The Press: The First 300 Million

Few publishers have been as prolific as E. (for Emanuel) Haldeman-Julius. In 30 years he has sold more than 300 million of his world-famed Little Blue Books, whose 2,000 volumes range from the Bible, Shakespeare and Aristotle to socialism, psychoanalysis and sex. Haldeman-Julius, an agnostic, has infuriated clergymen and delighted village atheists, but he has probably helped to open as many curious minds as he has helped to frazzle unstable ones. Last week, in the biggest sale of his career, he slashed his famed Little Blue Books from 10¢ to 6¢, in an attempt to unload his ten-million-volume inventory.

Hard pressed by...