Dime Novels

Dime novels were inexpensive books popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, typically costing around ten cents. They featured adventure stories, crime tales, and melodramas, aimed at broad, working-class audiences. Known for their fast-paced, sensational narratives, dime novels were accessible entertainment that helped shape popular culture. They often depicted heroic figures, daring exploits, and moral lessons, making storytelling affordable and easily available to a wide readership. Although considered mass-market fiction, they played a significant role in the development of American popular literature and entertainment.