Pity the poor chapbook. Although it has been around for nearly 500 years, it never makes the best seller lists. In fact, many people have no idea what a chapbook is – I never heard of the term until I attended a writers retreat several years ago. Oh, how times have changed!

Chap books are believed to have originated in England in the 1500s as small, cheaply produced books for people whose literacy was limited and who could not afford expensive books of those times. They were printed using woodcuts and were sold by traveling peddlers called chapmen. Chapbooks typically contained romantic tales of chivalry, religious and moral instruction, cookbooks, guides to fortune telling and magic, and bawdy stories full of innuendo (the same topics that sell well today). Some displayed graphic art.

As the process and machinery of printing was refined publishing became cheaper. At the same time literacy improved. Books that once were accessible only to the wealthy and educated became more available to the general population and the need for chapbooks waned.

Today’s vast publishing capabilities have brought back the chapbook in interesting ways. They are enjoying a revival of sorts. They remain a perfect format to present a short story or small collection of poetry but have left their primitive look in the past. Now, the best chapbooks are works of art, emphasizing original design as well as featuring original writing. Their publishing run is limited, typically 100-300 copies. Chapbooks have become the coveted treasures of collectors who appreciate the value of an original work of art that is in limited supply, that can be held in the hand and that touches many senses.

It is less likely that you will find chapbooks in big chain stores and book discounters. So take a trip to your local independent book store and see if they have a Chapbook section. If they don’t, share some of this information with them and suggest they devote a corner of their store to this lovely and growing revival.