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“That’s great!” she said. “What’s a chapbook?” This reaction did not surprise me. Although they’ve been around in various forms since the 16thcentury, chapbooks have always been slightly removed from mainstream literary culture. Originally referring to any small booklet— from political pamphlets to collections of song lyrics— chapbooks were tremendously popular, especially in England, until the 19th century. Chapbooks were made of paper, which meant they were cheap to produce and easy to distribute. Since they were so easy to make and to buy, they came to be viewed with suspicion by some who questioned whether the masses should be able to read so freely. The rise of the newspaper brought about the decline of the chapbook, and it seemed that all those little pamphlets might disappear entirely. |
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The Chap Book No. 5, Advertising Poster, 1895.
Slightly Removed From Mainstream Literary Culture
By Ashleigh Lambert
I recently met a friend for drinks. As we recounted all the joys and disappointments we’d experienced since we last met, I mentioned that I’d just received word I was to have a chapbook published this spring.
“That’s great!” she said. “What’s a chapbook?”
This reaction did not surprise me. Although they’ve been around in various forms since the 16th century, chapbooks have always been slightly removed from mainstream literary culture. Originally referring to any small booklet— from political pamphlets to collections of song lyrics— chapbooks were tremendously popular, especially in England, until the 19th century. Chapbooks were made of paper, which meant they were cheap to produce and easy to distribute. Since they were so easy to make and to buy, they came to be viewed with suspicion by some who questioned whether the masses should be able to read so freely. The rise of the newspaper brought about the decline of the chapbook, and it seemed that all those little pamphlets might disappear entirely.
In the last 40 years, however, chapbooks have proven themselves to be remarkably stubborn. Copy machines made it possible for amateurs to self-publish or to print their friends’ work; computers have enabled a new generation of writers to become publishers. The last few years, in particular, have been good for chapbooks. What was once a forgotten bit of literary ephemera has turned into the basis of a thriving literary culture.
Chapbooks are perfect for writing projects that are cohesive in some way, but do not need the space afforded by a full-length book. Their size (most are fewer than 40 pages) also makes them an appealing place for writers to take risks and work out new ideas. And chapbooks are a good deal for readers, too. They’re low-commitment: chapbooks usually cost less than $10 and can be consumed in one sitting. They also serve an important function within the literary community. In our increasingly digital world, chapbooks stand out for their physicality. They are tangible art objects, fulfilling much the same role that records do for a certain kind of music lover. They can be made from old maps or scraps of fabric, sewn by hand, folded, printed professionally, or stapled.
This year proved to be an excellent year for chapbooks. In March, writers, readers, and over 50 presses got together in New York to celebrate the form at the fourth annual Chapbook Festival. In addition to panel discussions, a book fair, and plenty of readings, the festival offered workshops at the Center for Book Arts, an open, welcoming space that offers classes on the essentials of book-making. Chapbook fans also flocked to the New York City Poetry Festival, held on a gorgeous July weekend on Governor’s Island. There, hundreds of poets at various stages in their writing careers gave readings on three stages.
It’s all well and good to love chapbooks, but finding them can be a challenge. Fortunately, this year also saw the continuing success of Berl’s Brooklyn Poetry Shop, a pop-up poetry shop run by Brooklyn poets Farrah Field and Jared White. The shop, which sets up at the Brooklyn Flea most Saturdays, is unique in its support of chapbooks. They feature an ever-changing selection of chapbooks from an array of interesting presses. Greying Ghost, Dancing Girl Press, Immaculate Disciples, Peptic Robot, Belladonna* Collective, and Ugly Duckling Presse are just some of the many publishers putting out these little books (and Ugly Duckling even has an online chapbook archive).
Ashleigh Lambert is a poet whose work has most recently appeared in Anti-, Bone Bouquet, Redivider, and Sink Review. She is also an editor at InDigest, an online literary magazine.
