Ricky Grove
@rickygrove.bsky.social
I am a retired bookseller who loves reading, cooking, and petting my kitties, Pinky and Henrietta. I also produce a podcast, The Paperback Show. (paperbackshow.com).
Two completely different cover designs for paperback editions of Faulkner's Go Down, Moses.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
A Tale of Two Covers
Exploring Meaning in Two Different Cover Designs for Faulkner's "Go Down, Moses"
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Two completely different cover designs for paperback editions of Faulkner's Go Down, Moses.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
A remarkable true crime book by Caroline Fraser that reframes the serial killer plague of the 1980s. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/murderland...
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
A remarkable true crime book by Caroline Fraser that reframes the serial killer plague of the 1980s. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/murderland...
Cover of the Week features work by illustrator Earl Mayan.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Cover of the Week: Lone Hand by Evan Evans (Max Brand)
Classic western-themed cover design
open.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Cover of the Week features work by illustrator Earl Mayan.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
New Paperback Show "Book to Movie" podcast covers Ira Levin's novel, Rosemary's Baby, and its 1968 movie adaptation by Roman Polanski. Special guest host: Matt Kelland.
paperbackshow.com/ep-27-book-t...
paperbackshow.com/ep-27-book-t...
September 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
New Paperback Show "Book to Movie" podcast covers Ira Levin's novel, Rosemary's Baby, and its 1968 movie adaptation by Roman Polanski. Special guest host: Matt Kelland.
paperbackshow.com/ep-27-book-t...
paperbackshow.com/ep-27-book-t...
Beware Demonic Pets – The Disrespectful Summons
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
Beware Demonic Pets – The Disrespectful Summons
Horror Moments, Edward Gorey Edition
open.substack.com
September 11, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Beware Demonic Pets – The Disrespectful Summons
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
Review of Charles Simic's short book on the artist Joseph Cornell. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
September 8, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Review of Charles Simic's short book on the artist Joseph Cornell. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Avon Bard paperbacks introduced Latin American Literature to the English speaking world.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Avon Bard Paperbacks and Latin American Fiction
The democratization of Spanish Literature in translation
open.substack.com
August 30, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Avon Bard paperbacks introduced Latin American Literature to the English speaking world.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
The Demon that Kicks Men in the Balls
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
The Demon that Kicks Men in the Balls
And how to stop him kicking you.
open.substack.com
August 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The Demon that Kicks Men in the Balls
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
open.substack.com/pub/rebekahk...
New cover of the week for Bonibooks (1931). Paul Morand's masterpiece short story collection is told like jazz and set in the aftermath of WWI. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
August 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
New cover of the week for Bonibooks (1931). Paul Morand's masterpiece short story collection is told like jazz and set in the aftermath of WWI. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Review of Joe Abercrombie's new grimdark fantasy, The Devils.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Review of a subversive, witty Fantasy Novel by a master of the genre
open.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Review of Joe Abercrombie's new grimdark fantasy, The Devils.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Review of John Hersey's Hiroshima and Annie Jacobson's Nuclear War: A scenario.
paperbackshow.substack.com/p/john-herse...
paperbackshow.substack.com/p/john-herse...
John Hersey's Hiroshima and Nuclear War: A Scenario
Nuclear war could destroy us as a species. Here's how it might happen.
paperbackshow.substack.com
August 11, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Review of John Hersey's Hiroshima and Annie Jacobson's Nuclear War: A scenario.
paperbackshow.substack.com/p/john-herse...
paperbackshow.substack.com/p/john-herse...
Cover of the Week: La-Bas by Huysmans. Marie Lane designed this striking cover for Dedalus Books.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Cover of the Week: La-Bas by J.-K. Huysmans
Dedalus Books UK (2009) Translated by Brendan King
open.substack.com
August 7, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Cover of the Week: La-Bas by Huysmans. Marie Lane designed this striking cover for Dedalus Books.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Start of a new series of podcasts on the Private Library. In this episode, I converse with Charles Duncombe and Frederique Michel, about how they started their library, what kinds of books they love to read and re-read, and how they organize their books.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
August 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Start of a new series of podcasts on the Private Library. In this episode, I converse with Charles Duncombe and Frederique Michel, about how they started their library, what kinds of books they love to read and re-read, and how they organize their books.
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
Short review of one of my favorite New Wave science fiction novels: Breakfast in the Ruins by Michael Moorcock. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/breakfast-...
July 25, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Short review of one of my favorite New Wave science fiction novels: Breakfast in the Ruins by Michael Moorcock. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/breakfast-...
Matthew Sangster recommends 5 classic fantasy novels. His comments on each book are well worth reading.
fivebooks.com/best-books/c...
fivebooks.com/best-books/c...
Classic Fantasy Books
The best classic fantasy books, recommended by literary scholar Michael Sangster, author of 'An Introduction to Fantasy'
fivebooks.com
July 12, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Matthew Sangster recommends 5 classic fantasy novels. His comments on each book are well worth reading.
fivebooks.com/best-books/c...
fivebooks.com/best-books/c...
New substack post on the brilliant illustrator Wanda Gag. She changed childrens picture books forever. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million...
Millions of Cats - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
July 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
New substack post on the brilliant illustrator Wanda Gag. She changed childrens picture books forever. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million...
The Best Weird Fiction Books, recommended by Michael Cisco fivebooks.com/best-books/w...
The Best Weird Fiction Books
Weird fiction uses the supernatural to throw all our experience into doubt, says author and academic Michael Cisco. He introduces us to five favourites, featuring everything from ghosts to fairies to ...
fivebooks.com
June 25, 2025 at 5:07 PM
The Best Weird Fiction Books, recommended by Michael Cisco fivebooks.com/best-books/w...
Cover of the Week: The Upfold Witch by Josephine Bell. Shame that the artist is not credit. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
June 10, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Cover of the Week: The Upfold Witch by Josephine Bell. Shame that the artist is not credit. open.substack.com/pub/paperbac...
New arrivals at my online paperback shop, Grove Used Books. Hand picked and low prices. groveusedbooks.com
June 3, 2025 at 4:41 PM
New arrivals at my online paperback shop, Grove Used Books. Hand picked and low prices. groveusedbooks.com
Graphic Books paperback cover for The Big Kiss-Off. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/cover-of-t...
May 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Graphic Books paperback cover for The Big Kiss-Off. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/cover-of-t...
20% store-wide sale on collectible paperbacks. One week only! Some really good books
groveusedbooks.com
groveusedbooks.com
May 16, 2025 at 8:29 PM
20% store-wide sale on collectible paperbacks. One week only! Some really good books
groveusedbooks.com
groveusedbooks.com
Great cover design for a classic "Sensation Novel" by Mrs. Braddon. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/cover-of-t...
April 28, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Great cover design for a classic "Sensation Novel" by Mrs. Braddon. paperbackshow.substack.com/p/cover-of-t...
new additions to my online vintage paperback store (Grove Used Books). The Robert Bloch book is a lot of fun and my favorite. groveusedbooks.com
April 23, 2025 at 5:42 PM
new additions to my online vintage paperback store (Grove Used Books). The Robert Bloch book is a lot of fun and my favorite. groveusedbooks.com
