Penzler Pick, October 2001: There may be some irony in the notion that a book devoted to paperbacks (the most inexpensive book format--small, easily transportable and disposable) is a huge, expensive, beautifully produced hardcover volume that is certain to be a gem in any collector's library.

For several centuries books in America customarily were pages bound between hardcovers and, in this century, had dust jackets wrapped around them, initially just to protect the cloth covers, but eventually as an attention-grabbing advertising poster.

In 1938, an experiment was launched. The cloth cover was exchanged for a paper one, and the colorful illustration and information that appeared on the dust jacket (author, title, publisher, a few lines about the book) was printed directly onto those paper covers. Cheaper paper was used, since these artifacts were no longer expected to form part of a permanent library, but were to be as disposable as a newspaper or magazine. And they were cheap: a 25-cent price made books affordable for a huge portion of the population. They became immeasurably successful almost overnight.

Today many of those books are highly sought-after collectors' items. In spite of the huge numbers printed, they are scarce now simply because almost no one ever thought to save them in colorful, pristine condition. The Great American Paperback illustrates in glorious full color more than 600 of the most interesting and collectable paperbacks, each with an informative caption that provides as much fascinating anecdotal information as the text, which is a masterly and scholarly history of the American paperback, tracing its roots to the early 19th century and concluding with a look at the future.

There are samples of the paperback originals of Ed McBain, Richard Stark, Jim Thompson, Harlan Ellison, and James M. Cain, as well as illustrations of such rarities as The Maltese Falcon, which was issued as a paperback with a dust jacket, and Ellery Queen's Halfway House, which was offered in two formats by the publisher, one bound the usual way, the other bound at the top edge.

If this massive work hadn't been produced in Hong Kong, it would have cost twice as much and is, believe it or not, a bargain, even at a price as hefty as the book itself. --Otto Penzler


From Library Journal
This pair of paeans to the paperback offers two diverse focuses, with some crossover. Culture historian Lupoff's heavily illustrated account traces the paperback's roots to the 1800s but focuses primarily on the era from 1920 onward, with emphasis on the many players who took the penny dreadful and morphed it into a legitimate publishing form to create empires. Stryker, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, focuses on the tawdry side of paperback publishing, which in some cases was an extension of the pornography trade tailored for the reading middle class. Though some of these pulp books were penned by serious scribes trying to elevate writings with a homosexual focus into a legitimate art form, most failed to get beyond the sleazy cheap thrills for which they were intended. Many of the trashier ones e.g., Hot Pants Homo, Lesbo Lodge were so bad that they have become kitschy collector's items. Both volumes are profusely illustrated with loads of covers from the sublime to the ridiculous, making them quite browsable. Libraries needing a straight (no pun intended) history of paperback publishing should consider Lupoff's title, strangely available as a pricey hardcover, while those serving gay communities will do well with Stryker. Michael Rogers, "Library Journal" Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Few realized in 1938 that a revolution was about to take place. A little book appeared in drugstores and on newsstands that would fit into the jacket pocket of an ordinary person. There was no real binding, no dust jacket, just a colorful, laminated cover. It was an experiment, and the pocket book was born. Copies jumped off the shelves. The publisher was encouraged to bring out more, and by summer of 1939 people were reading them everywhere. Regarded by many as disposable distractions, a few people put them aside and started collections that we realize today are a precious archive of American culture. From the glittering images of square-jawed cowboys to the gritty slum-dwellers of social realism, The Great American Paperback is a bountiful museum of over 600 brilliant covers, each of them a miniature gem, evocative of the fashions and attitudes of its era. This book is destined to become a classic among librarians and graphic designers alike.


About the Author
The story of American paperback publishing is told by Richard A. Lupoff, a mass-culture historian and critic, novelist and short-story author. Lupoff has published more than forty books, including science fiction and mystery novels and complete series'. As the owner of thousands of vintage paperback books he is uniquely qualified to tell the story.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Since its introduction in the late 1930s, the paperback has been an integral part of American pop culture. The Great American Paperback celebrates this publishing phenomenon with more than 600 reproductions of classic book covers -- from the highly collectible works of Raymond Chandler and Kurt Vonnegut Jr. to lesser-known gems. With essays on the history of the paperback, plus ratings for collectors, this big, illustrated book is a book lover's dream.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Few realized in 1938 that a revolution was about to take place. A little book appeared in drugstores and on newsstands that would fit into the jacket pocket of an ordinary person. There was no real binding, no dust jacket, just a colorful, laminated cover. It was an experiment.

Copies jumped off the shelves. The publisher was encouraged to bring out more, and by the summer of 1939 people were reading them everywhere.

Regarded by many as disposable distractions, a few people put them aside and started collections that we realize today are a precious archive of American culture.

From the glittering images of square-jawed cowboys to the gritty slum-dwellers of social realism, The Great American Paperback is a bountiful museum of over 600 brilliant covers, each of them a miniature gem, evocative of the fashions and attitudes of its era.

FROM THE CRITICS

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