The persecution and trials of the 50’s is a fascinating story in itself culminating as it did in the fake, arranged Lady Chatterley Trial that voiced the now notorious test of respectability “Would you let your servant read that” Granted the covers on these 60’s example are not a patch on the covers Reginald Head was driven out of the country for painting. Today the vast majority of people will not even have heard of Hank Janson but the number of books he sold in the 50’s and 60’s far outstrips the number sold by Booker Prize winners, yet the “inteligencia” look down their privileged noses at “Popular fiction” or in this case “Hard Boiled Fiction”. Stock Prices do not include postage – also not stock checked recently. The list below have been stock checked this year, so theoretically I know where they are All of these “facts” may not be true as I am relying on my memory, though I am sure I have a full account of the trials and tribulations somewhere in the shop. The persecution he faced in the UK that saw him move to Spain to avoid arrest, Reginald Head (the illustrator of many Hank Janson titles) changing his name to Cy Webb and the publishers ending up in jail. I am posting this text from home and have been more than surprised about how little Google or Wikipedia have on this author, not only because he was so prolific, but also the pivotal roll he had in the UK censorship fiasco that culminated in the stage managed Lady Chatterley Show Trial.
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