The English Catalogue of Books for 1917. (Publishers' Circular. 8s.
6d.)—This indispensable record of the year's books appears in its usual form- and with its accustotned promptitude. The prefa- tory analysis shows that the output for 1917 was 8,131 volumes, whereas in 1913 it was 12,379 volumes. Each year of the war has shown a decline. There were 6,606 new books last year, and 1,525 new editions. The only classes of literature which increased as compared with 1916 were history--tnainly war records—and philology, medicine, agriculture, domestic ails, and business, which ah have la bearing on the war. The novels of 1917 nambered 1,537. of which 731 were reprints, as compared with 1,880 the previous year. Under the head of poetry and drama, however, the tcital of 544 for 1917 compares well with that of 551 for 1916. It is a matter of observation that verve was never so much in favour with the publishers, and presumably with the public, as it is in these days of war.
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