Way back in 1935, Allen Lane of Bodley Head Publishers was waiting for a train on Exeter station. He wanted some reading material......to read on the train. His choice was limited to popular magazines and a few poorly published and equally poorly written paperbacks. This definite lack of quality literature in paperback set Lane thinking. He was sure there would be a market for paperbacks. Not too many could afford to buy hardcovers. Lane knew that well enough.
His wisdom and acumen in the publishing industry was evidently immense, because he founded a publishing house that brought out the best of literature.....thrillers, classics, historical masterpiece, poetry, autobiography, reference books, all the best novels. All in paperback. At an ever-so-reasonable price. He even had them colour coded to help readers distinguish the genre.
Lane had a vision......he was adamant his publishing house should produce books that sold from a railway station to a chain store, from a book-shop to a tobacconists. All should be priced reasonably. In his own words '...... no more than a packet of cigarettes'.
Well, Lane kept his word and readers over the world helped him. Today the company is one the the most recognised publisher.
From orange to yellow, to green, to purple, to blue....I was brought up on these books.. Nice soft, foldable books, that fitted in my blazer pocket, and went conveniently behind an atlas at Prep time.
Thank you Mr. Lane. Thank you Penguin Books.
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