Edward Stratemeyer

A Young Volunteer in Cuba Edward Stratemeyer Illustrated edition

This 1898 novel is the second of six books in Edward Stratemeyer's "Old Glory Series." The Series follows the three Russell brothers -- Larry, Ben, and Walter -- as they participate in the United States' war with Spain. Each book stands on its own, so if you haven't read the first Old Glory book yet, no worries. In this book, Ben joins the Army at age 18, and winds up assigned to Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and participates in Cuba's effort to gain independence from Spain. Non-stop action and adventure. "Fighting for the Single Star" refers to the Cuban flag, which has one, or a "single" star. This edition of the book contains the seven original illustrations, rejuvenated, and three additional illustrations that are unique to this edition of the book. Edward Stratemeyer (1862-1930) was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was an American publisher and writer of books for children. He wrote 150 books himself, and created the most famous of the series books for juveniles, including the Rover Boys (1899 and after), Bobbsey Twins (1904), Tom Swift (1910), Hardy Boys (1927), and Nancy Drew (1930) series, among others. Stratemeyer pioneered the technique of producing long-running, consistent series of books using a team of freelance authors to write standardised novels, which were published under a pen name owned by his company. Through his Stratemeyer Syndicate, founded in 1906, Stratemeyer produced short plot summaries for the novels in each series, which he sent to other writers who completed the story. Stratemeyer's series were also innovative in that they were intended purely as entertainment, with little of the moral lessons or educational intent found in most other popular fiction of the early twentieth century. Stratemeyer's series included, besides the famous ones, many that are now forgotten except by collectors: The Motor Boys (1906), Honey Bunch (1923), The Blythe Girls (1925) and Bomba the Jungle Boy (1926).