Old Ironsides: The Fighting Constitution

U.S. Landmark Books #51

by Harry Hansen, Walter Buehr (Illustrator)

1955 edition of a Landmark classic. "Old Ironsides"or more properly the USS Constitution is the oldest American commissioned war ship still in service. This is the story of that ship in the War of 1812 and its later fame as the subject of Oliver Wendell Holmes [Sr.] poem "Old Ironsides" from whence cometh the name. Grades 3-6, non-fictiion.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, Childrens

180 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Hansen was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended high school in that same city.

After graduation, he joined the Davenport Republican newspaper, serving as both the telegraph editor and a staff writer. He attended the University of Chicago, majoring in English and acquiring his Ph.D in 1909.

After graduation, Hansen joined the Chicago Daily News as a staff reporter and upon the outbreak of the First World War, Hansen became the Daily News' overseas war correspondent in Europe. When the United States entered the war, Hansen was promoted to foreign editor. By 1920, he had risen to the position of Literary Editor and he remained in that position until leaving the Daily News in 1926 to join the New York World as the "First Reader".

Hansen specialized more in literary affairs than in foreign affairs during his time at the World. He made the book review column into a daily feature and remained as book editor even after the World was sold to the New York Telegram in 1931, being one of the very few employees to remain with the paper.

Hansen also contributed literary criticism to other newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Harper's Magazine and Redbook. His book commentary columns were syndicated in magazines all over the country and Hansen also hosted radio programs both in Chicago and New York. In addition, he served as editor of the O. Henry Prize Stories from 1933 until 1940. He wrote several non-fiction books, including "The Adventures of the Fourteen Points" about the Versailles Peace Conference that ended World War I in 1919 and his only novel, 'Your Life Lies Before You' in 1935.

During and following the Second World War, Hansen continued his historical writing. He wrote one of Farrar & Rinehart's classic Rivers of America series on the Chicago River in 1942 and he also penned one of Random House's equally famous Landmark Series juvenile historical volumes, 'Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution' in 1955. In addition, Hansen also served as editor of the World Book from 1950 until 1965. During the 1960s and 1970s, Hansen wrote several volumes of the American Guide Series of state guidebooks including volumes on Louisiana, California and Illinois, among others. He also published an annual anthology of all the first-prize winners of the O.Henry Memorial Awards and in 1960 he published a complete anthology of the first-prize stories spanning the years from 1919 - 1960.

Hansen was married to Ruth McLernon in 1914 and the couple had two daughters, Ruth Eleanor (born 1915) and Marian (born 1916). Harry Hansen suffered a heart attack and passed away at the age of 92 on January 3, 1977.

Reviews

[Sarah Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with JD and Joseph. We have visited this boat two times as a family. I ordered photographs of the boys with and on the boat and put those inside the front cover of this book. Many times as I was reading aloud they would look at the pictures of themselves on the boat. It was helpful to have the pictures when the steering wheel was described toward the end of the book so they could see what it looked like.

[Yaaresse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a bunch of the Landmark series books as a kid. Our school library had a huge collection of them, so I just made my way down the shelves. I remember enjoying them, but I was too young at the time to question the narrative slant. I just liked reading biographies and histories, and there wasn't a lot of interesting non-fiction for kids at that time. Most of what did exist was either boring or more myth than fact. These books did not talk down to the reader, which I appreciated.

Each Landmark Book was written by a different author, each highly respected and invited to contribute to the series. There is a wonderful article on the Landmark Books series on the American Historical Association website: https://www.historians.org/publicatio...

I'm rating them on the memory of enjoyment alone, not on accuracy or how they would go over today. Fortunately, kids today have a lot better from which to choose.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the USA! This is how our navy began, and it's simply fascinating. America's military has been better than the British because we appointed our generals based off competency, whereas their officers were appointed based on money and hereditary titles. (Unfortunately, the modern military appoints off of intersectionality.) Hopefully that will be changed when Trump is back in office.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book. Interesting stories, probably good for kids learning to read.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember back in elementary school. This book Movited me to read.