Back in publishing school, I wrote a paper on Victorian yellow back books, cheaply-printed predecessors to the paperback that were available at railway stations (“One should always have something sensational to read on the train” after all.) Although many novels that would become classic came out in yellow back format, including some by Mark Twain and Robert Lewis Stevenson, many were basically what we’d call beach reading.
And, most importantly, they had the best titles EVER.
(These images come from the website of the Monash University Library)
I found my ancient yellow back post! How could I have forgotten The Man with a Thumb????