Clues for Real Life: The Classic Wit & Wisdom of Nancy Drew

Draws on the more than five hundred books, published since 1930, featuring the teenage detective to present quotes and words of wisdom on everything from careers to friendship and relationships, with such chapters as Career Clues: The Secrets to Getting Ahead, Mysterious Men: Solving Your Dating Dilemmas, and Friendship Files: Lessons Learned from Bess and George.

A smart and capable heroine, girl sleuth Nancy Drew provided a progressive role model for girls in 1930s America, where women had recently won the right to vote. Today, her thoughts on being a woman, dealing with boys, solving crimes and staying fashionable make for deliciously dated browsing. In chapters like "Career Clues," "Mysterious Men" and "The Style Sleuth," Karpinske has amassed fun, shamelessly old-fashioned (read: non-PC) bon mots like, "Do nearly faint upon being rescued so you can be picked up and held by good strong arms!" from The Secret in the Old Attic. Also included are quizzes and sidebars, numerous illustrations from original publications and even a chapter of recipes for Drew's favorite foods, but the most interesting part is the first chapter, which looks at how Drew was created and how she's changed through different authors and times. But unless you're a die-hard fan, the endless list of quotes can prove wearying, especially for their occasional impenetrability ("Using transparent aliases... might just get you locked in a hallway!"), an abundance of exclamation points and casual sexism ("There's safety in numbers, especially when they're men!").
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