Noted Publisher Talks to Shanghai of Books Contemporary trends in the book world were comprehensively outlined on Friday by Mr. Jonathan Cape. chairman and founder of Jonathan Cope, Ltd, London, who arrived in Shanghai in the Tatsuta Maru for a visit of several days. Ins. Cape observed that books are being read more than ever. "But that doesn't mean that there is more buying than ever" he added, "for in Great Britain and the United' States numerous circulating libraries are springing up. Rapidly he gauged the numbers of new books published. 'There are approximately 12.000 put on the market annually in Great Britain, and about 10,000 in America, with nearly' 90,000, including pamphlets, finding' their way into' print in Germany. Far from believing the. circulating Ubrary a handicap to the modern publisher or author, Mr. Cape con Siders it an asset. "You see, many, fatter reading a book, like it so well that they decide to buy it. and this favourable to the new author, who runs much chance of—becoming known," he said.
As to the vast number of aspirants in the realm of the written word, Mr. Cape commented:—"Everyone who has such an {dea should write a booic "but not with the alm of publishing it It is an excellent idea to express one's self, but such efforts should be circulated amongst the family and friends of the budding author." To forestall any Impression that he was lunsympathetle to the unknown author, hho sketched his ideas on that subject.
Publishers and book-sellers are always canvassing the possibility of the output, The major diMeulty simply that there are too many books being published, and some argue that the good ones are being driven out by the bad, Anyone who wants 10 publish has a right to do so, and some. even want to s0 badly that they willing to pay for the, privilege ut Printing their own works. Tt would hot bea wise thing for publishers to gree to any restriction, or to any plan of artificial limitation in the eld, for that would be tantamount to a restriction of the rights of free speech, There are some who think such rights are being restricted quite enough as It is."
'On the whole, Mr. Cape's brief irvey of the writing field should tend to discour superficial Asplront to fame and fortune fouther, for the path of authorship Touday' iv as dimeult as ever Io many Neapects, "There ig. such. keen com= petition, that authorship. in Gape's words, "is. good walking. ftlek but a Poor crutch" Apart rom Competition, the underlying causes are te be found, in America of Toast, in: the publishing depression extant there. Publiging In. Great Britain has not felt this. phase of economic feaction as keenly'ag has the United States, aigoply" because. In Great Britain the, circulating Mbrary has Deen. Important for. seventy. years, while in the Unked. States the public ore often. has purchased is books than' borrowed. them.
'Ancillary profits, such as cinema vights, and. fret, second, and. third Serial' rights, do much to. mitigate the trials of the author when Dra hhouneed success" is attained. Tu this Fespect, the 20th Century. writer likely to. reap. more reward for his labours than his predecessors. When author has two or three books "credit, the magazine edvor Is note Tikeiy. to welcome contrtbu= Tions, simply because the author, being known, Is a better business proposition on the whole, which "determines. success td the "To-day, It 1s quality, not subject
Inst part," said Mr. Cape. "Manner and not matter has become a funda mental criterion, 'Beginners are. just Likely {o break In by approaching the publisher directly, as they. are hey. employ an agent. Every author is assured 9 careful' reading Sy every publisher, for none wants Yo. overlook a food possibility, and publishing, te after all, a Dusiness. 'Although I may seem to. contradict riy former statements, the staple earning power of the author (o-day {snot og Axed as (t once was. and fan "author comparatively unknown fray. in. short ime, find himself {With a'reading public' more readily That he would have done twenty years ago!"
Mr, Cape maintained that none can spot 2 Destegeller in manuscript, any who claims that power is for the corresponding month of the year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.