Reviews

Dope Menace: The Sensational World of Drug Paperbacks, 1900-1975 by Stephen J. Gertz, Ann Nocenti

bent's review against another edition

3.0

A nice selection of book covers. The essay is short (60 pages of the 250, and those interrupted by lots of pictures), and then there are tons of pictures of books. The essay does a competent job, not a lot of insight but does put things into perspective. I did find it interesting to see the later book covers using photos. Get it to see the old covers. Gertz writes just enough to give you a background. I would have like a little more, especially on the whole beatnik/jazz/drugs combination, but alas, there's nothing there.

manwithanagenda's review against another edition

2.0

Focusing on a whole sub-genre of pulp paperbacks that I didn't even know existed, 'Dope Menace' doesn't quite deliver the range in time (1900-1975) it promises, but still has enough in it to while away an afternoon.