A Brief History of the Paperback – And Why Some Fought Against It

Today, paperbacks are everywhere—from bestseller tables in train stations to the beach reads in your bag. But this humble format wasn’t always the staple of everyday reading it is now. In fact, its rise in the early 20th century was met with fierce opposition from publishers, authors, and cultural gatekeepers who saw it as a threat to the literary world’s integrity. Let’s take a look at how the paperback came to be—and why not everyone was thrilled about it.

From Pulp to Popular

The concept of cheap, portable books dates back to the 19th century, when publishers like Penguin’s predecessor Tauchnitz printed affordable English-language editions for travellers in continental Europe. But the true paperback revolution began in 1935 when Sir Allen Lane founded Penguin Books in the UK. Frustrated by the lack of affordable literature during a trip to Exeter station, Lane envisioned a line of high-quality fiction and non-fiction sold at the price of a pack of cigarettes—sixpence at the time.

Penguin’s first ten titles included works by Ernest Hemingway and Agatha Christie. Printed in bold, colour-coded covers, these books made literature accessible to the masses, not just the well-heeled elite. Paperbacks quickly gained popularity, especially during World War II when lightweight, cheap books became essential for troops seeking distraction and comfort.

A Literary Class Divide

Despite their success with the public, paperbacks provoked discomfort within the publishing industry and literary circles. Many saw the format as vulgar—an affront to the elegance and permanence of the hardback. Established publishers worried about profit margins and feared that cheap books would undermine the prestige of their titles.

Authors, too, were divided. Virginia Woolf, writing in the 1930s, dismissed mass-market books as lacking “sacred” value. She feared the rise of paperbacks would trivialise serious literature, making it indistinguishable from throwaway entertainment. Others, like George Orwell, were more measured. While he supported accessible reading, he expressed concern that paperbacks might encourage a flood of low-quality writing, further complicating the public’s ability to discern literary merit.

Booksellers and libraries also protested. Many independent bookshops felt that selling paperbacks at newsagents and railway stations devalued the book-buying experience. Libraries were slow to stock them, believing they were too flimsy and transient for their collections.

Resistance Fades, Innovation Grows

Over time, however, dissent faded as it became clear that paperbacks were not replacing hardbacks, but complementing them. They offered readers choice and accessibility, especially for students and working-class readers. In fact, paperbacks helped fuel literary education in post-war Britain, democratising reading in a way hardbacks never could.

By the 1960s, even the critics had to admit their cultural value. The rise of paperback originals, the expansion of imprints like Penguin Modern Classics, and the explosion of genre fiction all cemented the paperback’s place in literary history.

Today, the paperback is a symbol of literary accessibility and resilience. And although it once sparked fierce debate, its legacy is now largely one of inclusion, innovation, and the power of the printed word for all.