自购了部分Hardy Boys的精装章节书，就把原版所有的PDF书都下载了。 这套书是针对8-12岁，母语为英语的孩子，我是英语六级低空飞过，看着有部分生词（六级、专四、专八、GRE、雅思等各类）。建议英语词汇量大，基础较好，对侦探破案类故事感兴趣的娃看。
In 1926, the founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, Edward Stratemeyer, conceived the idea for the Hardy Boys. He created the plot outlines and then advertised for ghostwriters to complete the stories. Most notable among these writers is Leslie McFarlane, who wrote volumes 1-16 and 22-24 and is generally regarded as by far the best ghostwriter of the series. The first three volumes of the series were released as a "breeder" set in mid-May 1927. There were five more stories published in the following two years. After that, new titles were released in an almost unvarying pattern of one per year for the next fifty years.
Starting in 1959, the Stratemeyer Syndicate engaged in a 15 year project to revise the first 38 titles in the series. The earlier books were printed from copper plates which over the years had degraded so that copies printed from them were of poor quality. The revisions ranged from slight alteration to completely new stories. All the stories were reduced in length (all stories were now the same approximate length), had obsolete prose updated and had racial stereotypes (which appeared in many of the early volumes) removed. The quality of the revised stories is generally so far below that of the originals that it can only be considered as an act of literary vandalism.
In 1979, after 52 years and 59 titles (which includes Detective Handbook), Grosset & Dunlap lost the rights to publish any new Hardy Boys tales in a protracted court battle with the Syndicate. They did retain the right to continue publishing these 59 titles (refered to by most Hardy Boys enthusiasts as the canon) and continue to do so to this day, despite several changes in ownership (today it is part of Penguin Random House through its subsidiary Penguin Group.)
In 1991 Applewood Books began to publish first edition facsimiles of the early volumes. Dust jackets on earlier volumes are marred by an ugly "Just As You Remember Them" logo on the front cover. Thankfully, this was moved to the spine on later volumes. Beginning with volume 12, Footprints Under the Window, Applewood abandoned its practice of making facsimiles when it continued to use red cloth binding despite the fact that this title never came in that format. In 2007 Applewood announced it was not renewing its agreement with Simon & Schuster and would not continue publishing Hardy Boys books.
In 1962, Grosset & Dunlap changed the format of the books from dust jackets to picture covers (PC). Four original text stories (volumes 1, 2, 11 & 14) are not known to exist in picture cover format. Three revised text books (volumes 1, 2 & 14) were issued with dust jackets.
Early editions (1927-1932) with dust jackets are very scarce and are highly prized and sought after by collectors and a true first edition of The Tower Treasure is the Hardy collector's Holy Grail. Additionally, the first edition of volume 11, While The Clock Ticked, is extremely rare and perhaps the most valuable of all Hardy Boys books.
First editions of any volume, first editions of new cover art, first editions in PC format and first editions of revised texts are also very desirable and tend to bring higher prices. First editions of books with modified (not revised) text are sought by Hardy completists.
Authors are known from signed releases found in the Stratemeyer Syndicate Archives at the NY Public Library. The archives are occasionally contradictory and other documents indicate different authors for some titles. In some cases this conflict may be due to manuscripts being rejected by the Syndicate. These will be noted where applicable but the signed release forms are usually the best indicator of true authorship.
From 2005 until circa 2013 Grosset & Dunlap reprinted volumes 59 thru 66 of the Digests using the original art in the Flashlight picture cover binding style.
Starting in 2023 the early original text versions began entering the public domain and started showing up on Project Gutenberg and in paperback editions of varying quality.
