My Tussle with the Devil Advertisement
Dublin Core
Title
My Tussle with the Devil Advertisement
Subject
Advertisement in The Bookman Advertiser
Description
My Tussle with the Devil was not seen as a mainstream book, most likely due to its unusual genre and the amount of skeptics that did not believe it was written by the ghost of O. Henry. One advertisement, however, was found in The Bookman Advertiser, an illustrated magazine of literature and life. The advertisement encourages people to read the book by claiming it is "Literary Gems From 'Over There'". The paperback cost $1.50, according to the advertisement, and claimed to be "one of the most remarkable books yet published". This claim could be arguably untrue, as very few advertisements and reviews remain for this text. It could also have grown popular years after its initial release date, leaving original reviews as seemingly unimportant for historians.
On the same page as this advertisement are two other blocks information: one of them is an advertisement for a hotel in Boston, while the other is another book advertisement for a three volume set of political books. The advertisement for the Hotel states the name of the hotel, Hotel Puritan, the address, and where the hotel is in relation to shops and theaters and the train station. It also describes the atmosphere and the other attractions in the area.
The other advertisement takes up the entire other half of the page, describing each of the three books in the set and what they are about in terms of Foreign Policy, the United States and Germany, and diplomatic correspondence. This set of books is really interesting to see in relation to when My Tussle with the Devil was published, because it shows what was going on in the world during this time, as well as what people were interested in doing during their free time. It also shows how travel was marketed to people, in publications that were filled with advertisements for educated, middle class citizens. Many middle-class and educated citizens enjoyed leisurely reading when they were not at work, and those who were educated especially enjoyed reading things that could further their knowledge, such as a book about the afterlife and O. Henry's experience, or a book about the current state of foreign affairs. Books were also synonomous with traveling, as those who could afford to travel and relax often brought along books for both the journey and to read while relaxing once they reached their destination. This explains the included hotel advertisement and why it is placed amongst book advertisements.
It is so interesting to see a book about spirit writing and the attempted reincarnation of O. Henry's writing next to a book about foreign policy and an advertisement for a hotel in Boston. It shows the different markets that can appeal to the types of reader's of this publication.
On the same page as this advertisement are two other blocks information: one of them is an advertisement for a hotel in Boston, while the other is another book advertisement for a three volume set of political books. The advertisement for the Hotel states the name of the hotel, Hotel Puritan, the address, and where the hotel is in relation to shops and theaters and the train station. It also describes the atmosphere and the other attractions in the area.
The other advertisement takes up the entire other half of the page, describing each of the three books in the set and what they are about in terms of Foreign Policy, the United States and Germany, and diplomatic correspondence. This set of books is really interesting to see in relation to when My Tussle with the Devil was published, because it shows what was going on in the world during this time, as well as what people were interested in doing during their free time. It also shows how travel was marketed to people, in publications that were filled with advertisements for educated, middle class citizens. Many middle-class and educated citizens enjoyed leisurely reading when they were not at work, and those who were educated especially enjoyed reading things that could further their knowledge, such as a book about the afterlife and O. Henry's experience, or a book about the current state of foreign affairs. Books were also synonomous with traveling, as those who could afford to travel and relax often brought along books for both the journey and to read while relaxing once they reached their destination. This explains the included hotel advertisement and why it is placed amongst book advertisements.
It is so interesting to see a book about spirit writing and the attempted reincarnation of O. Henry's writing next to a book about foreign policy and an advertisement for a hotel in Boston. It shows the different markets that can appeal to the types of reader's of this publication.
Publisher
The Bookman Advertiser
Date
1918
Language
English
Type
Advertisement
Files
Citation
“My Tussle with the Devil Advertisement,” Manhattan College Omeka , accessed October 6, 2024, https://omeka-pilot.manhattan.edu/items/show/88.