Little Blue Book #408. Introduction to Einstein.

[William Palmer]

 

Colleagues,

 

I am writing about William Franklyn Hudgings who was one of Emanuel Haldeman Julius’s writers. Yes, an eccentric character and an odd choice in some respects!

 

The first questions are about the Little Blue Book #408. Introduction to Einstein.

This started as an LBB in the the Ten cent pocket series. It continued to be in print until the Girard plant was burnt down?

1. Does it exist in either the Five cent pocket series or the pocket series or indeed what variations are there ?
2. My records have it with titles (a) An Introduction to Einstein's Theory of Relativity and (b) Einstein and universal relativity. Can anyone send me copies of covers as e-mail attachments or online please of  (b) or other title variations?
3. “The change was not as drastic as you might think − the new listing was Einstein's Theory of Relativity Explained which sold 42,000 copies in 1927. The thing, Relativity, is of more interest than the man, Einstein.” (Haldeman-Julius, The first hundred million, 1928, p. 176). Interesting except I have never seen a copy of Einstein's Theory of Relativity Explained. EHJ does not seem to know his own titles, but perhaps did not trouble him unduly.
4. BTW talking of numbers of copies sold, would anyone like to estimate the numbers of copies of LBB#408 sold over the 50+ years of its lifetime.
5. Hudgings published an Arrow Books hardback edition of his Einstein book Introduction to Einstein and universal relativity in 1922. My copy seems identical to the LBB. Does anyone KNOW how EHJ and Hudgings originally came into contact and what deal was struck?? I have several theories, but no definite proof. EHJ never mentions Hudgings and he never ?? appears in any EHJ magazines etc??
6. I may have more questions later, but would you like to say how well you think Hudgings explains relativity given it is explained in a very short book??

 

Regards

 

Bil

[Jake]

Bill,

According to my records #408 came out in 2 editions - ie. same
book but a significant resetting of type. The first edition came out
in 4 different wrappers - Ten Cent w/2 ads, Ten cent with 3 ads, LBB
small number, and LBB with the standard large number. So, I don't
think it was ever printed with a 5 cent or PS wrapper

The second edition come out in at least 14 different wrappers. The
earliest was a standard blue. Two wrappers are post 1951.

Jake

On May 31, 1:12 am, William Palmer <william.palmer9...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Colleagues,
>
> I am writing about William Franklyn Hudgings who was one of Emanuel Haldeman
> Julius's writers. Yes, an eccentric character and an odd choice in some
> respects!
>

> The first questions are about the *Little Blue Book* #408. *Introduction to
> Einstein.*

>
> This started as an LBB in the the Ten cent pocket series. It continued to be
> in print until the Girard plant was burnt down?
>

>    1. Does it exist in either the Five cent pocket series or the pocket

>    series or indeed what variations are there ?

>    2. My records have it with titles (a) *An Introduction to Einstein's
>    Theory of Relativity* and (b) *Einstein and universal relativity. *Can

>    anyone send me copies of covers as e-mail attachments or online please of
>    (b) or other title variations?

>    3. "The change was not as drastic as you might think - the new listing
>    was *Einstein's Theory of Relativity Explained *which sold 42,000 copies

>    in 1927. The thing, Relativity, is of more interest than the man, Einstein."

>    (Haldeman-Julius, *The first hundred million*, 1928, p. 176). Interesting
>    except I have never seen a copy of *Einstein's Theory of Relativity
>    Explained. *EHJ does not seem to know his own titles, but perhaps did not
>    trouble him unduly.
>    4. BTW talking of numbers of copies sold, would anyone like to estimate

>    the numbers of copies of LBB#408 sold over the 50+ years of its lifetime.

>    5. Hudgings published an Arrow Books hardback edition of his Einstein
>    book *Introduction to Einstein and universal relativity* in 1922. My copy

>    seems identical to the LBB. Does anyone KNOW how EHJ and Hudgings originally
>    came into contact and what deal was struck?? I have several theories, but no
>    definite proof. EHJ never mentions Hudgings and he never ?? appears in any
>    EHJ magazines etc??

>    6. I may have more questions later, but would you like to say how well

[William Palmer]

Jake,

Thank you for that information. Any views on any of the other questions??

Bill