ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Pulp magazines

Pulp magazines are books that have very exciting stories that are printed on cheap paper. They are called “pulp” magazines because the paper they are printed on is made from wood pulp, which is a really cheap material.

They were very popular a long time ago, around the 1920s to 1950s. People would buy them for a dime or so at the grocery store or at a newsstand. They were so popular because they had stories that were about cowboys, detectives, adventure, science fiction, and more!

The stories inside were very exciting and thrilling, and they were written as if they were meant to be read very quickly. The stories were usually around 10,000 words long, so they were short and could be read quickly. They often had eye-catching covers, with pictures of heroes and villains fighting or running away from danger.

People used to read them on trains, buses, and boats. They were a cheap and easy way to be entertained, and they didn't need any special equipment, like a television.

Overall, pulp magazines were a fun and exciting way to read stories that would take you on all sorts of adventures.