The second chapter examines the anticipatory moves to stay afloat during a significant shift in literary tradition ; using Conrad ’ s Lord Jim ( 1899 ), Belk highlights the ways in which Conrad acknowledges the “ widespread cultural currency of a robust and multifaceted literary tradition ” by drawing on conventions of adventure stories derived from adventures at sea , travel books , diaries , captivity narratives , and discover journals from the previous two centuries ( 8 ).
Chapter three considers the significant shift in adventure fiction during the first decades of the twentieth century , noting its unevenness and the adjustments made in H . G . Wells ’ s Tono- Bungay series for the shifting audience . This chapter presents a compelling argument for reading the turn of the century adventure story alongside contemporary advertisements for holiday cruises , tour packages , and deluxe travel itineraries ( 9 ).
The fourth chapter presents a fantastic examination of Conan Doyle ’ s essays on photography and The Lost World ( 1912 ), highlighting the ways commercial and professional relationships between print and competing forms of popular media influenced new media technologies . Belk argues that Doyle skillfully appropriates photography in the popular illustrated magazine as a form of “ proof and documentary evidence ” that allowed him to create new adventures of escape and transgression ( 10 ). Doyle ’ s use of cutting edge cinema technology in 1922 is a fascinating example of the innovative relationships between popular print publishing and emerging technologies , and heralded the wealth of possibilities for visually enhancing narratives to keep the public informed and entertained ( 130 , 133 ).
The final chapter examines the convergence of modern media ; Belk uses John Buchan ’ s spy novels to highlight the necessary professional command of literary agency , publishing , and authorship a writer needed to navigate the threat of new media successfully ( 11 ). Attention to the differences in British and American pulp trends underscores the complex understanding of audience appeal across national lines . Overall , the chapters provide a compelling and insightful look at the complex and versatile range of adventure fiction during the decades leading up to the First World War .
This book does many things well . The rich history of publishers ’ active engagement in understanding the expanding base of consumers , catering to a more globally-aware readership , and quick adjustments to stay abreast of the rapidly evolving technology provide a fascinating narrative . As a scholarly text , the meticulous research elucidates connections between several fields : publishing , education , culture , pulp magazines , developing technologies , and news media . Belk connects aspects of leisure
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