Nero Wolfe discussion

Rex Stout wrote in lots of inconsistencies over the years. Especially within the back stories of Nero and Archie.

The most glaring to me is where Nero Wolfe is from. I think Stout deliberately ran us around about it because that is what Wolfe would do. Lying was just part of the deal for Wolfe.

I find on my umpteenth reading, that finding those little things entertains me.

What are the inconsistencies you have noticed - either in character or place or events?

Also, Theodore lives outside the brownstone in one of the early books.

I don't think it smacks of him not caring. It is possible he didn't remember, or that he genuinely thought it didn't matter as long as the story demanded something different.

More likely it was some combination. And unless they are a serious fan, how many people would even notice?

Also, it gives me something to look for while reading since I've read them umpteen times.

Stout always intended Wolfe to have been born in Montenegro and then he became a naturalized US citizen. I read where he had to have Wolfe claim to have been born in the US once because the magazine the short story was to appear in didn't want him to be anything but pure American--seems weird nowadays.

One fun discrepancy is the number for Wolfe's Brownstone on W. 35thStreet. There are like seven or eight different addresses given--not to mention that someone said the 900 block of that street doesn't exist and would actually be in the river!

One thing about the Brownstone, a specific description noted going down the hall on the right is the stairs, then the dining room door, then the elevator and the office door is directly across from the dining room. but more than once Wolfe, alone or with others--left the elevator and turned directly toward the kitchen at the far end of the hall and somehow managed to pass by the office door.

In early books Archie's room was Across from Wolfe's, Wolfe's was on the second floor, Fritz lived Upstairs and Theodore lived out. But I've always assumed this just meant they did some moving over the years and Archie ended up on the third floor, Fritz moved into the basement, and Theodore simply couldn't bear to be away from the orchids. ;)

One thing I've never settled... Archie declared both his parents were dead in an early book, but he mentions his mother many times later and she seems to be quite alive.

Speaking of mothers... Wolfe seems to have a mother in Hungary where Archie sends her a check, but later Wolfe doesn't seem to have a living mother and why the heck was she in Hungary anyway?

One last thing for now... Archie and Wolfe didn't age over the four decades of the books except that Archie may have gained about two or three years. This isn't a mistake; Rex Stout said he intentionally didn't age them because he didn't want it to be an issue.

Sara wrote: "Rex Stout wrote in lots of inconsistencies over the years. Especially within the back stories of Nero and Archie.

The most glaring to me is where Nero Wolfe is from. I think Stout deliberately ra..."

In commenting on Cramer's cigar habit In several of stories, Archie says that he never saw him light one, but then in at least one story (I forget the title) I noticed he did light one.

Yup. In earliest stories he definitely lights. Its later that Stout adds the quirk of not lighting. Which is a magnificent quirk considering the time period.

It adds a very subtle nuance to Cramer - why doesn't he light up - not for health because that was known until mid 60s. So maybe it was because of smell. He might have been not smoking because he cared about the other people in room smelling his nasty cigar. Or possibly his wife wanted him to stop smoking and this was his compromise.

In any case, its a wonderful quirk that gives Cramer a dimension that makes him more human rather than just flat caricature.

Sara,

One little thing: strong warnings about health problems caused by smoking were prevalent before the 1960s (sometimes long before) - parents and teachers and others telling young people to never smoke...Of literary note, a character in F.S. Fitzgerald's 1921 novel This Side of Paradise speaks of another character having "tabacca heart".

Really? I thought it was only widely known and accepted in the 60s. Interesting.

Sara wrote: "Really? I thought it was only widely known and accepted in the 60s. Interesting."
Sara,
No, smoking was widely spoken of and condemn by ordinary people (not by Madison Avenue advertising agencies)..."It will stunt your growth, take 10 years off your life"...and probably only became a political issue with the advent of publicly funded healthcare insurance, whereupon rebellious youth switched to other things...and some became trial lawyers.

Sara,

Sounds like you've uncovered a good beginning for a murder mystery.

Bob Kettering

What we have to remember is that Rex stout wanted Wolfe and Archie to not be constrained to one time era. That is why he is in several key moments in history such as World War Two or 40 years before. He wanted the characters to be timeless.

Katherine,

Correct. And admirable. I'd like to be timeless myself. I think Stout said that Wolfe would always be 56 years old and Archie 37, although I think he let Archie's age slip around a little.

Bob Kettering

Hi all. I’m new to the Goodreads site and when I found a Nero Wolfe group, I was very pleased! Yeah there are a lot of inconsistencies in the books. I’ve read that Stout basically sat down and wrote his books/novellas without a lot consideration to prior “stuff”. Very unlike to what we are used to when it comes to a book series or tv series. Spelling errors too. I blame the editors!! Lol. I just sit back and enjoy my visits to the Wolfe “family”. Been reading/rereading them for about 55 years now and will continue.
“

Very highly unlikely that Rex Stout as ever responsible for spelling errors in his books