Damn, Brainpickings always has the coolest book stuff! If you missed last week’s vintage library ads, go look at them now. And then come back. Right back. Because you need to look at these, too.
Brainpickings has collected images of the first ads for famous books, from The Great Gatsby to Slaughterhouse-Five to The Joy Of Sex.
One thing that strikes me about these ads is just how many WORDS there are. Book ads these days seem to consist of a pretty picture and a single praising pull quote, while these vintage ads include lengthy plot summaries and author bios.
Also, Truman Capote has a great seductive look and Toni Morrison has the best hair.
See more book ads here. All images come from Read Me: A Century of Classic American Book Advertisements via Brainpickings.
