Beadle’s Dime Novels

10.5 Beadle's Dime Novel.jpg

Title

Beadle’s Dime Novels

Coverage

New York

Publisher

Irwin P. Beadle

Date

1860

Subject

Volume 1, number 1

Description

Dime novels began in 1860 as a series of tales of the American frontier that sold for ten cents. Circulation skyrocketed during the Civil War as a result of soldiers’ demand for portable and inexpensive reading material. By the early 1870s, the genre expanded to appeal to younger readers. Urban settings replaced open spaces and detective heroes were added to the heroes of the frontier. By 1910, dime novels had largely been replaced by pulps.