# Gimmick Books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [November 1, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167 "2022-11-01T19:56:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/1 "2022-11-01T19:56:02Z")
Book publishers are constantly bedeviled by the need to make their books stand out from the piles of others issued every year. Every once in a while they’ll come up with ways to make them distinctive that I call gimmick books. I don’t collect them specifically, but sometimes I’ll pick them up just for fun. A couple of examples. Frank Scully was a popular entertainment columnist in the 1930s who had tuberculous and a dozen other ailments than made him spend years in hospitals and sanatoriums. That was incredibly tedious in the days before portable entertainment so he edited an anthology of jokes, cartoons, humor, games, and puzzles to while away the time. _Fun in Bed: A Convalescent’s Handbook_ went into untold printings and spawned many sequels and imitators. So many that at some point Simon & Schuster thought it worth the money to bind a pencil to the boards. They glued on a small flap to hold the pencil that would stick through the dust jacket. Click on [view larger image](https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/fun-bed-convalescents-handbook-Frank-Scully/31243873789/bd#&gid=1&pid=2) to see some. In the 1960s, New American Library came up with the idea of “Greeting Card Books.” These were paperbacks with an extra flap attached to the back cover. You tucked the entended flap under the front card and the block turned into a parcel for sending through the mail. Click on [See all 2 images](https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Other-Tales-Ternary-greeting/dp/B0007I7DNW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21E7SGN015XE8&keywords=%22Greeting+Card+Book%22+new+american+library&qid=1667331337&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjAyIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=books&sprefix=greeting+card+book+new+american+library%2Cstripbooks%2C133&sr=1-1) for an example. [People really did send them](https://www.amazon.com/Greeting-Card-Book-Someone-Wonderful/dp/B009GILWIQ) but got the postage wrong, which probably doomed the project. Anybody else have favorites of gimmicks? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/2 "2022-11-01T20:03:30Z")
Not exactly the same thing, but I have a copy of _Golfing for Cats_ with a big swastika on the cover. It’s a collection of essays by humorist Alan Coren (father of Victoria). The forward explains that the three most popular subjects for books were golf, cats, and Nazi Germany, and the cover was chosen to boost sales. It was almost titled _The Golfing Cats Book of World Records_. I doubt any of that is literally true. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/3 "2022-11-01T20:06:48Z")
I have no idea what the title was but I recall having a thick paperback of limericks, jokes, humorous short stories ( e.g.: _H \* Y \* M \* A \* N K \* A \* P \* L \* A \* N_), etc. which had [flip art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_book) in the corners. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/4 "2022-11-01T20:16:50Z")
I had a Stephen King “book” for a while that was _très_ bizarre: they took one of his short stories – _My Pretty Pony_ – and morphed it into some weird coffee table book. I could spend all week trying to describe it; [this](https://www.rareantiquarianbooks.com/pages/books/2205040/stephen-barbara-kruger-king/my-pretty-pony) will give you a better slant. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/5 "2022-11-01T20:45:02Z")
I have a trilogy of novels from the early '90s (_Griffin and Sabine_, _Sabine’s Notebook_, and _The Golden Mean_), which are written as a series of mail correspondences between the two title characters. The letters and postcards between the two of them are presented as actual items: the “front” of the postcard or letter is shown on the right-hand page, and the content of the postcard/letter is then on the following left-hand page – for the letters, the left-hand page contains an actual envelope glued to the page, with a separate piece of paper, illustrating the “letter,” within the envelope. It’s beautifully art-directed, and was undoubtedly not a cheap set of books to make. (Wikipedia tells me that there is a second trilogy, of which I was unaware until now.) A couple of example pictures from the books: [![](https://gatheringbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/griffin.jpg?w=1200) ](https://gatheringbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/griffin.jpg?w=1200) [![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2840/3252/products/ScreenShot2021-01-25at1.28.12PM_2400x.png?v=1611599427) ](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2840/3252/products/ScreenShot2021-01-25at1.28.12PM_2400x.png?v=1611599427) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/6 "2022-11-01T20:56:51Z")
When I was a kid I bought a book titled _Take This Book, Please_ which is - you guessed it - a Henny Youngman joke book. But only the first half. The second half was “hollowed out” and there was a green insert in it to hold secret stuff. It was made of molded plastic with a lid and everything. I always assumed this was mass-marketed but as far as I can tell, it isn’t. I mean, I thought the title was pretty funny for a book that potentially stored secret, expensive stuff! I don’t remember where I bought the book but I think it was at a real brick-and-mortar shop, not a garage sale. Anyway, that’s my story. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/7 "2022-11-01T21:10:12Z")
I don’t think this ever really happened, but, who knows? [http://www.coffeetablebookofcoffeetables.com/#features](http://www.coffeetablebookofcoffeetables.com/#features) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/8 "2022-11-01T21:11:22Z")
Kramer, is that _you_? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/9 "2022-11-01T21:14:03Z")
First thing that comes to mind is Mike Wilks’ [The Ultimate Alphabet](http://www.codex99.com/illustration/56.html) It was a book consisting of paintings full of things for each letter of the alphabet. There was a workbook included that had a check list of things in the paintings (and things NOT in the paintings as well). You checked off all the items you thought were in each painting and mailed it in. There was a point system for right and wrong answers and the person with the highest score won $15,000 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/10 "2022-11-01T21:19:26Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > You checked off all the items you thought were in each painting and mailed it in. There was a point system for right and wrong answers and the person with the highest score won $15,000 This reminded me of _[The Secret](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_(treasure_hunt))_, a puzzle book from 1982, which featured twelve poems, each with an accompanying, elaborate illustration. Each poem/painting combination provided clues to locations where the author had hidden “treasure boxes” – anyone who found a box could exchange it for a precious gem. Only three of the twelve boxes have ever been found; the author is now dead (and apparently did not leave notes as to the actual locations), so it’s an open question as to how many of the remaining nine may ever be found. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/11 "2022-11-01T21:31:03Z")
Probably taped to those cases of Canadian Club that are still at large! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/12 "2022-11-01T21:57:17Z")
Speaking of puzzle books in which the book is the puzzle, there’s this from '85: > **[MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAZE:_Solve_the_World%27s_Most_Challenging_Puzzle)** > > MAZE: Solve the World's Most Challenging Puzzle (1985, Henry Holt and Company) is a puzzle book written and illustrated by Christopher Manson. The book was originally published as part of a contest to win $10,000. > Unlike other puzzle books, each page is involved in solving the book's riddle. Specifically, each page represents a room or space in a hypothetical house, and each room leads to other "rooms" in this "house." Part of the puzzle involves reaching the center of the house, Room #45 (which... I gave a copy to one of my sisters for Christmas in '86. I see three people solved the maze in '87. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/13 "2022-11-01T22:05:17Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Only three of the twelve boxes have ever been found; the author is now dead (and apparently did not leave notes as to the actual locations), so it’s an open question as to how many of the remaining nine may ever be found. Or even exist. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/14 "2022-11-01T22:06:24Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I have a trilogy of novels from the early '90s (_Griffin and Sabine_, _Sabine’s Notebook_, and _The Golden Mean_), which are written as a series of mail correspondences between the two title characters. We still have those! > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > This reminded me of _[The Secret](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_(treasure_hunt))_, a puzzle book from 1982, which featured twelve poems, each with an accompanying, elaborate illustration. Each poem/painting combination provided clues to locations where the author had hidden “treasure boxes” – anyone who found a box could exchange it for a precious gem. This reminded me of [Cain’s Jawbone](https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/murder-he-shuffled-how-the-world-s-most-difficult-puzzle-went-viral-1.4752244), a 1934 six-murder mystery that consists of a bunch of pages that need to be pulled out of the book and assembled in a certain order. It’s actually been solved, but there’s still money to be made. we have a copy of it and I’ve made some progress, but we’re definitely not going to finish it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/15 "2022-11-01T22:57:42Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I have a trilogy of novels from the early '90s (_Griffin and Sabine_, _Sabine’s Notebook_, and _The Golden Mean_), which are written as a series of mail correspondences between the two title characters. > > The letters and postcards between the two of them are presented as actual items Just want to applaud, and say that this doesn’t feel gimmicky. Partly because the feature of having actual postcards and envelopes in the book matches the content (even the stamps… Sabine’s job is designing and painting postage stamps for the small tropical island nation where she lives). And because the books are so well-written. The characters, the plot, the twists are all first rate. I’d love these books even if they were just normal ink on normal pages. (Note to self: I have GOT to keep scouring used bookstores and find some more of these… I keep giving mine away!) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/16 "2022-11-02T00:28:47Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I had a Stephen King “book” for a while that was _très_ bizarre: they took one of his short stories – _My Pretty Pony_ – and morphed it into some weird coffee table book. I could spend all week trying to describe it; [this](https://www.rareantiquarianbooks.com/pages/books/2205040/stephen-barbara-kruger-king/my-pretty-pony) will give you a better slant. Barbara Kruger is an artist. Her style is graphic lettering on monochromatic photographs. I hadn’t seen this book, but a lot of her art has social commentary. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/17 "2022-11-02T00:45:19Z")
I used to subscribe to _McSweeney’s Quarterly_. Each issue came in a different, high-quality format; a hard bound collection of graphic novels, a book of short stories, other things I don’t remember that were pretty straightforward. My favorite was the issue that came as a [rubber-banded stack of junk mail](https://www.amazon.com/McSweeneys-Issue-17-Quarterly-Concern/dp/1932416315). The advertising circular from a company advertising a [sale on plural clothing](http://relationalprosthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/pantalaine-provisioners-of-americas.html) (clothing meant to be worn by more than one person at a time) still kills me every time I run across it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/18 "2022-11-02T00:48:19Z")
I think I still have the _Dunesbury_ collection that came with an Uncle Duke action figure. > **["Action Figure" from the collection of The Doonesbury Collector (Nothing is...](https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/the-doonesbury-collector/artwork/action-figure)** > > "Action Figure" from the collection of The Doonesbury Collector (Nothing is For Sale) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/19 "2022-11-02T00:49:46Z")
_Pat the Bunny_ was extremely successful, selling over 6 million copies since it came out in 1940. It is a children’s book where they can interact with various object – putting their finger in a ring, playing peekaboo with their image and, of course, patting a bunny. There were three sequels – _Pat the Cat, Pat the Puppy_, and _Pat the Pony_ with similar activities. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2022, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167/20 "2022-11-02T01:00:58Z")
So many animals all named Patrick. Weird. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gimmick-books/974167.md?page=2)