An interesting book with a pulp connection is How to Code and Decode Secret Writing: An Introduction to Cryptograms, Ciphers, and Codes by Henry Lysing. This is because Henry Lysing was a pseudonym for John Nanovic (1906-2001), an editor at Street & Smith who worked on The Shadow pulp magazine among others.
From 1934 to 1949, he did a column in The Shadow on codes. Secret Writing was first published in 1936 by Chelsea House, Street & Smith’s book publisher, and collected several early columns. It was later reprinted by Dover Publications in 1974, and more recently in 2023 by Coachwhip Publications, which is the edition I have.
I am uncertain which columns were reprinted. The book has 10 chapters, along with a short foreword by Lysing. We get an introductory chapter, along with chapters giving simple and advanced codes, slides and scales, frequency tables, deciphering, and secret ink. For fans of The Shadow, there is one chapter going over codes used in several of The Shadow novels, including “The Chain of Death,” “The Man From Scotland Yard,” and Ghost Murder.”
About 150 columns were written. Even if this volume only included 10 or so, there were many more written. I wonder if there would be enough interest in reprinting more of them? But then there is the issue of getting permission from the current owners of Street & Smith, Conde Nast.
In the meantime, take a look at this little book.
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