The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds [Hardcover]

Gretchen Edgren (Author), Hugh Hefner (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

In celebration of Playboy magazine's 50th anniversary, TASCHEN brings you this ultimate Playboy tribute featuring each and every Playmate of the Month since issue number one. Beginning with Marilyn Monroe herself and including such favorites as Pamela Anderson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Jenny McCarthy, this chronological look at the history of Playboy centerfolds includes photos of the Playmates as well as updated personal information about their lives to this day - just enough to spark your memory or pique your interest and surely leaving you yearning for more...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The author: Before her retirement from the magazine in August 1992, Gretchen Edgren was a senior editor of Playboy. In that capacity she assigned, edited and supervised copy for several sections of the magazine, and as a Playboy writer she also interviewed a number of noted figures, including Erica Jong and Clint Eastwood. Since her retirement, Edgren has been a Playboy contributing editor.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: General Publishing Group; 1st edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881649954
• ISBN-13: 978-1881649953
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,233,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Once a Playmate, Always a Playmate, September 28, 2004

By 

J. H. Minde "Everything I need is right here" (Boca Raton, Florida and Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds (Hardcover)

THE PLAYMATE BOOK is a tastefully presented heavyweight coffee-table edition book which showcases every woman who appeared in PLAYBOY between 1954 (Marilyn Monroe) and 1996 (Victoria Silvstedt). The photographic quality is superb. The history of the magazine is well-documented. The book does skimp on many of the capsule biographies of the 512 beautiful women who grace these pages. The Playmates of the Year, perennial favorites such as Bettie Page and Pamela Anderson, famous Playmates such as Stella Stevens, and Playmates who met infamous ends (Jayne Mansfield, Claudia Jennings and Dorothy Stratten come to mind), are given far more coverage than the average, perhaps fairly so.

THE PLAYMATE BOOK brings humanity to these otherwise often anonymous pin-up girls, many of whom suffered social ostracism (particularly in the early days of the magazine) for daring to bare all, and shows the Playboy Playmates to be an eclectic and interesting group of women with widely divergent lifestyles. Some of their stories are wonderful, some are tragic, some involve jets, yachts and 'beautiful people' while others involve kids and picket fences. There is no one 'definitive' Playmate.

The book's greatest failing is its inability to bring it all together. More than just a "family album" THE PLAYMATE BOOK should be a social history of women over four decades, but sadly does not editorialize even briefly on "what it all means." It's a bad oversight on the part of the editors, and takes away from the finished product.

It's fun to see the evolution of the Centerfold over time, the changing styles, the increasing daring. It's also fun to find your favorite Playmate(s) and discover what she is/was doing (circa 1997). Hopefully, PLAYBOY will update this book periodically, and add new Playmates as they appear.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overall photographic history of the Playmate..., January 22, 2000

By 

historyone (Republic of Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Playmate Book (Paperback)

A fantastic photographic book. Hugh Hefner showed his excellent taste in women by having the Playmate and now he shares the lovely ladies for every man to enjoy and reminise. From 1954 to 1996 it is a fantastic journey down memory lane to revist not only the photographs of EVERY Playmate, but see a glimpse into their personal life as well. It is also interesting to see the changes in hairstyle, fashion, and even measurements of the Playmate through the years. Yet one thing remains the same, and that is the beauty that each one of them have. Hef defintely gives male's around the world a gift when he authorized this photographic journey of the beautiful women of Playboy. Highly recommended.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for every Play Boy who every wanted a Playmate.., January 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds (Hardcover)

The Best of the Best...women in the good o'ld USA. Indeed, a complete history of the most socially acceptable female anatomy for the decades. Most anyone can reflect on a time or associate a period in their life with one of these Playmate's. You know, I bet at least one of these Playmate's made up your concept of your dream girl. An excellent reference for artist's, or for plastic and reconstructive surgeons, as well as, their patients. A must have for every play boy, who ever wanted a Playmate.