Reader’s Digest
Condensed Books #RDCB
Those of us who are “of a certain age” fondly recall Reader’s Digest Condensed Books as staples on the bookshelves of middle-class American homes since 1950. Issued to subscribers about once every three months, RDCBs were intelligently edited and abridged versions of then-current fiction and non-fiction. The volumes were marketed as a convenient way for folks to catch up on their reading without having to invest a lot of time and money wading through the complete original works.
Of course, these days life is competely different. Not near as many of us actually read books anymore, and often we just download an e-version. Or wait until the movie comes out! And so the lowly Reader’s Digest Condensed Book can often be found at library book sales, yard sales, flea markets, antique and vintage booths, etc. But it’s definitely fading away from the American popular culture. Needless to say, I am hoping to re-purpose and save each and every RDCB that I can get my hands on! No landfills for these beauties if I can help it.
Below are just a few examples of #RDCB covers … artful even without my help!
-Emily Shane
repurposeful art 