Awake to Darkness by Richard McMullen ~ Popular Library #212, 1947. Typical vintage American mass market paperback. 218 pages. 25¢ retail price (unpriced). Cover art by Rudolph Belarski. Rudolph Belarski (born 27 May 1900 in Dupont, Pennsylvania - died 24 December 1983) was a renowned artist of pulp magazine, paperback and men's adventure magazine covers.

Jud is seven when the story begins; he is killed by a shot in a joint when he picks a drunken quarrel with a soldier on the eve of his post-drafting leave. The years between recount the deterioration of a man -- poor white, from a Tobacco Road background, down in Georgia. It is not pleasant reading, Jud and his sister, Hope, get by on the thin edge of graft, chiseling, bumming, pimping, whoring; each has a glimmer of a better self-as when Jud actually marries Fortuna, who gave up everything she might have had for him, and when Hope tries to reestablish their marriage on some plane of responsibility, though marriage, she feels, isn't in her line (until gangsters beat her up for blocking their game). It is honest story telling- not a social document. Only implicit in the content is a charge to the society that allows such lives to be. The characters ring true- the dialogue and pace of story keep one reading -- the sum total marks a writer in the Faulkner tradition, worth watching. But it is not for the tender-skinned, the fastidious- not even for those who want pleasant entertainment.

Light wear, fine/very fine. Unbroken spine. A very nice copy. Previous book seller's price written in pencil on the inside. As always, grading of vintage paperbacks is subjective so check out my scan and be sure this copy would have a home in your collection before bidding or buying.

Vintage popular priced books, paperbacks and magazines are subject to aging of the cheap internal paper, weakness or drying of the spine glue resulting in occasional loose pages, rusting of staples, and loss of original lamination (particularly early Dells). Previous bookseller's prices written lightly inside are typical and not considered a defect. I do not consider names written or stamped inside the book/magazine to be a serious defect but I note them if they are present. I do consider tape of any kind to be a serious defect and will only offer items with tape defects if they are particularly scarce or desirable.