ENGLISH BOOKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 January 1939, Page 7

ENGLISH BOOKS

POPULARITY IN FRANCE. Paris, when preparing for Christmas, filled its shop windows with all sorts of tempting and artistic things, and the booksellers were not behind the rest in displaying their Christmas stocks of volumes. This is naturally the time of year when they make the largest possible display of books for children, and side by side with the ever-popular stories for- the little ones by the Countess de Segur, the fairytale books, and the volumes of Jules Verne, who refuses to be dethroned, the English visitor to Paris is surprised to find so large a number of English books. There are three great favourites Dickens, Kipling, and Scott. In every bookshop one is sure to see “Les Aventures de Monsieur Pickwick,” and “David Copperfield.” Generally the portly, kindly Mr Pickwick appears on the brightly coloured cover. Kipling is popular with the children and youth of France, and the “Livre de la Jungle,” most often with a large illustration on the outside showing Mowgli riding a wild beast, is always in evidence. Scott’s popularity appears to remain stronger in France than in England, and one still sees quite a number of complete editions of his works offered for sale, but the single volume that never loses popularity with the young people is “Ivanhoe.” "Robinson Crusoe” of course is always popular, but that work of which it has been said that it never raised a smile or caused a tear is universal and will appeal as long as there is a sea somewhere lapping a shore.