The Playmate Book: Five Decades of Centerfolds

by Gretchen Edgren, Hugh Hefner (Introduction)

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...

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Art, Erotica, Reference, Biography

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Bookworm Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this for the info on the girls 🤣🤣

[Morgana Blackrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like it says on the tin (okay, the paper and board cover...) - a coffee table book filled with glossy pix of naked glossy women. What's not to like? And if that's not enough, the bios are informative, as are some of the 'here's what they look like now' pictorials.

Special points awarded for big spreads on my two all-time favourites: the divinely-proportioned Rosemarie Hillcrest, and the lovely but tragic Claudia Jennings. Just gorgeous, and fascinating too from a cultural viewpoint as you can follow how trends and tastes in fashion evolved, as well as - more significantly - what was deemed to be 'sexy' (or, by its absence, what was not) for any given decade.

A sumptuous title that I wouldn't even mind my parents finding among my clutter :p

[Wendy Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool book! had pictures of the centrefolds between the years of december 1953 (it's inception) to december 1996. i love the little editorial pieces on what the women were doing up to the time of it's publication.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nice look at the most famous nudes

[Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of images from 1953 to 1996 along with some commentary and additional photos as well as some where are they now. In the back various list such as where were they form, all the names, and more. Insightful.

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasons to peruse this coffee table book: Liz Glazowski, this Chicago Polish Miss loved Pope John Paul II, Sylvie Garant, Quebecois goddess, Monica Tidwell, a Southern redhead charmer who reads Thomas Wolfe, Candy Loving, no fair beating out Liz G., for 25th Anniversary Playmate, Sheila Mullen, whose boyfriend refused to trade her to an Arab Prince in Las Vegas, Claudia Jennings, the Queen of 70s B films until her tragic early death, and a cast of thousands!