paperback Archives - Edward Stratemeyer & the Stratemeyer Syndicate

Artwork — Ken Barr illustrates Tom Swift

The 1977 Tom Swift Jr. paperback reprints included new illustrations, including a finished painting based on this preliminary sketch by Ken Barr.

Edward Stratemeyer 1862-1930

Wrote under his own name and several pseudonyms, including Arthur M. Winfield.

Wrote several books as "Horatio Alger, Jr." after that author died, with permission of the estate.

Wrote one book as "Oliver Optic" to complete a civil war series after that author died.

His most popular series (that he wrote personally) are the Rover Boys and Dave Porter.

Founded Syndicate in 1905 to hire ghostwriters to write books from his outlines.

Most popular Syndicate series that he created are: Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, the Bobbsey Twins and the Dana Girls.

His daughters ran the Syndicate for 50 years after his death until it was purchased by Simon & Schuster.