Love and Death HC (1949) comic books 1938-1955

1st Edition - possibly printed with a dustjacket, but the title text is inlaid on the spine and it likely never had a dustjacket. "Love and Death: A Study in Censorship" (1949) by Gershon Legman. Published five years prior to Seduction of the Innocent, Love and Death harshly criticized the salacious comics of the era, particularly comics that glorified crime and violence, which the author deemed harmful to children. It includes a 28-page chapter, "Not for Children," that begins, "The American generation born since 1930 cannot read" because of the prevalence of "the radio, the talking movie, the picture-magazine and comic book....For them, the printed word is on the way out." And all this before television entered the scene! How strange to hear such familiar arguments being made so many years ago. NOTE: According to the Lost Soti website, the 1949 hardcover first edition was printed in very limited quantities to be given or sold to admirers (estimated around 50 copies). Hardcover, 95 pages, 6.25-in x 9.25-in.