Don Draper reading “The Inferno” by Dante
You don’t have to smoke Lucky Strikes, drink copious amounts of scotch, or cheat on your loved one to live like the characters in Mad Men. Along with their more self-destructive tendencies, characters like Don, Peggy, and Pete also like to read their favorite books, some of which had just been published in the 1960’s.
To find a complete list of all of the fantastic books that have been featured on Mad Men, check out the New York Public Library, which updates their list after each episode airs. Below, find a few of my favorite examples from the series, with links so that you can check out the available copies on Biblio. To stay as consistent as possible, each of the listings are for first editions, or at least copies that were printed before the 1970’s.
Only a show like Mad Men could leave me simultaneously elated and completely devastated. The show has definitely been getting darker as the series has progressed, and the season six finale was last night. When you see a 14 year old girl reading Rosemary’s Baby right before being terrorized by a home invader, you know it can only get darker from there.
I can’t wait.
