23 JANUARY 1959, Page 8

A FRIEND OF MINE was trying to buy Mr. Roy

Jenkins's life of Dilke. He telephoned five book- shops in Central London. One told him that it was sold out and was out of print (untrue); one told him it was sold out and they did not propose to re-order; one told him that it was sold out and they might re-order; one told him that it was sold out and they would re-order. The next day he tried to buy Mr. Christopher autobiography, The Road to Frome. Two book- shops said they had never heard of it; one said it might be in their storeroom—it wasn't; and one said it was in their archaeology section—it wasn't. No wonder publishers have a difficult time. The public does not want to buy books, and booksellers do not want to sell them. If only authors wouldn't write them!