Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds [Hardcover]

Chronicle Books (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2008 | Series: Playboy

Following the remarkable success of last year's limited deluxe edition, we're pleased to present The Complete Centerfolds in a new compact package. The content remains the same—every Centerfold from every issue. That's over 600 beauties. We've also added the Centerfolds from 2007 to make this Playboy's most complete photographic volume to date. Hefner introduces the book and literary luminaries including Paul Theroux, Jay McInerney, and Daphne Merkin comment on the social mores and cultural climate of each decade. This chronological collection provides an unparalleled view of our evolving appreciation of the female form: from the fifties fantasy of voluptuous blondes to the tawny beach girls of the seventies to the groomed and toned women of today. The Complete Centerfolds is a breathtaking tour de force.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hugh M. Hefner is editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811860914
• ISBN-13: 978-0811860918
• Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 6.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Binding Spoils the Book, September 21, 2008

By 

A. Lucas (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds (Hardcover)

Of course this is a stunning collection of photographs. However, this edition as opposed to the large format edition is bound, literally, to disappoint. The binding method has lead to a large slice of each photograph being obsured. In some instances that means that it is not much use having included the photographs at all. The larger "full size" edition does not suffer from the same problem. I bought this book through Amazon but if I had seen it in a bookstore I would not have bought it because of the fact that the binding lets down the whole concept.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1953 to 2007 month by month, September 19, 2008

By 

James W. Durney (Tampa Bay area) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds (Hardcover)

I was to young to take an interest in girls when Playboy started publishing. By the late 50s, I had an avid interest in Playboy but prudence required caution. Miscellaneous copies were a teenager's access to the centerfolds. I followed Playboy through the 60s and early 70s and always checked the centerfold first. Older, married with children I stopped following each issue and in time, lost track of Playboy's centerfolds. However, the Playboy centerfold is always part of my life. Depending on the centerfold, I am in High School, Viet Nam or a number of other places. They provide an instant mnemonic that recalls a flood of memories. Most men have the same reaction, the difference being when they started and ended checking out the centerfold.
The Playboy Centerfold has always been a "looker"! Even the one you consider a poor choice is a knockout by any reasonable standard. What is "looker" a in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond has changed. This book is a history of beauty and sexuality from the 1953 to 2007. Over fifty years of centerfolds allows you to follow the changes in hair, makeup and physical appearance. In addition, you can see how the definition of allowable nudity changed during this time. While Playboy was always on the leading edge, they never got to far ahead of public decency. That fact means that Playboy moved with America's majority on nudity.
This is a well-done book. Every centerfold from Marylyn Monroe in the 1953 unnumbered issue to December 2007 is present. This is the centerfolds, without the staples or folds. The introduction and other observations are nice and do not distract in any way. What you are buying is a photo of over 600 of the best-looking women, naked and a history of America's concept of beauty.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent item for the collector and curious, September 11, 2008

By 

A. Whitney (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds (Hardcover)

Playboy has been publishing since 1953, its centerfolds reflecting the standards of beauty throughout the decades. This book gathers every centerfold (over 600 of them!) and is an interesting way to take a visual "tour". As you go thorough the book you'll see hairstyles, fashions, make-up, and body types change. You can see when women go from shapely to buff, from coiffed to gelled, from natural hair to ultra-manicured "down there". You'll also see the first African American playmate, the first set of twins or triplets and more. Its especially interesting for those who are looking for a certain style of woman; maybe you prefer 1950s over 1980s?

If you collect the actual centerfolds from magazines,this is a great cheatsheet to help you with your collecting. It is also a great way to collect autographs is you are one of those fans that pursues that. You'll never have to guess which issue Jenny McCarthy, Pamela Anderson, or Marilyn Monroe appeared in.

Finally, it is a perfect size and price for gift-giving.