‘Books in War-Time’

Abstract

IN the libraries books are divided into two great classes: fiction and non-fiction. Nine tenths of the fiction published is of such poor quality that it could well be spared in war-time, whereas publications on non-fiction nearly always contain something of value. Good fiction is valuable and should not be discouraged, but a reduction of the present enormous volume of bad novels would give the few good ones a better chance of recognition. The Government might therefore consider whether the allotment of paper for fiction might not be cut by 90 per cent whilst allowing full supplies for non-fiction, which would be sufficiently handicapped by rising prices.