What is Mass Market Paperback? Pocket Books or mass market paperbacks refers to paperback books that are small in size, cheap and found in a variety of sub-genres. As far as the literary product is concerned, it is impossible to say that mass market paperbacks are not an important component of the book market, as they appeared relatively long time ago and enable people to become owners of numerous books at a low cost.
These gems fit in your pocket have especially played a vital role in encouraging millions to embrace reading as they are easily accessible and physical copies of books. It is the aim of this article to discuss about mass market paperbacks, the historical development, changes, and effects to the general literature.
Aim of this paper is to discover more or define what Mass Market Paperbacks are.
Pocket Books or mass, market paperbacks refers to paperback books that are small in size, cheap and found in a variety of sub-genres. Typically smaller in size, the average size of these books is around 4 x 7 Inches, thus they are easily portable and are firmly pocket size. They have become a part of book culture through which readers are able to possess many books at a relatively expensive cost. Mass, market paperbacks are unique in appearance because their covers may be changed to reflect a new title.
Mass Market Paperbacks: The First and the Development
The idea of mass, market paperbacks was gradually emerging in the first quarter of the twentieth century as the publishers started looking for an opportunity to cash in on the expanding market for literature. This type of paperbacks was commercialized in 1939 by Penguin Books, a British company established by Allen Lane. Originally when the Penguin paperbacks appeared, they included one hundred and ten books in stock, from literature to crime and adventure, costing sixpence. The success of the Penguin Books attracted attention from other American publishers and by the early 1940s mass market paper backs were firmly on the American scene.
After World War II and up to the 1960s there was a boom in publication of mass market paperbacks through memberships and book clubs as well as through drugstores and newsstands. It also led to the first of the genre small scale enterprise, e.g. Dell and Bantam, with their emphasis on the manufacture of pocketbook romance, science fiction, mystery and the like.
What is Mass Market Paperback?
The original editions of the mass market paperbacks invariably had the stunning and provoking artwork on covers which acted as stimuli to buy the books. These paperbacks were successful because writers and illustrators were responsible for the cover art, trying to appeal to mass consumer as part of the sell. What it implied was that even obscure works can arouse curiosity amongst the readers while great known writers like Agatha Christie and Mickey Spillane wrote dozens of mass market paperbacks.
Od Gorgosaurus to Rigor Drama and the Paperbound Revolution: Assessing the knock-on Effect of Mass Market Paperbacks on Other literature and its readers
It must also be said that mass culture, the paperbacks so popular in the eighties and beyond are what made literature available to the general public. Their cheap nature ensure that individuals could have several books owned a factor that was preferred by book lovers and collectors. They played a major role in defining and popularizing the genre pulp fiction as the legitimate branch of literature and as the venue for assembling different potentially talented writers.
Moreover, paperback originals as well as mass market paperbacks have enriched the literary list by publishing, for instance mystery or sci-fi collection, by established writers. This has gotten readers to read more and peep into new genres, authors of choice, and that’s how readers were nurtured.
Conclusion
Mass market paperbacks thus held an important role in the formation of the world of literature and were a key by which many people have opened the book world. Consequently, the mass market paperbacks have not only broadened the readership for books but also providing the readers an chance to collect them and learn more. While the technologies have brought new forms of media to read literature, mass market paperbacks are a symbol of literature’s potential. It seems that they have not just survived in the field of the literary market but are the proof of irreplaceable role of reading and sharing books. You can contact us here.
