Who here read the Hardy Boys books?

When the Hardy Boys were 'new'? Wow! That's old. That would be my dad's era, say the 1930's or '40's. In the 1960's I may have picked one up for a look, but found it 'outdated'. The 1930's were very different than the 1960's. Today, I wonder how the Hardy Boys compare to Harry Potter.
 
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Robb.hisself said:
When the Hardy Boys were 'new'? Wow! That's old. That would be my dad's era, say the 1930's. In the 1960's I may have picked one up for a look, but found it 'outdated'. The 1930's were very different than the 1960's.
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I believe there was a formula for them, and that various authors wrote them... even into the early 60s. I think I was reading them when I was between 11 & 12 years. I'd wait until the small local book store got the latest. Over time, I read several (even older ones), and I could detect the differences among the eras in which they were written.
 
JBR said:
I believe there was a formula for them, and that various authors wrote them... even into the early 60s. I think I was reading them when I was between 11 & 12 years. I'd wait until the small local book store got the latest. Over time, I read several (even older ones), and I could detect the differences among the eras in which they were written.
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The few I looked through talked about the new phenomenon of 'radio'. Remember, by the 1960's TV had completely supplanted the family radio. I did not know that different authors wrote them or addressed current tech. I wrongly thought they were all based on themes of the past.

Strangely, had they been about a distant historical era I probably would have been interested to know about life in the 'old days'. But, being about stuff that was 'outdated' just did not attract my attention. Outdated stuff does not have the attraction of historical stuff, strange as that may seem.
 
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Many years ago I had a box of them from my stepsons in mint condition in a garage sale. They both had read them all and that was about 40 years ago. A professional buyer offered me $5 for the box; I had $1 each on the box. I declined and two minutes later a friend came along and bought the full box for her son. I gave her a lower price, we were both thrilled.
 
Jules said:
Many years ago I had a box of them from my stepsons in mint condition in a garage sale. They both had read them all and that was about 40 years ago. A professional buyer offered me $5 for the box; I had $1 each on the box. I declined and two minutes later a friend came along and bought the full box for her son. I gave her a lower price, we were both thrilled.
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Nice of you. Sentiment for friends beats bare-knuckle business any time. Your kindness will be more fondly remembered than $5.
 
My sister had Nancy Drew books and I read a couple. Then I tried The Hardy Boys but couldn't get into them. Don't remember why.

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I have a limit on how much mystery who dunnit stories I can take.

I have 4 Agatha Christie novels. I read 3 of them. That's enough. I did, of course, read her best ones, And Then There Were None and Murder On the Orient Express. But I digress.
 
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I remember them but as someone already mentioned being a girl we were more into "Nancy Drew". Actually I think both have held up pretty well. I gave a great grandchild a Nancy Drew book and she seemed to enjoy it.
 
I read most of the Hardy Boys series as the kid next door had them all.

And on a similar note regarding childhood books, I recently came across an old hardcover book of mine on a shelf in our back shed. I must have put it there years ago and it had been covered with other items.

The title: A Patriot Lad of old New Hampshire" by Russell Gordon Carter. It was one of a series of "Patriot Lad books, copyright 1933 and sold for $1.50.

On the inside front cover, my mother had written : "David from Dad and Mom, December 25, 1945."

I would have been 12 at the time.
 
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One hard Winter the man next door (kids in the neighborhood only knew of him as "The Bachelor") traded my Mother boxes of old books for food. I presume he'd been out of work for some time and his remaining resources went for house payments, heat, and lights. Back then there were very few "relief programs" that a single male was eligible for. Well off enough to be off the streets, not poor enough for any welfare program.

Among these books I'd found several of those "Mystery Boys" novels.
 
I never read the books, but do remember watching 'Hardy Boys on TV with Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk
I think the show appeared during 'Mickey Mouse Club' in the 60's
 

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