Those Tough Guy Books

[BrianY]

I've been thinking a lot about popular book formats that don't make it to the best seller lists. Romance novels are part of that category, but there used to be a men's equivalent - I think they were called "pulp paperbacks" or something similar. They were in series with names like "The Inquisitor," or "The Killers" and could be found easily in bookstores and newsstands.

How is it that romance novels continue to thrive and pulps have vanished?

BTW ... they might not be publishing them anymore, but people are still blogging about them and collecting them too. Here's a sample:

<i>The Inquisitor</i> Series, 1974-1975

Proof that there are still horror-related paperbacks of the 1970s I have never heard of before! Thanks to critic Andrew Nette of Pulp Curr...

toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot.com

 

[Pamela Jo]

I'm on a vintage illustrations FB page. Those covers! Is it possible easily available porn has eroded the reader base?

 

[BrianY]

Pam, I doubt it. Cheap paperback porn aimed at men was pretty available in those days.