Miscellaneous
box 42/4
NY Herald Tribune
BOOKS
ABRAD
Books are a luxury
writer who has a real story-telling gift, can
The Writer and His Daily Bread
even in these difficult times, by publishing
his books first in a newspaper or magazine
and then in book form, earn as much as
By ROY TEMPLE HOUSE
their livelihood in some other fashion, at
will suffice for modest needs. Since the in¬
that moment they will stop writing, except
Editor of the international book review
flation left him without means, and since
when they have something to say. Litera¬
quarterly "Books Abroad
his older works at present bring him little
ture will thus gain in quality.
or nothing, because very few persons buy
Sincerely,
LEON LEMONNIER.
MY editorial capacity I receive a
books nowadays, he dare not get sick, and
great deal of European mail. Every
The disappearance of literature as a pro¬
must, like the undersigned, work on into
few days of late I have been learning
fession, then, and the relegation of the
his old age.
by letter or from the foreign press that¬
literary man to the amateur class. The
another Continental publishing company
Much worse than the situation of the
enterprising author of "Quarantième Etage
has gone to the wall. An old German pub¬
novelist is that of the dramatist. It is very
and various other books which sell widely
lishing house writes: "Have you any sug¬
possible, even likely, that a Heinrich von
in a dozen countries no doubt experiences
gestions as to how the American sale of
Kleist would go to his destruction if he
little direct inconvenience from the situa¬
our books can be stimulated? Germans
were living today, especially since the the¬
tion, but he has given thought to it. He
have almost completely stopped buying
aters have gone to the devil again (wieder
says:
books." The head of some of the solidest
einmal nicht Gottes, sondern des Teufels
"The deplorable conditions under which
German firms remarks in a burst of confi¬
sind). It is just as serious with the poets.
certain writers are forced to live certainly
dence that for the first time since his child¬
react unfortunately on their literary pro¬
"This is how things are today. Since
hood he could not afford a summer vaca¬
duction.
Very few writers of reputa¬
they are steadily growing more desperate, it
tion this season. A mild deprivation com¬
tion are suffering serious distress. But
may be worse next month. Before the war
pared to the case of the French novelist
many authors of merit have no reputation.
probably 60 per cent of our population
who died of starvation a year or two ago
A distinction must be made among
were able to buy books and go to the the¬
and that of the once famous Czech drama¬
the different European countries. A very
ater. Now not 5 per cent can do so. Who
tist who is subsisting on charity. Books are
important consideration is always the num¬
knows how it will be by another month
a luxury, and everybody in central Europe
ber of individuals who speak or read the
who has lived from the making or the
How can conditions be improved?
the authoritation
Drawing by Alan
The alert and brillant your
Mit fremden Federn" and
Lianora" is full of sympathy a
He says:
Economic crises always hi
particularly hard. He belongs
gory of luxuries, with champ
facturers, light ladies and bote
one has any money now for
categories. There is the add
culty that since the war we
tirely new literature, and some
distinguished personalities of pi
ture have been unable or unwill
themselves to the new conditi
as a result living in the direst
of them are literally starin
way to help them is with mone
money. Very truly.
ROBERT NI
W. E. Süskind, whose
masterpieces Tordis" and
made him famous, regards the
very serious:
"The economic situation of
Germany is extremly disquiet
box 42/4
NY Herald Tribune
BOOKS
ABRAD
Books are a luxury
writer who has a real story-telling gift, can
The Writer and His Daily Bread
even in these difficult times, by publishing
his books first in a newspaper or magazine
and then in book form, earn as much as
By ROY TEMPLE HOUSE
their livelihood in some other fashion, at
will suffice for modest needs. Since the in¬
that moment they will stop writing, except
Editor of the international book review
flation left him without means, and since
when they have something to say. Litera¬
quarterly "Books Abroad
his older works at present bring him little
ture will thus gain in quality.
or nothing, because very few persons buy
Sincerely,
LEON LEMONNIER.
MY editorial capacity I receive a
books nowadays, he dare not get sick, and
great deal of European mail. Every
The disappearance of literature as a pro¬
must, like the undersigned, work on into
few days of late I have been learning
fession, then, and the relegation of the
his old age.
by letter or from the foreign press that¬
literary man to the amateur class. The
another Continental publishing company
Much worse than the situation of the
enterprising author of "Quarantième Etage
has gone to the wall. An old German pub¬
novelist is that of the dramatist. It is very
and various other books which sell widely
lishing house writes: "Have you any sug¬
possible, even likely, that a Heinrich von
in a dozen countries no doubt experiences
gestions as to how the American sale of
Kleist would go to his destruction if he
little direct inconvenience from the situa¬
our books can be stimulated? Germans
were living today, especially since the the¬
tion, but he has given thought to it. He
have almost completely stopped buying
aters have gone to the devil again (wieder
says:
books." The head of some of the solidest
einmal nicht Gottes, sondern des Teufels
"The deplorable conditions under which
German firms remarks in a burst of confi¬
sind). It is just as serious with the poets.
certain writers are forced to live certainly
dence that for the first time since his child¬
react unfortunately on their literary pro¬
"This is how things are today. Since
hood he could not afford a summer vaca¬
duction.
Very few writers of reputa¬
they are steadily growing more desperate, it
tion this season. A mild deprivation com¬
tion are suffering serious distress. But
may be worse next month. Before the war
pared to the case of the French novelist
many authors of merit have no reputation.
probably 60 per cent of our population
who died of starvation a year or two ago
A distinction must be made among
were able to buy books and go to the the¬
and that of the once famous Czech drama¬
the different European countries. A very
ater. Now not 5 per cent can do so. Who
tist who is subsisting on charity. Books are
important consideration is always the num¬
knows how it will be by another month
a luxury, and everybody in central Europe
ber of individuals who speak or read the
who has lived from the making or the
How can conditions be improved?
the authoritation
Drawing by Alan
The alert and brillant your
Mit fremden Federn" and
Lianora" is full of sympathy a
He says:
Economic crises always hi
particularly hard. He belongs
gory of luxuries, with champ
facturers, light ladies and bote
one has any money now for
categories. There is the add
culty that since the war we
tirely new literature, and some
distinguished personalities of pi
ture have been unable or unwill
themselves to the new conditi
as a result living in the direst
of them are literally starin
way to help them is with mone
money. Very truly.
ROBERT NI
W. E. Süskind, whose
masterpieces Tordis" and
made him famous, regards the
very serious:
"The economic situation of
Germany is extremly disquiet