Sunday, December 14, 2014

Paperback 842: The Captive Women / Walter D. Edmonds (Bantam 708)

Paperback 842: Bantam 708 (3rd ptg, 1950)

Title: The Captive Women
Author: Walter D. Edmonds
Cover artist: Denver Gillen

Estimated Value: $8

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Best things about this cover:
  • Something about "Squat-o" there gives the whole cover a wacky feel. Like this is going to be some kind of domestic comedy. I'm pretty sure he's saying "What is it with dames these days, Fred!?"
  • Fred is nodding knowingly. "I know, man. My captive woman keeps maxing out my credit card. I'm like, 'Damn, babe, how many damn pairs of moccasins do you need?'"
  • What is Fred gripping? Is it a gun? If so, follow-up: how long were guns back then?

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Best things about this back cover:
  • $8.64 with tax.
  • This is called "The Captive Women" because "Delia's Gone" was taken.
  • Does the relative handsomeness of the "buck" mitigate the slavery somehow? I would've guessed 'no.'

Page 123~

While they slept the woman and the girl went through their packs, exclaiming at the worn out moccasins and the mending to be done and showing each other the best pelts.

Fred was right, man. These broads are crazy for moccasins.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've only seen 'slave' used as a verb in a metaphorical sense -- it's odd to see the back blurb use the term literally. I doubt that Scarlett O'Hara would ever have said that Mammy 'slaved' for her.

It's also good to know that 'buck' can be just as offensively applied to Native Americans as it can to African Americans.

Michael5000 said...

What really puts an interesting spin on this piece of Indian story-telling is that, to judge from the fabric of Delia's clothing, it all takes place well after the Civil War.

highwayknees said...

To me it looks like the buck is "torturing" Delia by using her as a butter-churn! Due to the placement of that pole through her head~