“Anderson has written an intelligent study of one of the more popular cultural heroes of the Progressive period. For countless readers, Frank Merriwell was a genuine hero to be revered and imitated. Anderson’s book shows us why.”
—Journal of Social History
Past reviews:
“Anderson’s writing is swift and lucid. Moreover, his research is through and complemented by several illustrations that enhance his analysis. Readers interested in the Progressive Era, popular literature, publishing, gender studies, and sports will benefit from reading this book.”
—Journal of American History, March 2017
“No other character in American Sports Literature awakened such admiration as Frank Merriwell, whose impact on twentieth-century boyhood Anderson brings to light.”
—Journal of Sport History, Spring 2017
“A welcome addition to the literature on popular culture.”
—CHOICE, June 2016
“If ever a book deserved the adjective ‘definitive,’ this book does….In producing this book, Ryan K. Anderson has done the world of dime novel scholarship a service…. I highly recommend Frank Merriwell and the Fiction of All-American Boyhood.”
—Dime Novel Round-Up, Spring 2016