The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn KeeneMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I discovered Nancy Drew in the school library when I was in 6th grade. Before the year was out I had read every book my library had in the series. It inspired me to want to be a mystery writer, which I accomplished after a career in journalism. Recently I decided I wanted to reread the stories that started it all. About the only thing I remembered about Nancy Drew was that she had neat little sports car and her father was an attorney. Turns out that information is revealed on the first page of the first book so it didn't take long for the stories to grab me. Rereading after all these years I am struck by how kind and gracious people are. Looking for information about a missing will Nancy calls on a woman in her 80s. Turns out the lady is recovering from a fall down the stairs. Although Nancy has just met her she quickly pitches in to bandage her up and make a grocery run and fix her some lunch. I wasn't surprised that a protagonist would behave so nicely but what surprised me is when she left she went next door and informed the neighbor, who was a stranger as well, and that neighbor drops everything to take care of her injured neighbor including doing her laundry. There is just an underlying assumption that people will take care of each other that I don't think today's characters have. So I am on to Book 2 next.
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Love it! Similarly, I remember very well the summer I read all the Hardy Boys books. I'd ride my bike from the East Side of Joliet to the downtown library to restock when I got done. No one was concerned, no fear, no constant checking in -- AND MY DAD WAS A COP!! Anyway, great memory.
ReplyDeleteYep. I remember my brothers going hunting walking around carrying a gun when they were teens and no one thought it was scary or something to worry about. The world has changed
Deletewhen I was a few years old my godfather said to me: describe what surrounds you, because it disappears
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
DeleteGreat memories. I read all of the Nancy Drew books and by 6th grade I was tearing through Agatha Christy. I was at the library so often, I still recall the Librarian s name; Mrs. Gill.
ReplyDeleteLove libraries
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