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Encyclopedia of Pulp Fiction Writers
From the early days of dime novels to contemporary mass-market paperbacks, pulp fiction is a vital part of popular culture. This volume offers a survey of the scores of well-known and unsung heroes of popular literature. It seeks to cover the entire spectrum of pop literature's greatest entertainers and artists; the multimillion-copy bestsellers; and the inventors of the modern genres, such as the western, the hardboiled detective novel, the spy thriller, science fiction, horror, the legal thriller, crime fiction and the erotic/romance novel. The work also profiles colourful but lesser-known underground figures, as well as a wide variety of talented paperback authors who were never given their due. Each of the 200 entries includes a brief biography along with a list of the author's writing credits.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
About the author
Lee Server
23 books15 followersLee Server specialises in books on popular culture and literary history.
He is the critically acclaimed author of such as 'Danger Is My Business: The Illustrated History of the Fabulous Pulp Magazines' (1993), 'Over My Dead Body: The Sensational Age of the American Paperback' (1995) and the biography 'Robert Mitchum: Baby, I Don't Care' (2001).
He is the critically acclaimed author of such as 'Danger Is My Business: The Illustrated History of the Fabulous Pulp Magazines' (1993), 'Over My Dead Body: The Sensational Age of the American Paperback' (1995) and the biography 'Robert Mitchum: Baby, I Don't Care' (2001).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 21, 2013
A most useful work of reference and a superb read, 'Encyclopedia of Pulp Fiction Writers' has more than 200 entries for writers of this type of fiction. Obviously there are hundreds more but identifying them and getting information on them, who by the nature of their work and their use of pseudonyms were probably less well-known than many writers. (It has made me consider going through my shelves and identifying what I feel is pulp fiction and listing names of other authors of the genre ... what for I am not sure, amusement perhaps!)
An excellent historical introduction begins with the senational literature of the 19th century and works its way through the Edwardian era to the heyday of the pulps, the 1920s and 1930s, when such as 'Black Mask' and 'Amazing Stories' were at their zenith. The author then points out that although in the 1970s and 1980s pundits decried the death of the novel and the "new illiteracy", pulp fiction continued to find its way onto the market.
Then comes the author entries, all most fascinating and it is a delight to find some names therein that match pulp fiction on one's shelves. Everyone will have their own interpretation of pulp fiction and its writers but there are some unusual entries in the list of authors. Is Ian Fleming really a pulp fiction writer? I appreciate that James Bond was not immediately successful but whether the novels fit into the pulp fiction category is debatable. Others that raise eyebrows are such as Grace Metalious of 'Peyton Place' fame, and, whatever one thinks of Jackie Collins's novels, is she truly a pulp fiction writer in the true meaning of the genre? Debatable perhaps.
This does not detract from the book which is a must for collectors of this field and an invaluable reference work to be dipped into at any time.
An excellent historical introduction begins with the senational literature of the 19th century and works its way through the Edwardian era to the heyday of the pulps, the 1920s and 1930s, when such as 'Black Mask' and 'Amazing Stories' were at their zenith. The author then points out that although in the 1970s and 1980s pundits decried the death of the novel and the "new illiteracy", pulp fiction continued to find its way onto the market.
Then comes the author entries, all most fascinating and it is a delight to find some names therein that match pulp fiction on one's shelves. Everyone will have their own interpretation of pulp fiction and its writers but there are some unusual entries in the list of authors. Is Ian Fleming really a pulp fiction writer? I appreciate that James Bond was not immediately successful but whether the novels fit into the pulp fiction category is debatable. Others that raise eyebrows are such as Grace Metalious of 'Peyton Place' fame, and, whatever one thinks of Jackie Collins's novels, is she truly a pulp fiction writer in the true meaning of the genre? Debatable perhaps.
This does not detract from the book which is a must for collectors of this field and an invaluable reference work to be dipped into at any time.
October 27, 2007
Lee Server knows his subject matter well! A must for those who like to read - and 'pulp' writing and its writers are the underbelly of all literature.
I revisited my favorites as well as discovered some new names in this volume. A wonderful wonderful book.
I revisited my favorites as well as discovered some new names in this volume. A wonderful wonderful book.
January 17, 2010
Great source for anyone interested in the early writers of pulp fiction. This encyclopedia contains short bios of each writer, as well as listings of the novels and stories they wrote. Excellent!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews