Tom Swift and his electric runabout;: Or, The speediest car on the road, (His The Tom Swift series) [Hardcover]

Victor Appleton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1910 | Series: His The Tom Swift series

General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1910 Original Publisher: Grosset

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; First Edition edition (1910)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0006AGHY2
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the better books in the original Tom Swift series . . . ., December 30, 2009

By 

Patrick J. Callahan (La Crosse, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout, or, the Speediest Car on the Road (Dodo Press) (Paperback)

I just finished rereading this entertaining boys book. It is the fifth in the series, copyright 1910 in the original issue.

One pleasing aspect of the Tom Swift originals is the manner the writer has of linking the various books. Numerous references are made to the earlier books in the series, to include "and his Motorcycle," "and his Speedboat," "and his Airship," and finally, "and his Submarine Boat." Characters we have met earlier in the series reappear, and even characters that will not come back are mentioned. For instance, Captain Weston, from the preceding volume, is briefly described as having gone to Latin America to participate in a revolution.

The books are full of humor. For one example, Tom's electric runabout, which is an electric racing car, breaks down during a test run. Tom is forced to ask his hired handyman, Eradicate, to hitch his mule to the car and tow it back to the shops for repair. Tom laments, "the fastest car on the roads, pulled by a mule!" Alas, Tom passes some of his enemies -- other boys Tom's age -- who subject him to a lively ribbing.

Tom has many adventures with his electric car, the most notable being his brave run cross-country to bring replenishments of cash to a failing bank. If Tom cannnot reach the bank by 3:00 p.m., the run on the bank will overwhelm the bank's cash reserves. He is finally rescued from a failed robbery attempt by a band of farmers with pitchforks. So unexpected, so "off the wall," and so fun.

Unlike some other boys series books I have collected, Tom has a serious girlfriend named Mary Nestor. Tom also has a number of friends who emerge as somewhat developed characters. These include his best chum, Ned Norton, as well as the aging wealthy gentleman Wakefield Damon. One bit of humor is the confusion of the book's author, who sometimes mentions that Mr. Damon is from Waterford, and a chapter later, mentions that his from Waterfield.

Is there any science in these books? Remember, this book hit the market in 1910. Actually, there's quite a bit of basic science of the "Popular Mechanics" variety. Everything Tom designs and builds, from this Electric Runabout to his submarine to his airship, is always the best. Tom is a Horatio Alger type character who -- through grit and education -- pulls himself up by his bootstraps. Late in this series of about 35 books, Tom is president of a highly successful company.

One comment -- in this initial series of Tom Swift books everything is "electric." There's the "electric runabout" car, there's the "electric rifle," there's the "electric locomotive," and so on. Starting in 1955 or so a series began of "Tom Swift Jr." These are totally different books, not to be confused with the first series. BUT . . . now the key word is not "electric" but "atomic." These book include titles such as " . . . in the Caves of Nuclear Fire" and " . . . and his Atomic Earth-Blaster." I guess the exciting world of engineering in 1910 was "electric" -- the days of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse. Forty years later, we entered the atomic age, so now all the books capture the words "nuclear" or "atomic" in the titles.

Hope you enjoy the book. One of the better written issues of the original Tom Swift series. I do enjoy these boys books, even though I am a senior citizen "boy."