Thursday, January 24, 2013

Paperback 596: A Handy Illustrated Guide to Basketball / ed. Sam Nisenson (Perma Books 47)

Paperback 596: Perma Books P47 (1st ptg, 1949)

Title: A Handy Illustrated Guide to Basketball
Edited by: Sam Nisenson
Cover artist: Uncredited [Really!?!? it's an "illustrated" guide and the illustrator gets no credit? Come on...]

Yours for: $7

Perma47

Best things about this cover:

  • This is from that weird phase in Perma's history where they were releasing paperbacks in hardback form. Paperback-sized, but with stiff boards.
  • I like how "spectators" and "fans" are different entities. Like there's this class of watcher out there who's like "I'm gonna watch this sport I don't like."
  • Would've been inconvenient to buy paperbacks in Canada. 39 cents!? Just make it 40. Don't make me carry a penny or a loonie or nuknuk or whatever they call their currency around.

Perma47bc

Best things about this back cover:

  • Mmmm, scintillating description of the object I'm holding in my hand. Tell me more about the "wear-resistant finish"...
  • This back cover copy has me wondering about the meaning of the word "permanent."
  • "Books to Keep"—because their earlier motto, "Books to Burn," proved disappointing, sales- (and lawsuit-) wise.

Hell yeah ILLUSTRATIONS

Perma47Int1
[If you want to play basketball, the first thing you should know is: middle-aged men *will* want to rassle you.]


Perma47Int2
[Pretend the basketball is your penis, stick out your weird man-breasts, and then ... sure, yeah, great, do that]


Perma47Int3
[Use the basketball as a conduit for your psychic powers]


Perma47Int4
[This is how you show another player you like him]

Page 123~

The ball becomes alive, or goes into play, when it leaves the hand of an official on a toss for a jump ball, or is placed at the disposal of a free thrower, or when it touches a player in the court after a throw-in from out of bounds. 
The ball becomes alive! Now that would add an interesting twist to the game. "Ouch! It bit me! Hey, ref ..."

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

2 comments:

Karl said...

I own one of those hardcover Permabooks; a lovely 1950 science fiction anthology. [Sniffs] Mmmm... old paper...

I'm no basketball player, but I sure wonder what's happening on page 23. "If you find yourself tripping over your own shadow, don't panic. Just make a wild underhand throw at the basket that's 90 feet away and then continue with your face-plant."

Rick said...

In 1949 TV had little national impact: "spectators" would be people who actually attended games; "fans" would be people who followed their teams in newspapers and/or on radio broadcasts.