The Most Outrageous

Okay, this is obviously a very opinionated page, but here are some of what I consider to be the most outrageous titles, covers, copywriting (a book's "advertising" comments about itself), pseudonyms, subject matter, and more.

I would separate these into two categories: books that are outrageous because they were INTENDED to be, and those that just sort of wound up being that way. In the first case, most of the books are adult-oriented spoofs. I enjoy the second type the most, but of course, they're fewer and farther between.

If you'd like to nominate a vintage paperback for this page, email me. Please include a scan if the book isn't already in the BookScans Database.

I'll be adding to this section in other "Updates."

Outrageous Titles

       Ember 367              Late-Hour 756             Pleasure Reader 148

Ace D-579                               Uni 43                                Dell 259    

Outrageous Covers

Companion 544         Late-Hour 750           Manor 15190

                                                                           (courtesy of Tom Daniels)

  Sundown 540                    Late-Hour 743

Smoke 'Em if 'Ya Got 'Em!

       WNC 59                          Pocket Book 943

(Don't stop rolling a cigarette just because you're in the middle of a gunfight!)

(And, what's the first thing YOU would do on another planet?)

Worst Use of Perspective by a Cover Artist

Graphic 113

Outrageous Subjects

Late-Hour 824          Holloway House 126

Outrageous Pseudonyms

Greenleaf Classic NS514

Outrageous Copywriting

               (Look it up.)                       Nightstand 1833           

Novel Book 7N725 back cover                                                     

  One of the possible urban legends surrounding Greenleaf is the concept that the publishers often wrote the copywriting first, then contracted an author to write a novel to "fit" it. Innuendo was the name of the game.

 Bantam 93 inside cover

  Most of the first hundred Bantams sported inside-cover art.