When Peyton Place by Grace Metalious was published in 1956, reviewers all over the country found the book scandalous yet hard to resist.

While no one ever claimed that this book was great literature (though Grace was a good writer), it took hold of the public imagination as a not-bad film the following year, and a soap opera-style TV series in the early 1960s.

The term “Peyton Place” has become synonymous with situations that are rife with scandal. Here are two typical reviews that appeared when the book was first published. Read More→