that is not hard to find. Among the longer novels are J. B. Priestley’s Good Companions, which was undoubtedly the book of 1929, and An: gel Pavement by the same author which js just as much ■ tho book of this y® ar ’ Walpole and Ludwig are others > who have, done a great deal: to popularise the longer book.” . ■ Collections of short stories, said Mr. Low, .were also very popular, and translations from good French and German writers were receiving more attention than in other ygayfi; ’ Good war books wer© always in demand, especially those dealing with the flying corps activities. (Subscribers in the period under review increased by 44, while 1064 accessions were placed upon the shelves as against 937 in 1929. Of this year’s additions 60S were fiction, 282 general and 114' ; children’s books.