Penguin Publishing Group
Abortion Stories
Abortion Stories
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ABOUT
A Penguin Classic
One of Ms. Magazine’s Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2025
One of Library Journal's Best Books of the Year
Cover Art by Laura Peretti is an AI-AP American Illustration 45 Chosen Winner. Art Direction: Elizabeth Yaffe
Abortion Stories is the first volume of its kind to bring together a diverse collection of writings on abortion published before 1973, when Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in every American state. These stories, poems, essays, and memoirs reflect a range of representations and responses to abortion during this era, but when read together, they demonstrate how when abortion is illegal, women’s lives are always more precarious and limited. In this volume, you will read stories that will elucidate and enrich a view of abortion as one element of human experience—woven into stories of love and death and medicine and motherhood and enslavement and emancipation. Featuring luminaries like Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Edgar Allan Poe, Lucile Clifton, Eugene O' Neill, and Shirley Chisholm, as well as rare firsthand accounts of abortion providers and seekers, this reproductive justice-minded collection brings together diverse representations of abortion to show how access to abortion is often race and class dependent, and demonstrates how the repercussions of an illegal abortion also vary depending on such factors. The need and desire to have an abortion goes back centuries, and these literary representations of abortion before Roe compellingly argue for the necessity of legal and accessible abortion. Edited and introduced by Karen Weingarten, Abortion Stories features a foreword by Rebecca Traister and an afterword by Renee Bracey Sherman.
Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
STANDARD, PRIMARY, DM AND VARIANT COVERS
Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.
In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.
The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.
PRODUCT TYPES
Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:
Omnibus
- Large, hardcover collections
- Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
- Typically 800-1000+ pages
- Higher price point, often €100-€150
Oversized Hardcover (OHC)
- Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
- Collect shorter runs or story arcs
- Usually 300-600 pages
- Priced between €30-€50
Hardcover (HC)
- Standard-sized hardcover books
- Collect 6-12 issues typically
- Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
- Priced around €25-€35
Trade Paperback (TP)
- Softcover collections
- Standard comic book size
- Usually collect 4-6 issues
- Most affordable option, typically €15-€25
Other Formats
- Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
- Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
- Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues
The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs