"From Boys to Men"

The Boy Problem and the Childhood of Famous Americans Series

Gregory M. Pfitzer

• Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press
• Year: 2024
• Print ISBN:
  9781625347954
  9781625347961
• eBook ISBN:
  9781685750701
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

While adult concern about gender in children's books has made recent headlines, this discussion is far from new. As Gregory M. Pfitzer reveals, the writers and editors at Bobbs-Merrill, the publisher of the Childhood of Famous Americans book series published between 1932 and 1958, thought carefully about how their books would influence the development of their male readers. These books emphasized inspiring tales over historical accuracy and were written in simple language, with characters, dialogue, and stories that were intended to teach boys how to be successful men.

But this was a specific image of American manhood. Published in an era when sociologists, psychologists, and other experts worried about male delinquency, the men envisioned in these books were steeped in Cold War racial and gender stereotypes, and questions about citizenship and responsibility. Based on deep archival research into the publication history of the series, "From Boys to Men" sheds light on current controversies on children's books and presentations of gender diversity.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Preface: “Fiction Is the Lie through Which We Tell the Truth”
• Part I: Moral Education: Exemplary Figures
• Part II: Public Servants: Statesmen and Politicians
• Part III: Military Readiness : War and Peace
• Part IV: 179 Social Relationships: Exclusivity and Race
• Part V: The Vocational and Recreational: Balancing Work and Play
• Part VI: The Intellectual Boy: The Power of Literacy
• Notes
• Index
• Back Cover