Two books should be on the shelves of every American who respects himself: the Bible and Who's Who. Of course the Bible is oftener quoted, but Who's Who is oftener read. Year after year Who's Who invariably consists of 3,765 pages. The latest edition, number eighty-eight, remains faithful to tradition, for it [as usual] contains 3,765 pages. It lists the names of people whom "everybody should know". We read the names of the heads of states, of world famous scientists and writers, of cinema actors and actresses, and of more or less prominent American citizens. This [listing of Americans] forms the bulk of the alamanac and is really the bait, for it is the ambition of every [American] to get into Who's Who.

Most of the names are accompanied by brief biographies, or to speak more correctly, by autobiographies; for the almanac prints only the information which is supplied by those whose names appear in the volume. Questionnaires are mailed out to the heads of states and to world-famous personnages, and, almost all those to whom they are sent answer. Others send in their biographical information unsolicited, and the editors of the almanac select those 2[biographies]which they think should be published. Only about one twentieth of the biographical material submitted finds its way into print. Who's who cannot possibly exceed 3,765 pages.

The world renown of this or that person included in the almanac, with few exceptions is determined by the average American by the number of lines devoted to the individual's biography. Prior to last year first place was assigned to the keeper of the Egyptian and Assyrian antiquities in the British Museum, Sir Ernest Wells Bage. His deeds, works, and achievements occupied two columns. Last year Sir Ernest Wells Bage died, and in the almanac this year his name does not appear. At present first place is occupied by the president of Columbia University, a Nobel Prizewinner, Dr. Butler. His biography occupies one column, seventy-eight lines.

The chief sensation of the almanac is Cornelius Vanderbilt Junior, whose work, Taking Leave of Fifth Avenue, is the most readable among current books in the United States. His biography occupies fifty lines, more space than the 3biographies of Hitler, Mussolini, McDonald, and other prominent statesmen; it is also longer than that of his distinguished father, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Senior.

The European dictators sent in their answers to the almanac, but the information given is rather scant. Stalin limited himself to four lines; Hitler supplied ten. The Fuehrer, with German thoroughness, included his address.

Roosevelt appropriated eighteen lines; Hoover, thirty-three. Cinema stars give quite detailed information about themselves. Greta Garbo no longer even attempts to conceal that her real name is Louise Gustavson. Mary Pickford does not call herself Fairbanks and laconically states that she is divorced from Doug.

The longest name in the almanac is that of a Hindoo rajah, Rais Ul Daly, Sipadar ul Sadam. This rajah states that the name which he supplies is only an abbreviated one, and that his full name is five times as long.