small press:
Armed Services Editions

THE STORY GOES that, as part of the war effort of World War II (once the USA was in it), publishers might save the scraps of paper trimmed off regular editions to publish free books for the troops. These oddly shaped books (not really made from scrap paper, as there came to be millions of them printed) were shipped free to Europe and the Pacific. Most of wartime activity seemed to be sitting around — plus the publishing industry was getting great publicity for their authors courtesy of the military. The Armed Services Editions, as they were called, ran from 1942 to 1945, and are today quite scarce.



These presses each have their own webpage:

For other browsing, try these malls:
Histories & Mysteries, Savvy, College Editions, eCrater.com, Bonanzle, orBiblio.com.

Also, check my Bookaholic blog.

Links updated 7 July, 2010. If a link doesn't work, drop me a note.




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Copyright © 2010 Bandanna Books • Contact
Joe Mason photos: the Derby Square Bookshop in Salem, Massachusetts.

bookshelves

WW II THIS WEEK

LEAD UP TO WAR
Days of Wrath. Malraux
E. Roosevelt. Murder in the Map Room.
E. Roosevelt. Murder in the Rose Garden.
E. Roosevelt. Murder and the First Lady.
E. Roosevelt. Murder in the West Wing.
Civilization on Trial. Toynbee

PACIFIC THEATER
The Making of The Jewel in the Crown.

EUROPEAN THEATER
Leon Uris. Mila 18.
The Last 100 Days. War in Europe.
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WW II.
Russia at War 1941-45.
The Battle for Rome.
Bill Mauldin. Up Front.
Pocket Book of the War.
American Servicemen in Britain 1942.
Powstanie Warszawskie 1944. Warsaw Uprising
Psychology for the Fighting Man.

BACKGROUND
The Story Pocket Book.
The American Legion. 1919-1989.
4 Life Magazines 1944-1945

RADIO
Arch Oboler. 14 Radio Plays.
Arch Oboler. Ivory Tower and Other
Free World Theatre. 19 New Radio Plays. Oboler/Longstreet.
Radio's Best Plays
Cooke. Just Passing Through.
How to Write for Radio.

AFTERMATH
Michener. Return to Paradise.

ARMED SERVICE EDITIONS
Chesterton. The Man Who Was Thursday.
Isak Dinesen. 7 Gothic Tales.
Selected Poems of John Keats.
Sinclair Lewis. Babbitt.
John Philip Sousa III. My Family Right or Wrong.
Zweig. The Royal Game.

February 22,