Danger is My Business

Danger is My Business chronicles the rise and heyday of pulp fiction magazines in America from the 1920s through the 1950s. The book details the origins, economics, and production methods of these mass-market publications that brought adventure stories to millions of readers. The text explores the writers, artists, and editors who created pulp fiction's most enduring characters and series. Through interviews and research, Server reconstructs the working lives of notable pulp creators and examines how they managed to produce vast quantities of stories under tight deadlines and minimal pay. The book documents pulp fiction's influence on American popular culture, from its impact on comic books and movies to its role in developing genres like hard-boiled detective fiction and science fiction. Server analyzes how changing social conditions and the arrival of television contributed to the eventual decline of the pulp magazine era. This cultural history reveals how pulp magazines reflected and shaped American attitudes about gender, race, morality and heroism during a transformative period in the nation's development. The legacy of pulp storytelling continues to influence popular entertainment today.

Readers value this book as a detailed reference on pulp fiction magazines and paperbacks. Reviews highlight Server's research into the authors, artists, and publishing history of the pulp era. Likes: - In-depth coverage of pulp magazine cover art and illustration - Biographical information about lesser-known pulp writers - Historical context about publishing practices and economics - Over 200 color reproductions of magazine covers - Clear writing style that avoids academic jargon Dislikes: - Some readers wanted more analysis of pulp fiction content/themes - Limited coverage of science fiction pulps - Index lacks detail for research purposes Ratings: Goodreads: 4.06/5 (49 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (15 reviews) Notable Review Quote: "Server focuses on the business and artistic aspects rather than just cataloging titles. His research into the artists and their techniques sets this apart from other pulp histories." - Goodreads reviewer

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The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps by Otto Penzler This collection presents original pulp stories from the 1920s-1940s featuring crime fiction masters like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Cornell Woolrich.

Pulp Culture: Hardboiled Fiction and the Cold War by Susan Whitall The book traces pulp fiction's evolution through the Cold War period and its influence on American popular culture and politics.

🗸 The term "pulp magazines" originated from the cheap wood pulp paper used to print them, which yellowed quickly and fell apart easily - a stark contrast to the more expensive "slick" magazines of the era. 🗸 Lee Server is considered one of the leading authorities on pulp fiction and film noir, having also written critically acclaimed biographies of Hollywood figures like Robert Mitchum and Ava Gardner. 🗸 During the pulp magazine era (1920s-1950s), writers were typically paid only one cent per word, yet prolific authors could make a decent living by producing up to a million words per year. 🗸 Many renowned authors started their careers writing for pulp magazines, including Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiell Hammett. 🗸 The most successful pulp magazine, "Argosy," reached a peak circulation of half a million copies per week in the 1920s, and cost just ten cents per issue.