A “Playboy” Anthology

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 4

A “Playboy” Anthology

The Twelfth Anniversary Playboy Reader. Edited by Hugh M. Hefner. Souvenir Press. 874 pp.

“Playboy” magazine has existed for 12 years—and has prospered; the first-issue sale of the magazine was 50,000, the magazine now sells more than three million of each issue. To commemorate the magazine’s twelfth anniversary the editor has selected from the pieces printed during the magazine’s life a number that he deems most deserve the permanence that only a book can give. The result is this large, beautifully printed and bound volume that includes 72 pieces from issues of “Playboy.” There could be differences of opinion about whether all the pieces deserve permanent record in a book —this would oe true of any collection. But there can be no doubts about the big majority of pieces that have been selected. There is something about which the perceptive reader, no matter

what his tastes, will surely enthuse as he delves among rich offerings of commentaries, fiction, humour, satire, interviews, science fiction, suspense stories and poetry. Picking among the writers is invidious.. However, a little “name-dropping” that will establish the standard is probably necessary. So, among contributors of commentaries

one selects the Huxleys— Julian and Aldous— Henry Miller, Kenneth Tynan and Hemingway; from the writers of 22 short stories one picks Graham Greene, Malamud, Saroyan, Robert Graves, Garson Kanin. Among the contributors of humour are Thurber, Steinbeck, Buchwald, Wodehouse, Mankowitz. Two poets only are included—selections from the American Carl Sandburg, and a fascinating piece in which the young Russian, Evgeny Yevtushenko pays tribute in blank verse to Ernest Hemingway. There are no pictures; but who wants pictorial distraction from co much good reading? ,