chap-book 的词源

也叫做 chapbook，起源于1812年，来自 chap，是 chapman 的缩写。这类书之所以得名，是因为曾经有商人专门出售这些书籍。

One of a class of tracts upon homely and miscellaneous subjects which at one time formed the chief popular literature of Great Britain and the American colonies. They consisted of lives of heroes, martyrs, and wonderful personages, stories of roguery and broad humor, of giants, ghosts, witches, and dreams, histories in verse, songs and ballads, theological tracts, etc. They emanated principally from the provincial press, and were hawked about the country by chapmen or peddlers. [Century Dictionary] 

这类小册子主要涉及一些平常和杂七杂八的主题，曾经是英国和美国殖民地的主要通俗文学。它们的内容包括英雄、烈士和各种奇人异事的传记，狡诈幽默的故事，巨人、鬼魂、女巫和梦境的传说，诗歌历史，歌曲和民谣，神学小册子等等。这些书籍主要由地方出版社出版，然后被商人或小贩四处叫卖。[世纪词典]