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Tom Swift Sr. #21
Tom Swift and His War Tank, or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam
Victor Appleton was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its successors, most famous for being associated with the Tom Swift series of books. The following series have been published under the Victor Appleton Tom Swift (1910-1941), Motion Picture Chums (1913-1916), Moving Picture Boys (1913-1922), Movie Boys (1926-1927), Don Sturdy (1925-1935), Tom Swift, Jr. (1954-1971) (technically, ""Victor Appleton II""), Tom Swift (Third Series) (1981-1984) and Tom Swift (Fourth Series) (1991-1993). Contract authors of these books writing under the name ""Victor Appleton"" included James Duncan Lawrence, Howard Roger Garis, John W. Duffield, W. Bert Foster, Debra Doyle with James D. Macdonald, F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre, Robert E. Vardeman, Thomas M. Mitchell.
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First published January 1, 1918
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About the author
Victor Appleton
452 books48 followersVictor Appleton was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its successors, most famous for being associated with the Tom Swift series of books.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_...
The character of Tom Swift was conceived in 1910 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging company. Stratemeyer invented the series to capitalize on the market for children's science adventure. The Syndicate's authors created the Tom Swift books by first preparing an outline with all the plot elements, followed by drafting and editing the detailed manuscript. The books were published under the house name of Victor Appleton. Edward Stratemeyer and Howard Garis wrote most of the volumes in the original series; Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, wrote the last three volumes. The first Tom Swift series ended in 1941.
In 1954, Harriet Adams created the Tom Swift, Jr., series, which was published under the name "Victor Appleton II". Most titles were outlined and plotted by Adams. The texts were written by various writers, among them William Dougherty, John Almquist, Richard Sklar, James Duncan Lawrence, Tom Mulvey and Richard McKenna. The Tom Swift, Jr., series ended in 1971.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_...
The character of Tom Swift was conceived in 1910 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book-packaging company. Stratemeyer invented the series to capitalize on the market for children's science adventure. The Syndicate's authors created the Tom Swift books by first preparing an outline with all the plot elements, followed by drafting and editing the detailed manuscript. The books were published under the house name of Victor Appleton. Edward Stratemeyer and Howard Garis wrote most of the volumes in the original series; Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, wrote the last three volumes. The first Tom Swift series ended in 1941.
In 1954, Harriet Adams created the Tom Swift, Jr., series, which was published under the name "Victor Appleton II". Most titles were outlined and plotted by Adams. The texts were written by various writers, among them William Dougherty, John Almquist, Richard Sklar, James Duncan Lawrence, Tom Mulvey and Richard McKenna. The Tom Swift, Jr., series ended in 1971.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 7, 2024
Tom Swift and His War Tank was the 21st book in the original Tom Swift series. It was produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and was published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1918, a year after the U.S. entered WWI in France. The author was Howard Garis, a very famous and prolific writer of juvenile fiction of the time, though it of course appeared under the house pseudonym of Victor Appleton. The novel is subtitled Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam, and it is much more of a patriotic adventure than a story of scientific speculation. Tom is secretly developing enhancements to the tanks being used in the war; his Tank A is larger and faster and can cross wider barriers. He comes under the scrutiny of his friends and associates for not having enlisted for combat, but thinks his tank is more valuable to the war effort. His best friend, Ned Newton, has left his bank job to sell War Bonds, and his girlfriend, Mary Nestor, and especially her father, question Tom's nerve. German spies eventually steal the machine and leave Tom imprisoned, but after he's rescued by Ned and his other friend, the quirky Mr. Damon who blesses random things with every other sentence, things are set aright. There are some troubling passages due to the involvement of Eradicate, a racist stereotype handyman friend of the family, but otherwise it's a fine wartime adventure. The one scientific development that struck me as being prescient is that Tom is able to control his machine via wireless transmission, leaving the concept of unmanned weapons open to speculation.
January 12, 2022
Tom Swift and His War Tank was published in 1918. The U.S.A. participation in the first world war began in 1917, and the war ended in 1918. So, this was a good time to have a book in which Tom Swift invents a war tank. As with some of his other vehicle inventions, whether for the land, sea, or air, the tank was big and had a lot of capabilities. This book in the Tom Swift series gives a lot of information on the development of Tom’s tank, its testing, and the expected criminal actions to take it away from Tom on the behalf of the Germans, the enemies in the war and the enemies in the book. There certainly is adventure in this book but it does not dominate over invention. There are the usual heroes and a familiar rival company in league with German spies. As you might expect, there are conflicts, set-backs, and an eventual triumph. I think that this is a good Tom Swift story.
Tom keeps his invention secret for awhile. However, at about a third of the way into the book, he invites Mr. Damon, Ned Newton, Mary Nestor, and her father, Mr. Nestor, to a demonstration of his tank. On the way in Mr. Damon’s car, Mr. Nestor starts on a rant about the Germans, the enemy in the Great War. Suddenly, Mary says “Father, pretzels!” It is explained that this was the agreed upon way in which Mary would quiet her father when she felt that he was getting “too strenuous in his talk about the war.” That triggered a memory in me about an episode of The Big Bang Theory.
In Season 11 Episode 12 of The Big Bang Theory, newly engaged couple Amy and Sheldon are driving to a gathering of their friends. Amy has not yet decided who she would ask to be her maid-of-honor — Bernadette or Penny. So, she tells Sheldon to change the conversation if it drifts to the subject of their wedding. Amy says that she will prompt him to do this by saying the word “pretzel.” Either this is some universal use of the word “pretzel “of which I have no knowledge, or at least one writer from The Big Bang Theory is a Tom Swift fan.
In the testing of the war tank, Tom and Ned, along with some of Tom’s employees, crash the tank through an old ruined factory. He arranged with the factory owners to do this. It was in such bad shape that a little demolition would hardly be noticed. On the other hand, at a later point in testing, Tom decides to demolish an old ramshackle barn, without getting permission from the farmer who owned it. He just tells Ned that he would pay for the damage if the farmer asks, thinking that the farmer would be happy for the destruction of his run-down, good-for-nothing barn. This action leads to a number of plot points. My point, though, is that this is somewhat inconsistent with Tom’s nature and his principles. I just found this to be odd.
I have been reading the versions of the Tom Swift books which have been put online by a community of volunteers. I have taken it on faith that the book has been accurately transferred from a physical book to a computer file. However, in most of the books, I find some typographical errors. In this book, some cause the words to be read as different words. It is a little disconcerting.
Nevertheless, I recommend the Tom Swift and His War Tank book.
Tom keeps his invention secret for awhile. However, at about a third of the way into the book, he invites Mr. Damon, Ned Newton, Mary Nestor, and her father, Mr. Nestor, to a demonstration of his tank. On the way in Mr. Damon’s car, Mr. Nestor starts on a rant about the Germans, the enemy in the Great War. Suddenly, Mary says “Father, pretzels!” It is explained that this was the agreed upon way in which Mary would quiet her father when she felt that he was getting “too strenuous in his talk about the war.” That triggered a memory in me about an episode of The Big Bang Theory.
In Season 11 Episode 12 of The Big Bang Theory, newly engaged couple Amy and Sheldon are driving to a gathering of their friends. Amy has not yet decided who she would ask to be her maid-of-honor — Bernadette or Penny. So, she tells Sheldon to change the conversation if it drifts to the subject of their wedding. Amy says that she will prompt him to do this by saying the word “pretzel.” Either this is some universal use of the word “pretzel “of which I have no knowledge, or at least one writer from The Big Bang Theory is a Tom Swift fan.
In the testing of the war tank, Tom and Ned, along with some of Tom’s employees, crash the tank through an old ruined factory. He arranged with the factory owners to do this. It was in such bad shape that a little demolition would hardly be noticed. On the other hand, at a later point in testing, Tom decides to demolish an old ramshackle barn, without getting permission from the farmer who owned it. He just tells Ned that he would pay for the damage if the farmer asks, thinking that the farmer would be happy for the destruction of his run-down, good-for-nothing barn. This action leads to a number of plot points. My point, though, is that this is somewhat inconsistent with Tom’s nature and his principles. I just found this to be odd.
I have been reading the versions of the Tom Swift books which have been put online by a community of volunteers. I have taken it on faith that the book has been accurately transferred from a physical book to a computer file. However, in most of the books, I find some typographical errors. In this book, some cause the words to be read as different words. It is a little disconcerting.
Nevertheless, I recommend the Tom Swift and His War Tank book.
August 16, 2021
This is actually more of an adventure tale than a science fiction or even speculative science story. It is also very obviously written as part of the war effort for WWI. The new tank is kind of interesting - both the description and the theoretical science that is mentioned. The story is a decent "boy's adventure" tale and the plot moves forward at a reasonable pace.
My only dislike? The fact that anyone who is not immediately joining up to be a soldier, no matter the reason, is considered a coward or shirker. Tom is pressured by his friends, his girlfriend and the non-familial adults about his reasons for not having already volunteered and gone to war. The idea of being a soldier is highly glorified - as in children talking about the glory and fun and honor of going off to war as a soldier to defeat the enemy.
Tom is an inventor of machines like planes, tanks, boats, submarines and more. He has, with his father's assistance, improved engines, scuba gear, air tanks, electrical engines, explosives, and so much more. His gas masks in this book are mentioned as being forwarded for free to the military factories so as to save lives of soldiers. So why are they pushing so hard for Tom to go off and heroically be a soldier?
Yes, I understand patriotism. Yes, I support our military. No, I do not glorify war, battle or fighting.
I just think it would make more sense for Tom to put his inventive tinkering to work improving the survival chances of the other soldiers - I think he would do more to advance the war effort than actually joining as a soldier. But that's not the center point of the idea espoused by the author(s).
Other than that, it was a fairly decent plot line .
My only dislike? The fact that anyone who is not immediately joining up to be a soldier, no matter the reason, is considered a coward or shirker. Tom is pressured by his friends, his girlfriend and the non-familial adults about his reasons for not having already volunteered and gone to war. The idea of being a soldier is highly glorified - as in children talking about the glory and fun and honor of going off to war as a soldier to defeat the enemy.
Tom is an inventor of machines like planes, tanks, boats, submarines and more. He has, with his father's assistance, improved engines, scuba gear, air tanks, electrical engines, explosives, and so much more. His gas masks in this book are mentioned as being forwarded for free to the military factories so as to save lives of soldiers. So why are they pushing so hard for Tom to go off and heroically be a soldier?
Yes, I understand patriotism. Yes, I support our military. No, I do not glorify war, battle or fighting.
I just think it would make more sense for Tom to put his inventive tinkering to work improving the survival chances of the other soldiers - I think he would do more to advance the war effort than actually joining as a soldier. But that's not the center point of the idea espoused by the author(s).
Other than that, it was a fairly decent plot line .
August 13, 2021
This throwback to a time when Tom Swift Sr. is still a young man gives fans an inside look at the series. The book let's the reader meet Tom Swift and his soon to be wife Mary as they are falling in love. I found it quaintly enjoyable and interesting.
May 22, 2018
Makes me want to buy some Liberty Bonds. And enlist.
August 6, 2023
Another fun installment. Not as good as some of the others but still entertaining to read. I would have loved this as a kid.
October 24, 2024
The first generation of Tom Swift novels have not aged well.
February 15, 2017
The only way to properly read this book is to first put your mind into the proper historical context. Styles of writing fiction for young adults were quite different in 1918 and this includes the portrayal of members of minority groups. This is a book in the set of original Tom Swift books, there have been five series published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and they are a lesson in how literature for young people has changed over the last century.
Many people in science and technology have stated that the “Tom Swift” books were an inspiration to them growing up. It is alleged that the acronym TASER is from “Tom A. Swift’s Electric Rifle,” a book in the original series. The nerd in me hopes that this is true and there is evidence that other devices worked on by the various Tom Swift characters were the spark that led to other inventions.
There is no such original thinking in this book, World War I was raging when it was written and the armored tank was introduced on the battlefields of Europe. Tom really does nothing more than add some technical features to make a tank that is more powerful, reliable and durable. There are of course German spies and many expressions of anti-German fervor now that the United States has declared war on Germany,
The war hysteria even extends to criticism of Tom for not signing up for military service. When the military quite logically gives him an exemption from service, there are some people close to Tom that turn on him. All of course works out in the end and Tom rises above all his enemies and critics.
One feature of the books in this series that I find amusing is the presence of the black giant Koku. Portrayed as a simple-minded powerhouse, Koku is fiercely loyal to Tom, never questioning any request. As a fan of the “Mandrake the Magician” comic strip by Lee Falk, it is clear that the Lothar character is based on Koku. In the early years of the strip, Lothar also speaks a crude form of English.
The early years of the twentieth century was a time of the rapid introduction of motorized transportation and war machines. If you mentally put yourself into that timeframe, it is easy to understand how adolescent boys would be fascinated when they read the original Tom Swift stories.
Many people in science and technology have stated that the “Tom Swift” books were an inspiration to them growing up. It is alleged that the acronym TASER is from “Tom A. Swift’s Electric Rifle,” a book in the original series. The nerd in me hopes that this is true and there is evidence that other devices worked on by the various Tom Swift characters were the spark that led to other inventions.
There is no such original thinking in this book, World War I was raging when it was written and the armored tank was introduced on the battlefields of Europe. Tom really does nothing more than add some technical features to make a tank that is more powerful, reliable and durable. There are of course German spies and many expressions of anti-German fervor now that the United States has declared war on Germany,
The war hysteria even extends to criticism of Tom for not signing up for military service. When the military quite logically gives him an exemption from service, there are some people close to Tom that turn on him. All of course works out in the end and Tom rises above all his enemies and critics.
One feature of the books in this series that I find amusing is the presence of the black giant Koku. Portrayed as a simple-minded powerhouse, Koku is fiercely loyal to Tom, never questioning any request. As a fan of the “Mandrake the Magician” comic strip by Lee Falk, it is clear that the Lothar character is based on Koku. In the early years of the strip, Lothar also speaks a crude form of English.
The early years of the twentieth century was a time of the rapid introduction of motorized transportation and war machines. If you mentally put yourself into that timeframe, it is easy to understand how adolescent boys would be fascinated when they read the original Tom Swift stories.
January 23, 2014
In this installment WWI is on, and Our Hero Tom is being asked why he does not enlist and go teach them nasty Germans a lesson! He does not explain why, creating further suspicion about Tom's courage. However, we soon find that Tom is indeed doing his party by inventing a tank. Spies try to get it, but Our Hero Tom foils there plans, and the tank get sent off to Europe to teach the Kaiser a lesson!
June 9, 2012
I read the Tom Swift Sr. books as a child and again when I got my Kindle in 2010. They are an easy read and enjoyable. It is interesting to see how writing has changed since these books were written.
January 2, 2016
Really good old classic young readers book about a young inventor that invents this awesome inventions and then goes on these wild and crazy adventures, sometimes getting into trouble in the process.
Did not finish
April 15, 2017Dnf. Didn't like the Librivox audio quality
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews