In 1830, he published the first edition of the Lady's Book, composed of reprinted articles and illustrations from British magazines.

[6] Many famous authors were published in Godey's Lady's Book, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

[2] Godey implemented a service where readers could order copies of engravings published in the magazine and other items.

He also innovated and offered reduced subscription rates to groups that pooled their money and purchased multiple copies of the magazine.

[7] Godey published two other magazines, The Young People’s Book (1841) and Lady’s Musical Library (1842), with less successful results.