Girl Sleuth - Melanie Rehak

Despite the fact that I have loved reading for as long as I can remember, I don't think I've ever read a Nancy Drew mystery. According to the author of this book about the cultural phenomenon that is this girl detective, such a thing is absolutely unheard of. Nancy Drew, created in 1930, has helped sell 80 million books and has taken the country by storm. Changing her personality, her appearance, and her approach to crime to suit our changing views of women and feminism, Nancy Drew has always been an icon with universal appeal. Through this book, Rehak tells the story of Drew's creation and the journalists that brought her to life. While not a Nancy Drew fan myself, I am interested in anyone and anything that has adapted to withstand the test of time, and that can get a little kid interested in picking up a book. Part of this book explores the ubiquity of Nancy Drew - which I never noticed until after I read this - and I realized that the next couple books I picked up all referenced her. I'm tempted to go back and read a few of these - though I wonder if the magic would still apply to an adult who didn't meet Nancy when she was still a child. Whatever the case, it's clear that Nancy Drew has made a lasting impact - not only with respect to literary mysteries, but on our collective consciousness world wide.