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ms_aprilvincent's review against another edition
4.0
As a fan of Nancy Drew, I really enjoyed this book. When I was growing up and actively reading the books, I wondered how Carolyn Keene was so prolific a writer; I didn't know anything about the Stratemeyer Syndicate at all.
I liked the details of each book's creation. Stratemeyer would write an outline and send it to an author, who would fill in the blanks, as it were, and send it back. These authors would also be cranking out tons of other stories for the Syndicate; it's absolutely astounding how many books Mildred Wirt Benson, for example, wrote during her lifetime (both for the Syndicate and independently).
The author details the rise of women in the twentieth century, and how Nancy Drew changed with the times (or didn't). Obviously, I'm not the only person in the world who grew up with Nancy Drew, but I had no idea how widespread or influential she was/is.
I liked the details of each book's creation. Stratemeyer would write an outline and send it to an author, who would fill in the blanks, as it were, and send it back. These authors would also be cranking out tons of other stories for the Syndicate; it's absolutely astounding how many books Mildred Wirt Benson, for example, wrote during her lifetime (both for the Syndicate and independently).
The author details the rise of women in the twentieth century, and how Nancy Drew changed with the times (or didn't). Obviously, I'm not the only person in the world who grew up with Nancy Drew, but I had no idea how widespread or influential she was/is.
rhiannatherad's review against another edition
4.0
So much I never knew! Makes me want to read a bunch of Nancy Drew now.
bookrec's review against another edition
2.0
Less than expected
What girl didn’t read Nancy Drew? I was really looking forward to this book. The writing needed editing but mostly this was sad to hear what was actually going on. Be careful what you ask for. I would rather keep the illusion that Carolyn Keene was a magical writer than learn the reality of what was actually going on.
What girl didn’t read Nancy Drew? I was really looking forward to this book. The writing needed editing but mostly this was sad to hear what was actually going on. Be careful what you ask for. I would rather keep the illusion that Carolyn Keene was a magical writer than learn the reality of what was actually going on.
ovvlish's review against another edition
4.0
I think the greatest value of this book is in its final chapters, which explain how the two women who had the most influence in creating the classic Nancy Drew of the 30s, 40s, and 50s ended their lives somewhat mired in the general public's confusion over who Carolyn Keene was. The entire book is a delightful read and gives a glimpse of what life was like for two different classes of women throughout the 20th century. But I think that for those interested in Nancy Drew, it explains so much more about the origins of the character, why my generation was still reading her as kids in the 90s despite her age, and I think it really lays out, finally and more completely, "who" Carolyn Keene was for those first, classic stories. It also is a really important and fascinating study of the way publishing, especially for children, has evolved since the late 19th century. It has a few vaguely trite arguments with regards to women's rights/history, etc, but the entire thing is well-organized and illuminating, and the general feeling of it is that of appreciating what iconic figures like Nancy Drew can do for not just one but several generations of people, and in this case girls and women.
kristina_simon's review against another edition
3.0
Really 3.5*s. Interesting history of the women's movement in America and how the Nancy Drew Mystery series changed with the times as well as the amazing women behind the stories.
myrto229's review against another edition
4.0
Before the age of 13, I'd read every single Nancy Drew book published (and all the Hardy Boys books, too). I devoured them, loving the tension and the gradual sorting-out of clues. I never knew until much later that Nancy Drew was created and written by a team of writers, beginning in the 1930s!
I was excited to read this biography of "Carolyn Keene." The story is fascinating, and I really enjoyed learning all the behind-the-scenes drama that characterized the creation of this series. I particularly liked hearing how the series and the characters of the books changed through the years. Melanie Rehak thoughtfully included some photographs of the book covers published in different decades, summarizing how Nancy Drew and her friends changed as young women in the US changed through the years.
I was excited to read this biography of "Carolyn Keene." The story is fascinating, and I really enjoyed learning all the behind-the-scenes drama that characterized the creation of this series. I particularly liked hearing how the series and the characters of the books changed through the years. Melanie Rehak thoughtfully included some photographs of the book covers published in different decades, summarizing how Nancy Drew and her friends changed as young women in the US changed through the years.