When America entered World War II, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books. Outraged librarians sent donated books to our troops. The War Department joined the publishing industry in an extraordinary program: 120 million books printed in small, lightweight paperbacks. Beloved by the troops and still fondly remembered, theirs is an inspiring story.

"Though branded as pornography for its graphic language and explicit sexuality, Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer is far more than a work that tested American censorship laws. In this riveting book, published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of Tropic of Cancer's initial U.S. release, Frederick Turner investigates Miller's unconventional novel, its tumultuous publishing history, and its unique place in American letters. Written in the slums...