I’ve subtitled this article “How The Great Depression Influenced the Pulps” because I believe that when society is truly down there are still bright sparks who transcend what’s happening around them and create anyway. There seems a parallel in today’s society. Those who can still create after two and a half Covid years, a war, and (in the U.S.) madly rising costs of food and fuel, as well as other shortages…well, then you’re doing okay.
I had the idea for this article quite a few months ago, noting that the famous song, “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” (1932), came out at about the same time as the First Fans of pulpdom/science fiction were collaborating on fascinating projects such as Cosmos in 1933-4. These ambitious creatives shine brightly to us, even today. I think humanity needs bright lights in times of darkness. To help us find our way and to show us that the dark can never completely snuff out the light.
The article starts this way– “Did you know that the “American Dream” began in 1931? The idea was older than that, of course, but the form in which we think of it today comes from a book entitled, The Epic of America by James Truslow Adams. He wrote the book during the depths of the Great Depression when people needed a reminder of what America was all about….” CONTINUE READING HERE.
P.S. The art used for my cover meme is by Hugh Joseph Ward.
