 mmitchell  | 08 May 2008 2:25 p.m. PST |
I was halfway through writing a post asking for help remembering the title character from a series of books I read as a kid, when I remembered enough phrases to actually track it down myself. The character/series was Danny Dunn. I recall liking him better than Tom Swift, but that could be because my older brother liked Tom and I didn't want to copycat him. I suspect I thought of these books because of my recent binge viewing of "The Venture Bros." Of course, Danny Dunn got me to remember Brains Benton and the Three Investigators. When I was a lad I enjoyed reading about boy detectives and scientists. |
 Parzival  | 08 May 2008 2:43 p.m. PST |
Danny Dunn! Loved those books. The only title I specifically remember was Danny Dunn, Invisible Boy, in which Danny uses a tiny remote-controlled dragonfly robot equipped with VR helmet and gauntlets to spy on some bad guys. And that was written in the 70's! Oddly enough, I read recently about microphones that have been adapted to work on insects-- and the insects can be "steered" remotely as well. (Something makes me think the article was linked on TMP…) |
| Doctor Bedlam | 08 May 2008 3:03 p.m. PST |
Let me know when they invent anti gravity paint. As I recall, Danny Dunn ran across some of that, too… |
Hundvig  | 08 May 2008 3:59 p.m. PST |
Don't recall that one, but I was a Tom Swift Jr and Tom Corbett fan myself. Now that you remind me, I think I'll reread those again. Shouldn't take long, and it'll make me feel old… |
| Formerly Regiment Games | 08 May 2008 4:21 p.m. PST |
I remember Danny Dunn, and also Brains Benton (still have 'em all), Tom Swift, Alvin Fernald, The Mad Scientists' Club, and the Boy Scout Book Club time machine books. All great. Alvin's Secret Code is likely my favorite (still got it). |
| lugal hdan | 08 May 2008 4:23 p.m. PST |
Parzival – that's the one I remember too! That VR dragonfly was so cool. Tom Corbett: Space Cadet though, that's literature. :-) |
| Ambush Alley Games | 08 May 2008 4:34 p.m. PST |
Danny Dunn was cool! I'd forgotten all about him till you jogged my memory. Anybody remember the Major Matt Mason book where he fell into a tunnel dug under the surface of the moon by lunar worms? I loved that one, too. |
| Rebel Minis | 08 May 2008 7:13 p.m. PST |
WOW! Danny Dunn and the Three investigators.. I loved those books growing up! |
| jpattern2 | 08 May 2008 7:22 p.m. PST |
Our local library had most of the Danny Dunn books. Loved them.
Still have all 6 Brains Benton books.
Still have both Mad Scientists' Club short story collections, and bought the two novels a year or two ago. All 4 books are currently out in beautiful hardbacks.
My best friend had just about every piece of major matt Mason paraphernalia, including that lunar worm book. Good stuff.
I wasn't as big a fan of Tom Swift, Alvin Fernald, or Tom Corbett, for some reason.
Does anyone else remember "The Fabulous Flying Bicycle" by Glen Dines? Great book, but it goes for $150 USD and up on Ebay and in used-book stores. |
| rmaker | 08 May 2008 8:51 p.m. PST |
I, too, was very disappointed by Tom Swift, Jr. I'd already read my uncle's Tom Swift books, and the new ones just didn't measure up. |
| mmitchell | 08 May 2008 9:56 p.m. PST |
Was the Maj. Matt Mason book a "Big Little Book?" If so, I not only remember it, I've still got it! I used to have ALL the Matt Mason stuff, including that awesome lunar station and the battery operated lunar track, as well as the giant ball he rode in. Those were some pretty amazing toys. I'm pretty sure I remember the Fabulous Flying Bicycle. Anyone remember "While Mrs. Coverlet was away?" That was one of the Schoolastic books. |
| Lord Hypnogogue | 11 May 2008 1:02 p.m. PST |
I loved the Danny Dunn books as well. The one with the dragonfly sticks out in my mind. Does anyone remember Encyclopedia Brown? |
