Paperback Warrior
A BookTube highlight
As a reader, writer, and bibliophile I love what BookTube has to offer. If I am not watching Tubi or a physical film on DVD or Blu-ray, YouTube is always on. There are a few channels in the BookTube sphere that I devour on a daily basis. One channel in particular that deserves more praise than it gets is Paperback Warrior from Florida resident Christopher Compton. His channel for books is what the Video Archives podcast is for cinema.
Christopher is an 1980s kid who grew up with paperback books all over his house. His father in particular loved westerns and had a steady diet of Zane Grey, Max Brand, and Louis L’Amour. Christopher was fascinated by the covers, but he was initially drawn to men’s action/adventure paperbacks in the beginning. Gradually as he grew up he discovered and read mostly horror writers like Dean Koontz, John Saul, Stephen King and comic books. In 2013, while at a second hand book store he came across old M.I.A. Hunter paperbacks and bought them. After reading those he went back to the same store to get more books in that vein such as The Executioner, The Penetrator, and The Last Ranger. He began researching more books online and found Joe Kenney’s Glorious Trash blog and the magazines produced by Justin Marriott.
It was from there that he got the idea to create a blog and start writing reviews of these books. From 2013-2018 he wasn’t taking it too seriously. That is until he met fellow reader and action/adventure paperback fan and fellow Floridian Tom Simon. Through him he was introduced to crime-noir, different types of westerns, and he volunteered to write reviews as well. Since then he branched the blog into a podcast, and is at this moment writing episode 115. He consumes 10-13 full-length novels, 1-3 novellas, and at least 2 short stories a month like a machine. His favorites range from Stephen King, Hammond Ines, Harry Whittington, Robert E. Howard, Lawrence Block, and Jack Higgins.
His ultimate dream would be to read and write about books full-time and still pay the bills. He also has a dream of making a television show similar to American Pickers, where he and his wife Sara would travel the country finding rare books and telling the stories behind some of these 20th century writers. There are so many stories about American history, literature, and the publishing business tucked away in boxes strewn all across the country, waiting to be rediscovered.
Now that is a show that I would watch. You can check out his blog and YouTube channel in the links below.
Blogger site:
http://www.paperbackwarrior.com/
YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@PaperbackWarrior
This substack will be 100% free to read. The KO-FI has been set up to collect donations from interested patrons. For more information please check out the links below to like, share, and subscribe.
Ko-fi:
https://ko-fi.com/thomashyland
Alliance Authors:
Brothers KRYNN:
Hylandia:
