Rare Dr. Seuss

Okay, let’s just get right past the fact that the title of this book, THE POCKET BOOK OF BONERS, makes it sound like something you’d get at the Hustler store. This is actually--and they really were counting in those days--, the 110th mass market paperback ever published. LOST HORIZON, still in print, rightfully touts itself as first on covers even today. This book is numbered as 110 and an inside checklist of all paperbacks to date (date being 1941) confirms it.

That said, BONERS is really a compilation of 4 books originally published in 1931 and 1932, and compiled in hardback in 1936. The content consists of the usual flubs and fluffs that cartoonist Jerry Robinson later milked for many years as a panel cartoon. The real selling point here is Dr. Seuss-pre Cat, pre-Grinch, pre-Horton, pre-just about anything! A dozen or so marvelous, early Seuss illustrations highlight the book and I’ve chosen three to highlight here today. Enjoy!
Oh, and if you're new around here, way back in our first week, we presented the story of what is possibly Dr. Seuss's final autograph, seen here. Check the archives for August to get the scoop!