How to Write Words for Songs

London: Reynolds & Co.. Very Good+. 1936. Unknown edition. Softcover. [moderate edgewear to covers, due to slight overlap of text block; otherwise a nice clean copy, with vintage bookseller's label (Foyle's, London) at bottom corner of inside front cover]. (B&W photographs) "With hints by the following Famous Song-writers:- Bert Lee, Francis Barron, Leslie Sarony, Leslie Holmes, [and] The Western Brothers," and including a Preface by Bobby Howes. You remember Bobby. No? In addition to all the good advice from all these famous songwriters you've never heard of, a substantial part of the book is taken up with a concise rhyming dictionary, no doubt just as useful today as it was in 1936 -- provided, of course, that today's songwriters are still interested in such a thing as rhyming. (Still no good rhyme for "purple," however, sorry.) I'm especially charmed by the publisher's statement that they'll donate 10% of the profits from the book to the Benevolent Fund of the Sheet Music Travellers' Association (actually, I just love that there was such an organization). In that spirit, you may claim a 10% discount if you can credibly hum or sing any of the hit tunes attributed to any of these songwriters; I'm especially keen to hear Sarony's "Wheezy Anna." (And I won't tell ASCAP about it if you won't.) .