Paperback 687: The Way of All Flesh / Samuel Butler (Pocket Books 8)

Paperback 687: Pocket Books 8 (3rd ptg, 1939)

Title: The Way of All Flesh
Author: Samuel Butler
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: $21


Best things about this cover:

• "What're *you* lookin' at?"
• Her stockings are nuts. Horizontal red stripes? When was that a thing?
• This is the most pristine early Pocket Book I own—from the first year of the mass market paperback industry's existence. There are two signifiant scuff marks on the spine edge, but otherwise, it's shockingly pristine. Permagloss intact and everything. Trust me when I say 1939 paperbacks are rarely found in this state anymore.

Best things about this back cover:

• That Shaw quote is one of the best things I've ever seen printed on a back cover. The literary equivalent of "this is why we can't have nice things."
• "Now Ready." It's so adorable how *new* the paperback was at this point. 

Page 123~

One would have thought she had sowed enough of such religious wild oats by this time, but she had plenty still to sow.

"Religious wild oats" is not a phrase I ever expected to see.

~RP

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Paperback 552:Treasure Island / Robert Louis Stevenson (Pocket Books 25)

Paperback 552: Pocket Books 25 (1st ptg, 1939)

Title: Treasure Island
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Cover artist: Uncredited

Yours for: $25

Best things about this cover:

• This book is from the very first year of mass-market paperback publishing. You can see the original super-nerdy Kangaroo logo for Pocket Books semi-camouflaged in front of the treasure chest.
• The condition on this book, given its age, is astonishing. The original permagloss is almost completely intact, the spine uncreased and square, the colors bold and vibrant. For a 73-yr-old paperback, it's exquisite.
• I don't think you're supposed to wear puffy pirate pants with trainers.

Best things about this back cover:

• "R.L.S."! I didn't know he was *known* by his initials. I thought that was just a stupid crosswordism. Revelation!

Page 123~

For it was not only a piece of stout, seamanly good feeling; it was good policy besides, and showed our enemies that we despised their cannonade. 

I'm not sure what one can add to "seamanly good feeling."

~RP

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