My next reading in Angelique, which came out in the 1960s. Nearly every edition shows the heroine falling out of her dress in a most scandalous fashion, so I’m expecting her to have a lot in common with Amber St. Claire. It has also inspired me to go looking for pulp covers for classic romances from earlier on my syllabus. Some haven’t received the pulp treatment, but still had some lovely mid-century artistic covers that, if they don’t exactly evoke the historical era of the story, will still take you back in time.
Pamela, by Samuel Richardson
Pamela is apparently too straight-laced to have ever appeared in sexy dishabille, but I quite like this vintage cover of Richardson’s novel.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
I found this cover amongst a NY Times slideshow of “200 Years of Pride and Prejudice.” I had no idea Lizzie was a sexy redhead, and from Darcy’s expression, neither did he.
I also found this Campus Classics edition. It’s so elegant! I like it even though I don’t think it fits the story at all. I think it would work really well for Jane Eyre, though.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
Among the plethora of artistic treatments for Charlotte Bronte’s novel, I found this great pulp take of Rochester considering the flames.
Here’s a more Serious Literature cover. What is Jane even wearing? The artist took the idea of an “enveloping cape” very literally.
To Have and to Hold, by Mary Johnston
This is exactly the sort of treatment I was hoping to find! Total pulp. I think Mary Johnston would have been shocked to see her very honorable characters in this representation. Shirtless Captain Percy! Oh my.
I can’t resist sharing this cover too, though it’s obviously older. Maybe even to one of the earliest editions of the novel, as the cataloging information says the artist, Howard Pyle, died in 1911. Look at this art nouveau swashbuckling and the gorgeous typography!
A Room With A View, by E.M. Forster
Somehow, no one has ever put out an edition of the book showing the famous kiss amongst the flowers. It’s all either the actual view, or modern editions using repurposed paintings. Missed opportunities!
Still no kiss.
The Sheik, E.M. Hull
Over a million copies sold! Better get your copy off that grocery store rack pronto.
In my searching, I learned that several of Hull’s novels were included in Barbara Cartland’s Library of Love. I do wonder what Cartland cut out of the story as she condensed it…
That’s all the titles from my Romantic Precursors unit. Next week I’ll share the covers I found for the books in the Mid-Century Love Stories unit.
