Walking-Stick PapersFront matterReading editionChapter navigation27 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…Front matterAS A CAT MAY LOOK AT A KINGFOREWORDIntroductory materialIIIIIIIVVBook reviews are in nearly all the papers. Proprietors of newspapers don't read these things: they think they are deadly stuff. Many authors don't: because they regard them as ill-natured and exceedingly stupid. Book clerks don't read them much: for that would be like working overtime. Business men infrequently have time for such nonsense. University professors are inclined to pooh-pooh them as things beneath them. Still somebody must read them, as publishers pay for them with their advertising. No publishers' advertising, no book reviews, is the policy of nearly every newspaper; and the reviews are generally in proportion to the amount of advertising. Now publishers are sagacious men who generally live in comfortable circumstances, and who occasionally get quite rich and mingle in important society. They set considerable store by reviews; they employ publicity men at good wages who continually supply reviewers with valuable information by post and telephone; they are fond of quoting in large type remarks from reviews which please them; and sometimes, at reviews they don't like, they stir up a fuss and have literary editors removed from office.VIVIIVIIIIXXXIXIIXIIIXVXVIXVIXVIIIXIXXXXXIXXIIEPILOGUEBeginning of this editionNext chapter →AS A CAT MAY LOOK AT A KINGAll chapters and sections (27)Opening pagesFront matterOther sectionsAS A CAT MAY LOOK AT A KINGFOREWORDOpening pagesIntroductory materialChapters12345Other sectionsBook reviews are in nearly all the papers. Proprietors of newspapers don't read these things: they think they are deadly stuff. Many authors don't: because they regard them as ill-natured and exceedingly stupid. Book clerks don't read them much: for that would be like working overtime. Business men infrequently have time for such nonsense. University professors are inclined to pooh-pooh them as things beneath them. Still somebody must read them, as publishers pay for them with their advertising. No publishers' advertising, no book reviews, is the policy of nearly every newspaper; and the reviews are generally in proportion to the amount of advertising. Now publishers are sagacious men who generally live in comfortable circumstances, and who occasionally get quite rich and mingle in important society. They set considerable store by reviews; they employ publicity men at good wages who continually supply reviewers with valuable information by post and telephone; they are fond of quoting in large type remarks from reviews which please them; and sometimes, at reviews they don't like, they stir up a fuss and have literary editors removed from office.Chapters6789101112131516161819202122Other sectionsEPILOGUEBYROBERT CORTES HOLLIDAY1918◇AS A CAT MAY LOOK AT A KING →