Cover of The Floating Opera
Cover of The Floating Opera
Cover of The Floating Opera
Cover of The Floating Opera
Cover of The End of the Road
Cover of The End of the Road
Cover of The End of the Road
Cover of The End of the Road
Cover of Giles Goat-Boy
Cover of Giles Goat-Boy
Cover of Giles Goat-Boy
Cover of Giles Goat-Boy

John Barth’s writing might seem to dwell on some high plane of literary fiction, as far as you can get from “pulp fiction” genres like romance, murder mystery, and sci-fi. But that’s not how his publishers see it. Their interest in selling books has often prompted them to issue paperback reprints of Barth’s works. These reprints are sometimes packaged in pulp-style covers emphasizing the possibility of sexual excitement or adventure within. And that’s not so remote, in the end, from Barth’s real aims: to take the reader on a fantastic ride.