STARRED REVIEW

Pulp Writer: Twenty Years in the American Grub Street
by Paul S. Powers, edited by Laurie Powers

“This is a real gem. . . . [A] lively, outspoken, hugely entertaining chronicle. . . . Although the memoir was written more than half a century ago, much of what Powers says about getting started in the publishing game still holds. In addition, editor Laurie’s introduction offers a concise and informative history of the pulp era. . . . [R]ecommended enthusiastically to writers of all stripes and to anyone interested in the history of pulp publishing.”—Booklist

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More praise for Pulp Writer:

“[Powers] provides a lively chronicle of working during the 1930s and ’40s, the years many fans consider the golden era of pulp fiction. . . . Powers may not have been a great prose stylist, but he could spin a lively, readable yarn—as this long-neglected autobiography attests.”— Charles Solomon, Los Angeles Times Book Review

“This work is a treasure for pulp fans, and a fine introduction for those looking to learn more about an underappreciated American art form.” —Publishers Weekly Web-Exclusive

“If you are a fan of the exploits of Sonny Tabor and Kid Wolf from the pages of Street & Smith’s pulp Wild West Weekly, this is the book for you. . . . Writing talent was not limited to Paul S. Powers’ generation. In this collaboration with her grandfather Laurie Powers has produced an engaging account of the work of this pulp writer that belongs on the shelf of every pulp enthusiast and student of popular culture.”—J. Randolph Cox, Dime Novel Roundup

“Paul Powers’ autobiography disappeared into a closet for 40 years until his enterprising granddaughter found it, annotated it and unveiled its extraordinary account of a writing life at the lower end of the critical spectrum.”—J. C. Martin, Arizona Daily Star, 2007 Southwest Books of the Year Special Feature

“[Powers] penned this intriguing biography 40 years ago, but it remained unpublished until his granddaughter unearthed it in a closet and brought it to light, with her own biographical commentaries and research on the pulp fiction phenomenon. This is an extraordinary story.”—Margaret Guerrero, Southwest Books of the Year