Customer Reviews

Stout Fellow: A Guide Through Nero Wolfe's World

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William S. Baring-Gould's "Nero Wolfe of West Thirty-Fifth Street" started it for us. This one takes us into the 21st Century's fascination with databases, cross-referencing and acronyms, like FDL and MAWBD.

It's a pleasure to read a book by someone who loves this. I was so pleased to read the Foreward's personal references to the author's mother anxiously wondering when Rex Stout's "new one" was coming out this year. I envied the author's anticipation just as much as he or she envies the newcomer's discovery of the whole series.

That was me, back in the 1980s, after Stout's death. I owe a debt to my friend Rob, my sister Madeline and my mother-in-law for their gift to me.

For you, this book is a great way to chart your course through the best body of American detective fiction which follows "the old rules," before hard-boiled.

There is some things this book is not - it is not meant to explain and summarize each and every story. Its main focus is on the characters, mostly on Nero, Archie and those of the extended detective family. While it lists information about the different stories and events, the author refused to spoil it for you. If you want to know more you HAVE to read the books. The book also shows us the history of Nero Wolfe on the radio, on TV and even on the big screen. It has chapters on both his love of food and on his harem of flowers. It also has a small bio on Rex Stout and tries to trace the life, and loves, of Archie Goodwin. A wonderful book but no replacement for reading the mysteries. Enjoy it like a fine meal.

Stout fellow is a fun book for the Wolfe pack. Accurate, amazingly complete and with a stout-like sense of humour.