Hardboiled America: The Lurid Years of Paperbacks by Geoffrey O’Brien

An excellent, highly regarded cultural and literary history of the American hardboiled detective novel and the history of mid-century mass-market paperbacks. It explores the connection between pulp art, cheap publishing, and classic noir authors like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Mickey Spillane.

Edition Details

• Format: Hardcover with Dust Jacket

• Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company

• Year: 1981 (First Edition)

• Edition Note: The front flap includes the original trade retail price of $16.95. The copyright page shows a full number line ending in 1 (16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1), confirming this as a First Printing of the First Edition.