Hardy Boys Book Reviews

An adult fondly looks back on his childhood treasures: the original 58 Hardy Boys volumes.  These were not great literature, but they were never meant to be.  They are actually surprisingly well-written for children’s books.  The great writer Leslie McFarlane got things off to a terrific start and the series benefited from that great foundation.  


Each of the 58 books is reviewed in this book.  This content comes from the popular HardyBoysBookReviews.com site, noting who wrote each book, when it was written (and revised), the cover is critiqued, the chums who appear are noted, and what Aunt Gertrude baked for her beloved nephews is gravely noted.


This book expands upon that material, however, to also include notes about the year in which the book was written.  What film won the Oscar that year?  What was the #1 song?  What events happened that year?  All of this goes into the mind of the author and you can see that influence in the books.  When James Bond shows up in public consciousness, you can absolutely tell in the Hardy Boys.  The space race, multiculturalism, post-World War II expansion, the Depression, and, of course, Scooby Doo are all reflected in these books.


These are light-hearted, brief reviews that do not spoil the plot.  They are written with humor and affection.  If you read the book, the review will remind of the basic plot, but will not reveal the identity of the villain.  For that you have to read the book again — and this book will make you want to do just that.