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June 2016 Vol. 53 No. 10

Anderson (history/American studies, Univ. of North Carolina, Pembroke) presents a biographical treatment of Gilbert Patten (1866–1945), who employed the pseudonym Burt L. Standish for his Frank Merriwell series.  The ambitious author, who first became renowned during the Gilded Age and flourished during the Progressive Era, crafted formulaic representations of the all-American boy.  His seemingly average protagonist was hardly that, as he moved from boyhood to adulthood while excelling in sports, the classroom, romantic endeavors, and life altogether.  Delivered in serialized fashion, the tale of Frank Merriwell initially appeared in Tip Top Weekly, a Street & Smith publication that appeared from 1896–1912.  Anderson argues that the fictional Merriwell recast American boyhood and at the same time popularized the schoolboy sports tale.  He stood for an appropriately “manly” figure, excelling in competition, hard work, fair play, and acceptance of authority.  Anderson concludes on a more negative note, suggesting that the Merriwell image interferes with contemporary Americans' understanding of themselves today.  A welcome addition to the literature on popular culture.

--R. C. Cottrell, California State University, Chico

Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.