author

Robert Sampson

1927–1992

Best known for his deep love of pulp fiction, this American writer and researcher explored the larger-than-life heroes, detectives, and adventurers who filled early pulp magazines. His books remain a favorite starting point for readers curious about The Shadow and the wild energy of vintage popular fiction.

1 Audiobook

Feline Red

Feline Red

by Robert Sampson

About the author

Robert Sampson was an American author and pulp-fiction historian born in 1927 and died on October 30, 1992. He is most closely associated with serious, enthusiastic writing about early pulp magazines and their recurring characters.

His best-known work is the multi-volume Yesterday's Faces: A Study of Series Characters in the Early Pulp Magazines, a long-running project that examined the heroes, villains, and genre traditions of the pulp era. He also wrote The Night Master, a book-length study of The Shadow, and published fiction as well as nonfiction.

Sampson's work is still valued by pulp readers because it treats popular entertainment with both affection and careful attention. For listeners who enjoy literary history, adventure fiction, or the roots of modern genre storytelling, his books offer a lively guide to a vivid corner of twentieth-century reading culture.