BOOKS ARE POPULAR FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 10

BOOKS ARE POPULAR FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

THE “ THRILLER " WANES IN PUBLIC FAVOUR. Books appear to be very popular for Christmas gifts this year. ’ The “ thriller,” however, has given way to the old love story, and historical novels are once more coming into favour. Al though the biggest seller is the novel, general literature is meeting with as steady a demand as ever, while the children’s books are, as always, very popular. The manager of a large book department in a city shop was very optimistic about trade for Christmas. “ All the new books are in,” he said, “ and a big factor in the success of their sale is that all books from England are being retailed at the English published price.” As for the public taste, he said that the trend was towards the less morbid love stories and historical novels. Ed gar Wallace was still quite popular, but the average detective story was n A sought after. The “ Hidden City,” by Philip Gibbs, was selling well, and Farnol’s books were always popular. Warwick Deeping was coming into favour, his medical novel, “ Roper’s Row,” being a good seller. Sabatini was still quite popular, but all war and sex books were practically unsaleable. General literature showed an increasing sale, there being a great demand for Scott’s Antarctic books and Pont ing’s “ Great White South.” There was. he added, a good -sale for A. S. M Hutchinson’s and P. B. Kyne’s books, wliile Ethel Dell was much asked for by women. Adventures enjoyed a good sale, while at the Christmas season volumes of poetry and leather-bound books were inquired for. The great variety offered in the omnibus volumes, which contained several stories or plays by popular authors, was a big inducement to buy. The manager of another large shop was also of the opinion that books would provide a large number of guts this Christmas. Novels, he said, were easily the most popular, but the “ thrillers,” with a murder a page, were beginning to pall. Cheap reprints of novels by popular authors had a large sale, and tales of adventure were easily disposed of. Children’s books, he added, were just the same as in previous years, the big annuals being the popular choice. Books were selling in as large numbers as ever before, though there was the tendency for people to leave their purchases till as late as possible.