This post is part of an ongoing series featuring items recently cataloged from the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Collection.
“Here, in this taut, fact-crammed volume, you’ll be taken into the fifteen most infamous vice centers of the entire hemisphere, you’ll see for yourself how crime flourishes within each city.” America’s cities of sin is an anthology of articles from popular 1940s and 50s magazines targeted for men. It is a fascinating look at public sentiments of the time regarding drugs and sex. The text of the articles is taken without abridgment from the serial publications of Male, Stag, and Eye. The editor, Noah Sarlat, states that these three magazines turned the spotlight onAmerican sins including crime, prostitution, gambling, and drugs by writing exposes that informed the public.
Hooked is another anthology that takes articles exclusively dealing with drugs from Challenge for Men Magazine and Man’s Magazine. Editor Phil Hirsch compiled a number of articles with extremely sensational titles such as
“I Peddled Dope for Houston’s Cops!”
“Pep Pill Junkie” and
“$500 a day Habit.” If you have been reading these posts regularly it may not surprise you to learn that we have already processed a few of the original issues of Man’s Magazine which can be found in Hollis+. The covers of all of these publications are designed to snag the viewer with pulpy images which are accompanied by incendiary statements about sex, drugs, and death.
These delightfully lurid and sensational covers are not all that different from popular tabloid journalism of today. The following titles can be found in Widener’s collection:
America’s cities of sin / selected and with an introduction by Noah Sarlat. New York : Lion Books, 1951
Hooked / compiled by Phil Hirsch. New York, Pyramid Books [1968]
Man’s magazine. New York : Almat Publishing Corp., 1962-
Thanks to Alison Harris, Santo Domingo Project Manager for contributing this post.