At what number do the Hardy Boys books get "modernized"?

[battlemaiden]

Or perhaps I have it wrong. Have they revised all the books? Should I simply look for original editions?

 

How do they work? Of the 60 some odd books, at some point does the writing lessen in quality? Not that Hardy Boys books are at the pinnacle of literature...but you know what I'm asking, right?

 

Thanks.

 

Jo

[JennyB]

I am not sure of the number. My mom knows and I will be talking to her this afternoon so I will get back to you tonight. I think in the originals they had motorcycles and in the modern versions they have a convertible. Maybe. I'm not sure. Will ask my mom.

[Cindy in FL.]

The originals have been revised. I think that we have up to #58 and after that they are even more "modern". If I could do it over again, and I still might, I'd get the originals.

 

Cindy

[dalynnrmc]

I believe Wikipedia has this info, as far as what copyright dates and publishers have which editions, etc. :) (Discovered while looking up info on Carolyn Keene! LOL I was a huge Nancy Drew fan as a kid... still am.)

[Carolyn in Ohio]

I have an unrevised vol 1 of the Hardy Boys, I think I got it from American Home School Publishing. I appreciate that they aren't modernized and the boys aren't chasing girls or whatever, but there are things in this book that are offensive. I have never read a modernized version of the Hardy boys, but read tons of Nancy Drew back in the day.

 

The boys are trying to distract the police (who are portrayed as competely incompetent fools, only Mr Hardy and his sons can possibly solve crimes) so they plant an ticking alarm clock in a box as a fake bomb in some market. In the process they mock and degrade some poor Italian immigrant who has a booth in the market.

 

I'm usually not so sensitive to this kind of stuff, but I was reading this out loud to the kids and it just floored me. I know this was probably standard at the time the books were written, but still.

 

Carolyn

[Nestof3]

Hmmm. I never knew there was a difference! My parents bought my oldest son one of those starter sets, and my son got rid of it because he told me there was too much romance. When I told my husband this (who is 48), he said he didn't remember any romance.

 

Perhaps this is the reason why?

 

Interesting.

[In The Great White North]

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drews have all been revised several times. You can get reprints of the ORIGINAL first two books in each series, even at Borders. After that, the old brownish - bluish ones (no picture on the cover) are next best. The first ones with pictures on the cover (from the 70's) are OK.

 

The shiny ones are not OK and the paperbacks are worse. They have been dumbed down and their content and vocabulary changed, while keeping the main plot. Current vernacular is put in (ie. calling people "Dude). The reading level is lower (Nope, I don't have data to prove this but younger kids can read it.) The whole book is smaller, with larger print. It's almost an early chapter book.

 

Although standards have changed, I find more offensive in current Disney products than I do in older Nancy Drews.