In his excellent Introduction, Richard A. Lupoff discusses the history of pocket-sized paperbound books designed for mass-market consumption. The Art of Pulp Fiction specifically concentrates on the paperback publishing industry from 1940 to 1970. The Art of Pulp Fiction chronicles the rise of the paperback format–at times at the expense of hardcover books–which appealed to a new audience of readers.
The Art of Pulp Fiction explores all the genres–Science Fiction, Fantasy, Westerns, Spy Novels, Mysteries, etc.–and includes wonderful cover artwork from the paperbacks of that era. The Art of Pulp Fiction is a feast for the eyes! Don’t miss this one! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction: A bright new morning / by Richard A. Lupoff — 8
In the beginning: dime novels, proto-paperbacks, and pocket books — 10
The floodgates open: publishers surge into an exciting new marketplace — 26
Gats, gals, and gumshoes: crime and mystery novels, hard-boiled and otherwise — 44
Saddles, six-guns, and sagebrush: Westerns, and the cactus cavaliers that made them popular — 64
Adventurers, past and present: spies, pirates, warriors, explorers, and soldiers of fortune — 84
Distant planets, future threats: science fiction migrates from the pulps to paperbacks — 104
Terror tales, fantasy worlds: tales of horror, the supernatural, and the imagination — 124
Changing times, new directions: post-World War II social issues influence paperback fiction — 144
The pulp-hero revival: Tarzan, the Shadow, Doc Savage, the Spider, and others — 164
Sex on the sleazy side: softcore sex novels promise more than they deliver —
Toiling at typewriters: paperback authors who enjoyed remarkable success — 184
Brilliant brushwork: paperback artists whose striking covers guaranteed sales — 218
Afterword: Paperbacks since 1970 — 232
Index — 236
Picture Credits/Acknowledgements — 239
Contributors — 240