Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1899 — BOOK REVIEWS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BOOK REVIEWS

Augustus Thomas’ new play, “Arizona,” will soon be published In book form, with a dozen illustrations, and a cover designed by Frederic Remington. It is rumored that the Harper-Mc-Clure combination will result in a new cyclopedia constructed on lines surpassing those of any now in existence. As a companion volume to “Miss America,” by Alexander Black, Charles Scribner’s Sons issue this year a book called “Modern Daughters,” profusely illustrated. A new romance by Rider Haggard deals with th<j times of Holland under William tbe Silent, and is to be called “The Secret of Sword Silence.’’ It will appear as a serial in tbe London Graphic in 1900. “That Fortune,” a new novel by Charles Dudley Warner, completes the chronicles of Henderson, who fignred tin “A Little Journey in tbe World” and “The Golden House.” The millious pass to another operator. “Fepys’ Ghost,” by Edwin Emerson, " Is a chronicle of the present day written in the style of Samuel Pepys, which, of course, makes a racy book. It discourses of literary and artistic people of New York, and even refers sportively to “my new batte, bought of Knox tbe batter, dimpled in shamefully.” (The dimples refer, doubtless, to the “hatte,” and not to Mr. Knox.) Justin McCarthy’s reminiscences have been quite the book of the hour in England. It is understood that at the outset 2,000 copies of the English edition were printed. The Issue has now been followed by another. Mr. McCarthy now intends to devote himself to tbe completion of bis history of the four Georges. That task will occupy, him for probably a year to come. The Bay View Reading Circle is rather unique in its labors. For six years it baß labored to promote more private study and better reading, and now at the close of Its sixth year reports a membershlp'of nearly 8,000 and a steady annual gain of almost 2,000. It is particularly successful in the West and South, where hundreds of local eir- ? cles have organized to take Ha short and systematic courses, while score* of clubs have adopted them. It now pnbllshes the Bay View Magazine, which supplies a multitude of helps and supplemental reading. Its new course is on Russia, with two months in Holland. . . . ... ■. ‘ad