Sleuthing Vigilante: Nancy Drew

So still shuffling through the cardboard box of my books. I came across my mystery fiction, and mostly it contained all Nancy Drew books. Nancy Drew is every girl’s dream of being a female detective and investigator. She has inspired generations of women around the world to take up jobs which were otherwise male dominated.

The advent of Nancy Drew books with a teenage blonde (Yes!! A Blonde!! And no Blonde jokes please) going on to solve crimes and saving people inspired small girls to be taken on intellectually serious and not just to play with their dollhouses.

There are like so many Nancy Drew books written by ghost writers. I always thought I should pay my respects to Carolyn Keene for creating such a kick ass super-girl but I just came to know that there are like hundreds of writers contributing to the story line of every single book.

I matured along with Nancy Drew books I must say. First they were mild with a 15 yr old girl who can travel to any place she wants(applicable only to US) , find a crime, investigate and capture the criminal. Then she started going abroad for her mysteries ( Who in their right mind send their teenage daughter alone abroad?) . There was Scotland, Japan, Caribbean,etc all exotic locales with guys to ogle. And there was an entire series where she goes to college and has all relationship troubles. Talk about being an investigator with a boyfriend(Not likely in the real world). So I am happy that I have read not all but some majority of the books in all shades of Nancy Drew, the immortal teenage sleuth.

She is the role model that any Feminist would like their children to grow up with, and this was before Feminism was the fab word. And teaching girls that looks don’t matter when you have brains to solve 831 mysteries, crimes and others.

Still searching my cardboard box for my next post…

Adios Amigos.