Boozy’s Reviews > The Big Book of Adventure Stories: The Most Daring, Dangerous, and Death-Defying Collection of Adventure Tales EverCaptured in One Mammoth Volume > Status Update

How do you define "pulp"? Or is it one of those things that you'll recognize it when you read it?

I can't help thinking that pulp is that poorly edited paid by the word stuff with the most outlandish characters, stock plots and deus ex machina endings. But I'm sure I'm wrong!

I would define pulp as short stories that are typically lurid, exploitative, brimming with adventure, intrigue or horror. They are usually collected in anthologies by genre. The heyday of pulp was the early 20th century, so 1890 to 1940. The spy and space stories really took off after WWII. Lots of famous authors got their start in the pulps like Isaac Asimov, Joseph Conrad, dashiel Hammet, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Jack London and HP Lovecraft.

Its a fun genre in that the stories are quick but well developed.

Thanks! That definitely clears it up for me. I do adore a short story that moves quickly.