Reader's Digest Condensed Books
The Reader's Digest Condensed Books were a series of hardcover anthology collections, published by the American general interest monthly family magazine Reader's Digest and distributed by direct mail. Most volumes contained five (although a considerable minority consisted of three, four or six) current best-selling novels and nonfiction books which were abridged (or "condensed") specifically for Reader's Digest.
Occasional titles (The Leopard [Summer 1960], The Days Were Too Short [Autumn 1960] or Papillon [Autumn 1970]) were selected from outside the English-speaking world and published as abridgments of the translated originals. In a few rare cases, new editions of older works (Up from Slavery, originally published in 1901 [Autumn 1960], A Roving Commission: My Early Life, originally published in 1930 [Autumn 1951] or Goodbye Mr. Chips, originally published in 1934 [Summer 1961]) were also among the condensed selections.
For most of their publication schedule, the volumes were issued four times each year, with the rate gradually increasing to a bi-monthly schedule by the early 1990s. The series was produced for 47 years (1950–1997), until being renamed Reader's Digest Select Editions. (Note: UK editions seem to have been somewhat different from USA editions. Pre-1992 Canadian editions also contain different titles).
1950s
1950
Volume 1 - Spring
Volume 2 - Summer
- The Wooden Horse – Eric Williams
- Home Town – Clevland Amory
- Visibility Unlimited – Dick Grace
- The Way West – A.B. Guthrie, Jr.
|
Volume 3 - Autumn
|
[1]
1951
Volume 4 - Winter
Volume 5 - Spring
- Blandings' way - Eric Hodgins
- Operation Cicero - L.C. Moyzisch
- Two soldiers / from collected stories - William Faulkner
- The nymph and the lamp - Thomas H. Raddall
|
Volume 6 - Summer
Volume 7 - Autumn
|
1952
Volume 8 - Winter
Volume 9 - Spring
|
Volume 10 - Summer
Volume 11 - Autumn
|
1953
Volume 12 - Winter
Spring 1953 Selections
|
Volume 14 - Summer
Volume 15 - Autumn
|
1954
Volume 16 - Winter
Volume 17 - Spring
|
Volume 18 - Summer
Volume 19 - Autumn
|
1955
Volume 20 - Winter
- The Reason Why - Cecil Woodman-Smith
- The China I knew - Pearl S Buck
- My Brother's Keeper - Marcus Davenport
- Good Morning, Miss Dove - Frances Gray
- The Darby Trial - Dick Pearce
|
Volume 22 - Summer
|
[2]
Volume 21 - Spring
|
Volume 23 - Autumn
|
1956
Volume 24 - Winter
Volume 25 - Spring
|
Volume 26 - Summer
Volume 27 - Autumn
|
1957
Volume 28 - Winter
Volume 29 - Spring
|
Volume 30 - Summer
Volume 31 - Autumn
|
1958
Volume 32 - Winter
Volume 33 - Spring
- Big Caesar - Charlton Ogburn, Jr.
- The Winthrop Woman - Anya Seton
- The Counterfeit Traitor - Alexander Klein
- The Man Who Broke Things - John Brooks
- Murder on My Street - Edwin Lanham
|
Volume 34 - Summer
Volume 35 - Autumn
|
1959
Volume 36 - Winter
Volume 37 - Spring
- The Secret Project of Sigurd O'Leary - Martin Quigley
- Dear and Glorious Physician - Taylor Caldwell
- Collision Course - Alvin Moscow
- Jungle Girl - John Moore
- Epitaph for an Enemy - George Barr
|
Volume 38 - Summer
Volume 39 - Autumn
|
1960s
1960
Volume 40 - Winter
Volume 41 - Spring
|
Volume 42 - Summer
Volume 43 - Autumn
|
1961
Volume 44 - Winter
Volume 45 - Spring
- Fate Is the Hunter - Ernest K. Gann
- Peaceable Lane - Keith Wheeler
- Madame Curie - Eve Curie
- Evil Come, Evil Go - Whit Masterson
- The 'Mozart' Leaves at Nine - Harris Greene
|
Volume 46 - Summer
Volume 47 - Autumn
|
1962
Volume 48 - Winter
Volume 49 - Spring
|
Volume 50 - Summer
Volume 51 - Autumn
|
1963
Volume 52 - Winter
Volume 53 - Spring
|
Volume 54 - Summer
Volume 55 - Autumn
|
1964
Volume 56 - Winter
Volume 57 - Spring
|
Volume 58 - Summer
Volume 59 - Autumn
|
1965
Volume 60 - Winter
Volume 61 - Spring
|
Volume 62 - Summer
Volume 63 - Autumn
|
1966
Volume 64 - Winter
Volume 65 - Spring
|
Volume 66 - Summer
Volume 67 - Autumn
|
1967
Volume 68 - Winter
Volume 69 - Spring
|
Volume 70 - Summer
Volume 71 - Autumn
|
1968
Volume 72 - Winter
Volume 73 - Spring
|
Volume 74 - Summer
Volume 75 - Autumn
|
1969
Volume 76 - Winter
Volume 77 - Spring
|
Volume 78 - Summer
Volume 79 - Autumn
|
1970s
1970
Volume 80 - Winter
- Waiting for Willa - Dorothy Eden
- A Walk to the Hills of the Dreamtime - James Vance Marshall
- T.R. - Noel B. Gerson
- Heartsblood - Paul Marttin
- The Witness - Dorothy Uhnak
Volume 81 - Spring
|
Volume 82 - Summer
Volume 83 - Autumn
|
1971
Volume 84 - Winter
Volume 85 - Spring
|
Volume 86 - Summer
Volume 87 - Autumn
|
1972
Volume 88 - Winter
Volume 89 - Spring
|
Volume 90 - Summer
Volume 91 - Autumn
|
1973
Volume 92 - #1
Volume 93 - #2
Volume 94 - #3
|
Volume 95 - #4
- La Balsa: The Longest Raft Voyage in History - Vital Alsar with Enrique Hank Lopez
- The Sunbird - Wilbur Smith
- State Trooper - Noel B. Gerson
- The Search for Anna Fisher - Florence Fisher
- Mrs. Starr Lives Alone - Jon Godden
Volume 96 - #5
|
1974
Volume 97 - #1
Volume 98 - #2
Volume 99 - #3
|
Volume 100 - #4
Volume 101 - #5
|
1975
Volume 102 - #1
Volume 103 - #2
Volume 104 - #3
|
Volume 105 - #4
Volume 106 - #5
|
1976
Volume 107 - #1
Volume 108 - #2
Volume 109 - #3
|
Volume 110 - #4
Volume 111 - #5
|
1977
Volume 112 - #1
Volume 113 - #2
- The Slow Awakening - Catherine Marchant
- 19 Steps Up the Mountain - Joseph P. Blank
- Ghost Fox - James Houston
- In the Frame - Dick Francis
Volume 114 - #3
|
Volume 115 - #4
Volume 116 - #5
|
1978
Volume 117 - #1
Volume 118 - #2
Volume 119 - #3
|
Volume 120 - #4
Volume 121 - #5
|
1979
Volume 122 - #1
Volume 123 - #2
Volume 124 - #3
|
Volume 125 - #4
- Sphinx - Robin Cook
- Cold is the Sea - Capt. Edward L. Beach
- Words by Heart - Ouida Sebestyen
- The North Runner - R. D. Lawrence
- Intruder - Louis Charbonneau
Volume 126 - #5
- Hungry as the Sea - Wilbur Smith
- The Tightrope Walker - Dorothy Gilman
- The Passing Bells - Phillip Rock
- Flesh and Spirit - Elizabeth Christman
|
1980s
1980
Volume 127 - #1
- Domino - Phyllis Whitney
- Passage West - Dallas Miller
- Horowitz and Mrs. Washington - Henry Denker
- To Catch a King - Harry Patterson
Volume 128 - #2
Volume 129 – M
|
Volume 130 - #3
Volume 131 - #4
Volume 132 - #5
|
1981
Volume 133 - #1
Volume 134 - #2
Volume 135 – M
|
Volume 136 - #3
Volume 137 - #4
- The Lord God Made Them All - James Herriot
- An Exceptional Marriage - Jack Shepherd
- Texas Dawn - Phillip Finch
- Crossing in Berlin - Fletcher Knebel
Volume 138 - #5
- Vermilion - Phyllis Whitney
- Totaled - Frances Rickett & Steven McGraw
- Ike and Mamie: The Story of the General and His Lady - Lester David & Irene David
- The Dark Horse - Rumer Godden
- Fortress - Gabrielle Lord
|
1982
Volume 139 - #1
Volume 140 - #2
- Alone Against the Atlantic - Gerry Spiess (with Marlin Bree)
- A Green Desire - Anton Myrer
- Going Wild: Adventures of a Zoo Vet - David Taylor
- The Man who Lived at the Ritz - A. E. Hotchner
Volume 141 - M
|
Volume 142 - #3
Volume 143 - #4
Volume 144 - #5
|
1983
Volume 145 - #1
Volume 146 - #2
Volume 147 - M
|
Volume 148 - #3
Volume 149 - #4
- The Secret Annie Oakley - Marcy Heidish
- Talk Down - Brian Lecomber
- Jewelled Path - Rosalind Laker
- A Solitary Dance - Robert Lane
Volume 150 - #5
- Godplayer - Robin Cook
- The Suitcases - Anne Hall Whitt
- The Time of the Hunter's Moon - Victoria Holt
- Stalking Point - Duncan Kyle
|
1984
Volume 151 - #1
Volume 152 - #2
- Arnie, The Darling Starling - Margarete Sigl Corbo & Diane Marie Barras
- Night Sky - Clare Francis
- The Canyon - Jack Schaefer
- If We Could Hear the Grass Grow - Eleanor Craig
Volume 153 - M
|
Volume 154 - #3
Volume 155 - #4
Volume 156 - #5
- Hanna and Walter - Hanna & Walter Kohner
- Stormswift - Madeleine Brent
- The Sound of Wings - Spencer Dunmore
- Surprise Party - William Katz
|
1985
Volume 157 - #1
Volume 158 - #2
Volume 159 - M
- The State of Stony Lonesome - Jessamyn West
- At The Going Down of the Sun - Elizabeth Darrell
- Callanish - William Horwood
- Find a Safe Place - Alexander Lazzarino & E. Kent Hayes
|
Volume 160 - #3
- In Love and War - Jim & Sybil Stockdale
- Ringo, the Robber Raccoon - Robert Franklin Leslie
- This Giving Heart - Hugh Miller
- Twilight Child - Warren Adler
Volume 161 - #4
Volume 162 - #5
|
1986
Volume 163 - #1
- Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha - Dorothy Gilman
- Wildfire - Richard Martin Stern
- Arnie & a House Full of Company - Margarete Corbo & Diane Marie Barras
- Take Away One - Thomas Froncek
- The Two Farms - Mary Pearce
Volume 164 - #2
Volume 165 - M
|
Volume 166 - #3
- Lie Down with Lions - Ken Follett
- Tree of Gold - Rosalind Laker
- The Deep End - Joy Fielding
- Cry Wild - R. D. Lawrence
Volume 167 - #4
Volume 168 - #5
|
1987
Volume 169 - #1
Volume 170 - #2
Volume 171 - M
|
Volume 172 - #3
Volume 173 - #4
Volume 174 - #5
|
1988
Volume 175 - #1
Volume 176 - #2
Volume 177 - M
|
Volume 178 - #3
- Mortal Fear - Robin Cook
- Just Another Kid - Torey Hayden
- Rockets' Red Glare - Greg Dinallo
- Brownstone Facade - Catherine M. Rae
Volume 179 - #4
Volume 180 - #5
|
1989
Volume 181 - #1
Volume 182 - #2
Volume 183 - M
|
Volume 184 - #3
Volume 185 - #4
Volume 186 - #5
|
1990s
1990
Volume 187 - #1
Volume 188 - #2
- Straight - Dick Francis
- No Roof But Heaven - Jeanne Williams
- The Evening News - Arthur Hailey
- The Courtship of Peggy McCoy - Ray Sipherd
Volume 189 - M
- The Lady of the Labyrinth - Caroline Llewellyn
- The Himmler Equation - William P. Kennedy
- Flying Free - Dan True
- A Time to Love - Beryl Kingston
|
Volume 190 - #3
Volume 191 - #4
Volume 192 - #5
|
1991
Volume 193 - #1
Volume 194 - #2
Volume 195 - #3
|
Volume 196 - #4
Volume 197 - #5
Volume 198 - #6
|
1992
Volume 199 - #1
Volume 200 - #2
Volume 201 - #3
|
Volume 202 - #4
- Such Devoted Sisters - Eileen Goudge
- Rules of Encounter - William P. Kennedy
- The Love Child - Catherine Cookson
- American Gothic - Gene Smith
Volume 203 - #5
Volume 204 - #6
|
1993
Volume 205 - #1
Volume 206 - #2
Volume 207 - #3
|
Volume 208 - #4
Volume 209 - #5
Volume 210 - #6
- The Cat Who Went Into the Closet - Lillian Jackson Braun
- Homeland - John Jakes
- Tell Me No Secrets - Joy Fielding
|
1994
Volume 211 - #1
Volume 212 - #2
Volume 213 - #3
|
Volume 214 - #4
Volume 215 - #5
Volume 216 - #6
|
1995
Volume 217 - #1
Volume 218 - #2
Volume 219 - #3
|
Volume 220 - #4
- Acceptable Risk - Robin Cook
- Local Rules - Jay Brandon
- Salem Street - Anna Jacobs
- Fast Forward - Judy Mercer
Volume 221 - #5
Volume 222 - #6
|
1996
Volume 223 - #1
Volume 224 - #2
Volume 225 - #3
|
Volume 226 - #4
Volume 227 - #5
Volume 228 - #6
|
1997
Volume 229 - #1
Volume 230 - #2
Volume 231 - #3
|
Volume 232 - #4
|
Most of the 1997 volumes aforementionned were also published as Reader's Digest Select Editions.
Succeeding volumes were published under the title Reader's Digest Select Editions.
|
---|
| Reader's Digest Community | |
---|
| Food & Entertaining | |
---|
| Home & Garden | |
---|
| International | |
---|
|
References
- ↑ My parents were charter members of the RD Condensed Book Club and I have these books in my possession. Ken Battle
- ↑ Ken Battle, see my ref at 1950; I have the two volumes above that were missing.