The Popular Magazine
Encyclopedia
The Popular Magazine was an early American literary magazine
that ran for 612 issues from November 1903 to October 1931. It featured short fiction, novellas, serialized larger works, and even entire short novels. The magazine's subject matter ranged over a number of genres, although it tended somewhat towards men's adventure stories, particularly in the waning years of the publication, when the vogue for hardboiled fiction
was strong. The Popular Magazine touted itself as "a magazine for men and women who like to read about men."
Initially started as a boy's magazine, the editorial focus was shifted after only three issues to one of adult mainstream fiction, a program the magazine would retain for the rest of its publication run. The magazine can be considered a forerunner of the pulp fiction magazines
that were prominent from the 1920s to 1950s, as it avoided more highbrow fare in favor of fiction "for the common man." Several issues of the Popular Magazine featured illustrations
by N.C. Wyeth.
One of the Popular Magazine's earliest successes came with the publication of H. Rider Haggard
's novel Ayesha
in 1905. Other notable writers published by the Popular Magazine include Morgan Robertson
, H.G. Wells, Rafael Sabatini
, Zane Grey
, Beatrice Grimshaw
, Elmer Brown Mason
, James Francis Dwyer and William Wallace Cook. The Popular Magazine published Craig Kennedy
stories by Arthur B. Reeve
,and other crime fiction by Frederick William Davis and Lemuel De Bra. The Popular
Magazine also carried many science fiction
and fantasy
stories by Edwin Balmer
, John Buchan, John Collier
, Roy Norton, Sax Rohmer
and Edgar Wallace
.
The magazine went through several slight name changes towards the end of its run. In December 1927, it became "Popular Stories", and then a month later, "The Popular." In October 1928, the name was changed back to "The Popular Magazine" once again.
The Popular Magazine was published by Street & Smith
and edited by Henry Harrison Lewis from 1903 to 1904, and Charles Agnew MacLean from 1904 to 1928. A typical bi-monthly issue usually ran from 194 to 224 pages.
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
that ran for 612 issues from November 1903 to October 1931. It featured short fiction, novellas, serialized larger works, and even entire short novels. The magazine's subject matter ranged over a number of genres, although it tended somewhat towards men's adventure stories, particularly in the waning years of the publication, when the vogue for hardboiled fiction
Hardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
was strong. The Popular Magazine touted itself as "a magazine for men and women who like to read about men."
Initially started as a boy's magazine, the editorial focus was shifted after only three issues to one of adult mainstream fiction, a program the magazine would retain for the rest of its publication run. The magazine can be considered a forerunner of the pulp fiction magazines
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
that were prominent from the 1920s to 1950s, as it avoided more highbrow fare in favor of fiction "for the common man." Several issues of the Popular Magazine featured illustrations
by N.C. Wyeth.
One of the Popular Magazine's earliest successes came with the publication of H. Rider Haggard
H. Rider Haggard
Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform around the British Empire...
's novel Ayesha
Ayesha (novel)
Ayesha, the Return of She is a gothic novel by the popular Victorian author H. Rider Haggard, published in 1905, as a sequel to his far more popular and well known novel, She...
in 1905. Other notable writers published by the Popular Magazine include Morgan Robertson
Morgan Robertson
Morgan Andrew Robertson was a well-known American author of short stories and novels, and the self-claimed inventor of the periscope.He is best known for his short novel Futility, first published in 1898...
, H.G. Wells, Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure.-Life:Rafael Sabatini was born in Iesi, Italy, to an English mother and Italian father...
, Zane Grey
Zane Grey
Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the Old West. Riders of the Purple Sage was his bestselling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence...
, Beatrice Grimshaw
Beatrice Grimshaw
Beatrice Grimshaw was a writer based in Papua New Guinea.She was born in Dunmurry, County Antrim, Ireland. She worked as a freelance journalist in Dublin from 1891-1903 before moving to Papua, where she was to remain for twenty-seven years, and a close friend of Sir Hubert Murray.In 1936, she...
, Elmer Brown Mason
Elmer Brown Mason
Elmer Brown Mason, graduated from Yale College in 1906, and became an entomologist for the now-defunct Bureau of Entomology in 1910. In addition, he was a seasoned world traveler. In 1915, his fantastic stories of scientists hunting rare species in the remote corners of the world started appearing...
, James Francis Dwyer and William Wallace Cook. The Popular Magazine published Craig Kennedy
Craig Kennedy
Professor Craig Kennedy is a character created by Arthur B. Reeve.Kennedy is a scientist detective at Columbia University similar to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Thorndyke...
stories by Arthur B. Reeve
Arthur B. Reeve
Arthur Benjamin Reeve was an American mystery writer. He is best known for creating the series character Professor Craig Kennedy, sometimes called "The American Sherlock Holmes," and his Dr Watson-like sidekick Walter Jameson, a newspaper reporter, in eighteen detective novels...
,and other crime fiction by Frederick William Davis and Lemuel De Bra. The Popular
Magazine also carried many science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
stories by Edwin Balmer
Edwin Balmer
Edwin Balmer was an American science fiction and mystery writer. He was born in Chicago to Helen Clark and Thomas Balmer. In 1909, he married Katharine MacHarg, sister of the writer William MacHarg. After her death, he married Grace A. Kee in 1927.He began as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune...
, John Buchan, John Collier
John Collier (writer)
John Henry Noyes Collier was a British-born author and screenplay writer best known for his short stories, many of which appeared in The New Yorker from the 1930s to the 1950s. They were collected in a 1951 volume, Fancies and Goodnights, which won the International Fantasy Award and remains in...
, Roy Norton, Sax Rohmer
Sax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...
and Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
.
The magazine went through several slight name changes towards the end of its run. In December 1927, it became "Popular Stories", and then a month later, "The Popular." In October 1928, the name was changed back to "The Popular Magazine" once again.
The Popular Magazine was published by Street & Smith
Street & Smith
Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction and dime novels. They also published comic books and sporting yearbooks...
and edited by Henry Harrison Lewis from 1903 to 1904, and Charles Agnew MacLean from 1904 to 1928. A typical bi-monthly issue usually ran from 194 to 224 pages.