This volume is the second annual cumulation of the Book Review Digest, gathering evaluations of books published in nineteen hundred and six. The editors aim to record the exact scope and character of current literature while supplementing these initial descriptions with excerpts from prominent English and American periodicals. These critical notices furnish librarians and booksellers with a reliable basis for the evaluation of new publications.
The work covers a vast array of current literature across various fields, including history, biography, travel, science, and fiction. Each entry typically begins with a descriptive note written by Justina Leavitt Wilson, outlining the contents of the book without evaluating its merits. Following this note are selected excerpts from reviews published in specialized journals and literary magazines, providing both favorable and unfavorable opinions from contemporary critics.
The compilation includes supplementary excerpts relating to books entered in the previous annual volume, acknowledging that the most discerning reviews often appear during the year following publication. Certain entries contain only descriptive notes, with their critical appraisals deferred until subsequent reviews become available. This method ensures that the record remains thorough and accounts for delayed critical responses.
The publication addresses a practical need for smaller libraries and booksellers who lack access to the numerous specialized periodicals indexed in the volume. By condensing lengthy critiques into representative extracts, the digest enables librarians to form substantially correct appreciations of current books. The inclusion of English periodicals, which were otherwise difficult to obtain, adds significant value to the reference work.
The volume is arranged alphabetically by author, accompanied by a comprehensive directory of publishers and an index of the magazines from which digests are culled. Plus and minus signs indicate the degree of favor or disfavor in the original reviews, offering a clear guide to critical consensus. Through this meticulous organization, the work preserves a complete historical record of literary criticism at the opening of the twentieth century.
