Chapter 5, Dear Friend: Lurid Tales of Junk Mail America

Read Chapter 4: The Pirates of Park Row, or view all previous Junk Mail America history articles.

Anthony Comstock had two things in common with J.M. Pattee. One that he was brought up on a farm, the other that he left it. But they emerged with different world views.

Comstock, whose mother died when he was 10, had happy memories of day-long church services followed by warm cherry pie at home. Yet the religion he embraced was an intolerant one. He broke into a tavern at age 17,