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meaganlh's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book.
Read the hardcover version, which had all kinds of tantalizing quotes on Nancy Drew strewn across the back cover but in fact didn't represent the majority of the book. Wha-?
Much to my surprise and delight, there was more. MUCH more!
Not only does Ms. Rehak delve deep into the characters that played the major roles in developing Nancy Drew and her success, but she also gave a very though account of the social, political, and economic times into which she was 'born'.
I loved reading about those parts. At times, I might think, geez, this part about Edward Stratemeyer is quite long, but would later realize it was really all necessary to truly understand that nature of his personality and vision. The same would go as I became entwined in the personal lives of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, her sister Edna, and Writer, Mildred Wirt Benson.
It's a multi-biography, with enough information given about each person in whole, and then coordinating the bits of their interactions with regards to the Nancy Drew stories, et al.
I would love to read an entire book on Mildred. While Nancy Drew/Carolyn Keene was a composite, Mildred's personality and interests seem to be represented by Nancy Drew just a shade more.
Read the hardcover version, which had all kinds of tantalizing quotes on Nancy Drew strewn across the back cover but in fact didn't represent the majority of the book. Wha-?
Much to my surprise and delight, there was more. MUCH more!
Not only does Ms. Rehak delve deep into the characters that played the major roles in developing Nancy Drew and her success, but she also gave a very though account of the social, political, and economic times into which she was 'born'.
I loved reading about those parts. At times, I might think, geez, this part about Edward Stratemeyer is quite long, but would later realize it was really all necessary to truly understand that nature of his personality and vision. The same would go as I became entwined in the personal lives of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, her sister Edna, and Writer, Mildred Wirt Benson.
It's a multi-biography, with enough information given about each person in whole, and then coordinating the bits of their interactions with regards to the Nancy Drew stories, et al.
I would love to read an entire book on Mildred. While Nancy Drew/Carolyn Keene was a composite, Mildred's personality and interests seem to be represented by Nancy Drew just a shade more.
amysbrittain's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to loooooove this story behind the stories of the Nancy Drewc creators, but I just liked it. It could have been more of a New Yorker story length vs. a book, in my opinion.
bookworm_baggins's review against another edition
4.0
The scoop on who wrote Nancy Drew (multiple authors, editors) and the changes made to the books throughout the years. I was always a bigger fan of the Hardy Boys, but it was really interesting to hear the similarities between how these books were written (both created by the same man who wrote outlines of the plots and gave the writing over to ghostwriters. He edited and published everything under pen names). I remember feeling the let-down when I realized there was no Franklin W. Dixon or Carolyn Keene too.
kpeeps111's review against another edition
4.0
I'm pretty sure I was given this book as kind of a joke because my friends and I have a bit of an obsession with the Nancy Drew computer games (which are fabulous, fyi). Sadly, this history of Nancy Drew and her creators does not mention her computer game legacy, but it does give a pretty good discussion of Nancy's cultural impact and importance, and why so many girls love her so very much. After all, not every books series lasts 50+ years. It was really interesting to learn about the women (and men!) behind Nancy's creation and evolution, and how and why. The story of the women in question is also quite compelling, as they are interesting characters indeed. Different aspects of Nancy's personality as evident in each of them, and they are pretty cool old ladies. One of them was a diver for Iowa State in the 1920s, a investigatory journalist, and a pilot in her 70s. The other took over her father's company in 1930 and continued to run it well into her 80s. It's interesting to look back from the end in the mid 1990s and remember that we started out at the turn of the century dime novels. Crazy! Anyway, this was an oddly engrossing read, and I really enjoyed it. Hooray women!
stricker's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
barefootsong's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting cultural biography of the two women who had the most influence on the creation of Nancy Drew and her enduring appeal. (I so need a full-length bio of Millie, though!)
ejdecoster's review against another edition
3.0
I don't remember when I read this, but I'm pretty sure I did, and enjoyed it enough to recommend it to a friend's mother and fellow Nancy fan.
whats_margaret_reading's review against another edition
3.0
Nancy Drew was my first exposure to the fiction mystery novel, and it didn't take third grade me long to figure out the formula. Something crazy happens, Nancy is on the case with her pair of good friends, and then she messes around until she is knocked out, and the criminal reveals all. Not exactly crime solving.
Then, the Applewood books re-releases of the early Nancy Drew novels changed that. Nancy was much spunkier, slightly more white-privledged (yes, that's possible), and much more adventurous.
So, what happened?
This biography of Carolyn Keene details the number of ghost writers, from the first outlines from the proposal to start a new line of serial novels to the daughter of the original publisher through the 1970s. Everyone who participated in the creation of the Nancy Drew myth made revision almost necessary in the eyes of Harriet Adams, the daughter of Edward Stratemeyer, the original publisher. Harriet wanted to maximize her deceased father's role and legitimize herself as the leader of the Stratemeyer Syndicate after his death, at the expense of the ghost writers. Mildred Wirt, who becomes much of the focus of the forgotten Caroyln Keenes that Melanie Rehak selects to profile, is the more adventurous, modern author who after writing serial novels, learned to fly and kept up reporting for the same small town paper well into old age.
The formula that Harriet Stratemeyer Adams later favored also minimized the role of the myriad of ghostwriters who were responsible for the Nancy Drew mysteries. The behind the scenes politics of ghostwriting and the creation of one of the most recognizable American characters sheds light onto how Nancy's creation produced one of the standards of American childhood.
Then, the Applewood books re-releases of the early Nancy Drew novels changed that. Nancy was much spunkier, slightly more white-privledged (yes, that's possible), and much more adventurous.
So, what happened?
This biography of Carolyn Keene details the number of ghost writers, from the first outlines from the proposal to start a new line of serial novels to the daughter of the original publisher through the 1970s. Everyone who participated in the creation of the Nancy Drew myth made revision almost necessary in the eyes of Harriet Adams, the daughter of Edward Stratemeyer, the original publisher. Harriet wanted to maximize her deceased father's role and legitimize herself as the leader of the Stratemeyer Syndicate after his death, at the expense of the ghost writers. Mildred Wirt, who becomes much of the focus of the forgotten Caroyln Keenes that Melanie Rehak selects to profile, is the more adventurous, modern author who after writing serial novels, learned to fly and kept up reporting for the same small town paper well into old age.
The formula that Harriet Stratemeyer Adams later favored also minimized the role of the myriad of ghostwriters who were responsible for the Nancy Drew mysteries. The behind the scenes politics of ghostwriting and the creation of one of the most recognizable American characters sheds light onto how Nancy's creation produced one of the standards of American childhood.