Jay Milner

c.1999 Cox News Service

   In the good ole summer time, according to conventional wisdom, or what passes for it, one is supposed to prefer reading "light'' books, books that don't weigh heavily on one's brain.

   The kind one supposedly should not read in the good ole summer time, for instance, are those named on the latest Modern Library's best nonfiction books of the century list.

   Last year, Modern Library named its selection of the 100 best fiction of the century. It was a move that stirred up a lot of discussion and debate, which, of course, was the purpose of the list in the first place. This latest best 100 list was put out there (in April of this year) for the same good reason - to create discussion of and interest in good books. A very worthy cause.

   The No. 1 book on this latest Modern Library list - of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century - is "The Education of Henry Adams'' by Henry Adams. No. 2 is "The Variety of Religious Experience'' by William James.

   Next is "Up From Slavery'' by Booker T. Washington, then "A Room of One's Own'' by Virginia Woolf, and "Selected Essays'' by T.S. Eliot, and so on and on. I'm sure the whole list has appeared in this or some other paper you've read before, so I won't take up the space to list them all here and now.

   As was the case with the 100 best fiction books of the century, I am somewhat embarrassed by this nonfiction list because I hadn't read most of them. According to my count, in point of fact, I have read sixteen an a half of those on this nonfiction list.

   I've been a avid reader for years, decades really, since I was in the Navy in the Big War, and as the years go by I find myself reading more and more. I suppose I'd have to say reading is my main hobby. I have a difficult time going to sleep at night unless I read until my eyes get heavy.

   So I have read a lot of books, but there are gaps in my reading. Large gaps. I have always read for pleasure, you see, and if I don't feel like a book will be pleasurable to read at that particular time, I don't read it.

   Books on this Modern Library's list of best nonfiction that I have read include "Silent Spring'' by Rachel Carson, "The American Language'' by H.L. Mencken, "The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money'' by John Maynard Keynes, "The Guns of August'' by Barbara W. Tuchman (which is dandy, if you haven't read it yet you ought to give it a try).

   I've also read "Notes of a Native Son'' by James Baldwin and "The Autobiography of Mark Twain'' by Mark Twain and "A Study of History'' by Arnold J. Toynbee. "The Elements of Style'' by William Strunk and E.B. White was required reading and study by students in my Journalism classes when I was teaching. It's a keeper for anyone interested in writing almost anything.

   "The Affluent Society'' by John Kenneth Galbraith, "The Right Stuff'' by Tom Wolfe and "Working'' by Studs Terkel were all on best-seller lists for months and I read them, as did most other avid readers apparently.

   I read "A Preface to Morals'' by Walter Lippman because he was one of my journalism heroes. I read "The Sweet Silence'' by A.J. Liebling for the same reason.

   I read about half of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood'' stopping, not because the writing and story weren't gripping but because it was.