
Historical Note
The I, Libertine Hoax
In 1956, radio personality Jean Shepherd orchestrated one of the most audacious cons in publishing history. He instructed his late-night listeners to walk into bookshops and libraries and ask for a nonexistent book: I, Libertine by the equally nonexistent "Frederick R. Ewing." Demand reports from booksellers were enough to land it on regional bestseller lists — and eventually get it noticed by the NYT. Publisher Ian Ballantine called Shepherd's bluff and commissioned the book for real, hiring science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon to write it in a weekend. It was published later that year, making the hoax self-fulfilling.
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INSIDE AFRICA
by John Gunther · Harper and Brothers
In preparation for this book, the author traveled 40,000 miles visiting 105 different African localities and interviewing more than 1500 people. He explores Africa's history, and examines the future in the light of current social, economic and political conditions. He also presents many African leaders, such as Strijdom, Haile Selassie, Nasser, and Kenyatta.

THE EDGE OF THE SEA
by Rachel Carson · Houghton Mifflin
"The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place." A book to be read for pleasure as well as a practical identification guide, The Edge of the Sea introduces a world of teeming life where the sea meets the land. A new generation of readers is discovering why Rachel Carson's books have become cornerstones of the environmental and conservation movements. New introduction by Sue Hubbell. (A Mariner Reissue)


THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING
by Norman Vincent Peale · Prentice-Hall, Inc
This is a reprint of Norman Vincent Peale's classic self-help tract, read by millions in the last half century who were inspired by Peale's belief that faith in yourself makes good things happen to you. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.


THE FAMILY OF MAN
by Edward Steichen · Museum of Modern Art
Photo album on life from birth to death with emphasis on man to himself, his family, the community.


THE NEW YORKER 1950-1955 ALBUM
by New Yorker Magazine · Harper and Brothers
Selections from the magazine, and 40 of the covers in full color.


SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR
by Emily Kimbrough · Harper and Brothers
The comic adventures of Emily Kimbrough and several of her friends, during a reunion in New Orleans.

ELOISE
by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight · Simon & Schuster
When snow starts falling in New York City, Eloise skips breakfast to rush out to Central Park to build a snowman.
Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.