Hardy Boys Mysteries (ebook, classic, authors, written)

[kygman]

I saw a post on a facebook "for sale" page this morning, somebody had the first 6 books of the Hardy Boys for sale for $15. All books in almost perfect condition. Since I grew up reading the Hardy Boys I jumped on it. The books don't look like they've ever been opened and the seller said they more or less haven't been. They were like me, growing up reading them, and bought them for their grandkids to read. But, the man said, the grandkids weren't interested. "It's not digital! There's no screen!" I know this has probable been a topic before on here but I don't get to the book threads that often. But it's a shame kids don't know a good book when they see it.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by kygman

I saw a post on a facebook "for sale" page this morning, somebody had the first 6 books of the Hardy Boys for sale for $15. All books in almost perfect condition. Since I grew up reading the Hardy Boys I jumped on it. The books don't look like they've ever been opened and the seller said they more or less haven't been. They were like me, growing up reading them, and bought them for their grandkids to read. But, the man said, the grandkids weren't interested. "It's not digital! There's no screen!" I know this has probable been a topic before on here but I don't get to the book threads that often. But it's a shame kids don't know a good book when they see it.

I remember my mother taking me to an office supply store where they sold a few books and I picked up one of the Hardy Boys books. I remember it was The Hooded Hawk Mystery. The year was probably 1964 or 65 when I was 9 or 10. It cost $1.25, which seemed like a lot to me. I probably ended up reading around 75% of the titles before I outgrew them. I later found out the author wasn't a real person. The publisher hired teams of people to write the books. The authors changed over the years.

[2x3x29x41]

Originally Posted by kygman

I saw a post on a facebook "for sale" page this morning, somebody had the first 6 books of the Hardy Boys for sale for $15. All books in almost perfect condition. Since I grew up reading the Hardy Boys I jumped on it. The books don't look like they've ever been opened and the seller said they more or less haven't been. They were like me, growing up reading them, and bought them for their grandkids to read. But, the man said, the grandkids weren't interested. "It's not digital! There's no screen!" I know this has probable been a topic before on here but I don't get to the book threads that often. But it's a shame kids don't know a good book when they see it.

As the previous poster mentioned, the Hardy Boys books* are assembly-line books and, not surprisingly, quite formulaic. While I think they're fine for kids, there's nothing commendable about them from a literary point of view. It's good when kids read, period. But there's much better stuff to be easily found.

Aside #1:
The same company that produced Hardy Boys also churned out the Nancy Drew books in the same manner, as well as Bobbsey Twins books and one series of books of which I read a few (because they were knocking around my grandmother's attic - they'd belonged to my uncles when they were kids): the Bomba the Jungle Boy series.

Aside #2:
For those who think that revisionism due to outdated racial attitudes is anything new, the Hardy Boys series was revamped, and past volumes re-written to eliminate racial stereotypes... in 1957.

[Babe_Ruth]

I'm a fan, more of the Nancy Drew series.. but I had some of both I inherited from my dad..
I liked the old Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys TV series too with Pamela Sue Martin. Good, corny classic..