Tom Swift
1910-1941
by Victor Appleton

publishing information

Brown Quad DJ Type 1 1910 Vols. 1-5	Brown Quad DJ Type 2 1911 Vols. 1-10	White Quad DJ 1912-1917 Vols. 1-20	Duotone DJ 1918-1923 Vols. 1-26	Full Color DJ 1924-1935 Vols. 1-38

Tom Swift is the eponymous hero in the 38 volume Tom Swift series published by Grosset & Dunlap from 1910 to 1935 and two Whitman Better Little Books published 1938 to 1941. The stories are basically adventure tales with Tom's latest invention being heavily involved in the plot.   In the original series, Tom Swift lives in fictional Shopton, New York. He is the son of Barton Swift, the founder of the Swift Construction Company. Tom's mother is deceased, but the housekeeper, Mrs. Baggert, functions as a surrogate mother. Tom usually shares his adventures with close friend Ned Newton, who eventually becomes the Swift Construction Company's financial manager. For most of the series, Tom dates Mary Nestor and eventually they wed (in House on Wheels). Regularly appearing characters include Wakefield Damon, an older man, whose dialogue is characterized by frequent use of such whimsical expressions as "Bless my brakeshoes!" and "Bless my vest buttons!" and, in the first fifteen stories, Tom's nemesis, Andy Foger.   The original Tom Swift has been claimed to represent the early 20th-century conception of inventors. Tom has no formal education after high school; according to critic Robert Von der Osten, Tom's ability to invent is presented as "somehow innate". Tom is not a theorist but a tinkerer and, later, an experimenter who, with his research team, finds practical applications for others' research; Tom does not so much methodically develop and perfect inventions as find them by trial and error.   Tom's inventions are not at first innovative. In the first two books of the series, he fixes a motorcycle and a boat, and in the third book he develops an airship, but only with the help of a balloonist. Tom is also at times unsure of himself, asking his elders for help; as Von der Osten puts it, "the early Tom Swift is more dependent on his father and other adults at first and is much more hesitant in his actions. When his airship bangs into a tower, Tom is uncharacteristically nonplussed and needs support." However, as the series progresses, Tom's inventions "show an increasingly independent genius as he develops devices, such as an electric rifle and a photo telephone, further removed from the scientific norm". Some of Tom's inventions are improvements of then-current technologies, while other inventions were not in development at the time the books were published, but have since been developed.   When Grosset & Dunlap began publishing the stories, the dust jackets were a tan/brown paper with the same quad design as used on the cover. In 1910 only, the DJ was a single color. In 1911 this was changed to 2 colors. The paper was changed to white starting with volume 11. Beginning with volume 21 in 1918, the DJs were changed to a 2 color process (referred to by collectors as "Duotone") illustrating a scene allegedly from the story. Beginning with volume 27 in 1924, this was changed to a full color process. Covers that were previously printed using the 2 color method were changed to full color. Although in most instances the same basic scene is depicted on these covers, the artwork is entirely new.   The quad and Duotone jackets are far harder to find than their full color counterparts, they tend to be of higher cost than the full color versions.   The original 1910 tan quad cover binding used on volumes one thru five (top left) lacked color in the oval of circles around the title and the color was definitely orange. In 1911 the color was changed to red and the dots were in color (at middle left). In late 1932 the tan quad cover style was changed to a plain orange. At the same time, the previously blank endpapers were changed to orange and white illustrations of various scenes from several stories. All editions came with a glossy paper frontispiece illustrating a scene from a cited page in the book.   Published in 1932, volume 35, "Tom Swift And His Giant Magnet", went thru a few tan quad printings when the change to orange boards occured (circa May 1932) and consequently is difficult to locate, not unlike the Hardy Boys "While the Clock Ticked" or the Ted Scott "Following the Sun Shadow" in red binding.   After Grosset & Dunlap stopped publishing new stories, Whitman began to reprint volumes 29 - 38. These books come in a wide variety of cover stocks and colors, most of them of a very cheap quality although I have seen some better quality ones. The paper is always a cheap highly acidic pulp which tends to brown and get brittle rapidly. New dustjacket art was used and the frontispieces were omitted. Two different sizes were issued for all of the titles except Planet Stone: Small - about the same size as the G&D editions and Large - about an inch or so taller. The same plates were used to print both sizes. Whitman was also responsible for the two Better Little Books connected with this series. Artists for the Whitman reprints is unknown.   The first 28 titles are now in the public domain and most can be viewed on this web site by clicking on the book title. These same titles are now being released in paperback and hardcover format as well as on CD-ROM by a number of entrepreneurs. The quality of these offerings vary wildly and, for the most part, collectors wanting a hard copy would be better off trying to find the G&D editions, which can usually be had for less than $5 or $10 for volumes without a dust jacket and in good condition.   In the early 1990's the first three volumes in the series were reprinted by Applewood Books using the tan quad binding style and modified copies of the full color dust jacket. In 2006 Easton Press released the first 6 volumes of the series in deluxe black leather-bound editions.

WHO'S WHO

Barton Swift: Tom's father and noted inventor. One of his earliest inventions was a mechanical butter churn. In the early volumes he is Tom's best friend and closest associate but later turns into a voice-of-doom doubter of Tom's latest invention. As the series progresses he becomes feeble and is less active in Tom's adventures.

Ned Newton: Tom's best friend. Starts off as a teller in the Shopton bank but later becomes financial director of Swift Enterprises. Constant companion to Tom in all his adventures.

Wakefield Damon: Wealthy eccentric middle-aged friend of Tom's. Given to blessing every one of his possesions and body parts. Constant companion to Tom in his adventures. His long-suffering wife seldom complains when he goes gallavanting off with Tom at a moment's notice.

Eradicate "Rad" Sampson: Black "Stepin Fetchit" type itinerant handyman. Later becomes a general helper at the Swift compound. Accompanies Tom on many of his adventures. In the traditional Stratemeyer depiction of minorities, he was heavily negatively stereotyped. He was much given to calling Tom "Massa", he refers to himself as "dis heah coon" or "niggah" and is portrayed as participating in other demeaning situations and activities. Despite this, he shows both his courage and his loyalty to Tom many times during the course of the series.

Boomerang: Rad's beloved pet mule. Passes away by the end of the series.

Koku (August): Native South American giant brought back by Tom in volume 13. Serves as bodyguard and helper in the Swift compound. His tremendous strength often comes in handy during Tom's adventures. There is a constant rivalry between he and Rad as to who gets to serve Tom.

Mary Nestor: Tom's sweetheart, later to become his wife (in House On Wheels.)

Mrs. Baggert: Housekeeper and mother figure to the Swift household.

Garrett Jackson: Aged engineer who maintains the Swift compound.

Andy Foger: Tom's nemesis in the earlier books. A wealthy bully and braggart who is occasionally abetted by his father. Andy seldom likes anybody and despises Tom. Andy made his last appearance in volume 15, although he is mentioned in volume 18.

Sam Snedecker: Andy Foger's closest crony.

Shopton: Home town of Tom Swift and near Lake Carlopa.

Wakefield Damon crashes his new motorcycle against a tree near Tom's house and is injured. Tom buys the wreck and repairs it. Tom's father Barton gives him important patent documents and a model to bring to an attorney in Albany. They are stolen by the Happy Harry gang posing as tramps who were hired by Mr. Swift's enemies. Tom and company struggle to get them back.

Tom gets a boat at auction and overhauls it. The Happy Harry gang steals Barton's plans for an electric gyroscope. It's up to Tom and his motor boat to save the day.

Tom and balloonist John Sharp construct an airship, The Red Cloud, a combination dirigible/aeroplane built for long-distance travel. The Happy Harry gang burgle the Shopton Bank. Andy Foger blames Tom and Mr. Damon, who are flying crosscountry in the Red Cloud. It's up to Tom to catch the thieves and exonerate himself and Mr. Damon.

Barton & Tom are trying to complete Barton's prototype submarine for a government prize of $50,000. A steamer carrying $300,000.00 in gold has sunk off the Uruguayan coast at a depth of nearly 3 miles, far below the current technology's ability to reach. The Advance, the Swifts' new sub can dive that deep and a new hard shell diving suit carried by the sub can work outside at the 15,000 foot depth. A rival sub building firm plans to beat Tom to the sunken gold. Tom and company overcome the rival divers to save the gold.

Barton Swift & Tom plan to enter a race for electric automobiles. Tom has been working on a new battery of remarkable endurance and quick-charge capabilities. The Fogers try breaking the bank where Tom & Barton keep their funds. It's up to Tom to win the 500 mile endurance race and save the bank.

Tom is asked to help perfect an electric airplane. Tom overhauls it and made it air-worthy. After an uneventful flight, a violent storm carries the aircraft hundreds of miles out to sea and crashes onto a barren island. The airplane is a complete loss and the group was marooned. Mr. and Mrs. Nestor were also on the island after yacht that they had been on had been beached by of the storm. A scientist, Mr. Parker, predicts that the earthquakes that frequently rack the island are going to destroy it soon and kill them all. It's up to Tom to save the day and get everyone off the island.

Tom runs into Mr. Jenks from Earthquake Island, who claims to know men who are able to make diamonds. The man urges Tom to go with him on a hunt for the diamond makers. After a long search Tom & company locate the diamond makers but are then captured and held prisoner on Phantom Mountain. Tom saves the day as they escape before the mountain is destroyed.

Abe Abercrombie shows up with a tale of a valley of gold in Alaska. Andy Foger steals and copies Abe's treasure map before Tom forces him to return it. Andy is constructing his own airship, a large tri-plane. A race ensues between Tom and Andy to the Valley. The frozen wastes are hazardous and the Red Cloud is wrecked in the collapse of an ice cave. Tom and his party struggle to get the gold back to civilization.

Tom enters an air race with a prize of $10,000 and designs and builds a speedy 2-seat monoplane, the Hummingbird. The plans for it go missing after prowlers are spotted. An assault on Tom, a fire, and overwork all combine to cause Barton to have a heart attack. Tom's new plane is used to summon distant medical help for his father. It's up to Tom to find the plans and win the big race.

Tom perfects his Electric Rifle and meets Mr. Dunbar, a famous safari master. He, Tom, Ned & Mr. Damon are off to the Africa via steamship in search of ivory and adventure along with the new airship, the Black Hawk. The group crosses paths with His group encounter Floyd Anderson, who trying to rescue a missionary team, the Illingways, captured by pygmy savages in the jungle. Tom finds the missing missionaries and, using his Electric Rifle, fights off savages and brings down elephants for their ivory.

Tom receives a letter containing a crude map. Jacob Illingway believes it leads to an underground city exists in central Mexico. The ancient city contains untold riches for anyone who can find it and get past the guardians, a tribe of head hunters. Tom and his friends are off to Mexico to fight the head hunters and locate the City of Gold.

Tom needs high quality platinum for his new airplane's sparkplugs. Good quality samples of the metal are nearly impossible to locate. A Russian who lives nearby offers him a quantity of the high quality metal he needs. It came from a lost platinum mine in Russia that he and his brother discovered when they were lost in the mountains. Tom goes to Russia with him, rescues the man's captive brother and tries to locate the platinum mine using Tom's new glider aircraft.

Sam Preston, owner of a large circus, needs a new attraction for his side show. He knows of a place in the jungles of South America where a race of giants live. Tom is offered a reward to go procure one, and locate a hunter who has gone missing. A unethical competitor in a rival circus vies with Tom to find the giants. It's up to Tom to rescue the hunter and escape from the race of giants.

Tom is introduced to a moving picture promoter, James "Spotty" Period, who engages Tom to build a revolutionary electric powered motion picture camera and travel the world to film spectacular newsreel films to show in theaters. Tom invents the Wizrd camera and constructs a new airship, the Flyer. Tom and his friends are off to India to film wildlife and must overcome the nefarious plans of rival motion picture promoters.

US Customs is pursuing smugglers bringing contraband across the Canadian border into Shopton using airships. Tom has invented a searchlight brighter than any other. The brilliant beam, mounted on Tom's noiseless airship Falcon, is used to track down the smugglers.

Fortune hunter Alec Peterson trying to get Tom's father Barton to invest in a treasure hunt. The treasure is on an island off the coast of Panama. Tom wants to build a giant cannon to protect the Panama Canal and fire the longest cannon shots ever. Tom also has to develop a new propellant to drive the two-ton 30 inch shells. Tom overcomes his enemies, uses his Giant Cannon to save the town of Preston, NY. and goes to Panama to fire the longest shots on record, which coincidentally exposes the hidden treasure.

Tom's latest invention is a telephone that allows the image of the person speaking to be seen at either end. Mr. Damon runs up against unscrupulous financial manipulators and risks losing both his fortune and his life. Tom uses his new invention to track down the bad guys and save the day.

Tom's fame has brought him to the attention of nefarious foreign plotters who do not want him designing devices that could be used against them in the "European Conflict." Tom's latest invention, The Mars, is an armed dirigible airship. Tom has to figure out a way to fire artillery from a floating platform and convince the US Navy to purchase it. Naturally Tom's enemies will stop at nothing to prevent this and Tom struggles to overcome them.

Mr. Job Titus of Titus Brothers Construction Company wants to purchase some of Tom's Giant Cannon powder to use in a tunnel construction project in Peru. Titus Bros. has contracted to drive a railroad tunnel through an Andes mountain peak and has hit a deposit of "hard, dense rock, like Obsidian." If the tunnel cannot be completed on time Blakeson & Grinder, a rival company, will get the contract and reap the reward, while the Titus Brothers will be ruined. Tom develops a blasting powder based on his Giant Cannon propellant, and in the company of Titus and Mr. Damon leave for South America. Many hardships threaten the project's completion. During construction a lost subterranean city is found. It becomes a stop on the rail line and ultimately, a tourist attraction.

Tom reads a magazine article written by Prof. Bumper describing a fabulous underground city containing a large gold idol. Tom initially is skeptical but Professor Bumper and Mr. Damon show up and turn Tom around. A young, handsome, rival archeologist, Prof. Fenimore Beecher, is also interested in the idol. His plan is to give a part of it to Mary Nestor in hopes she will marry him. Tom and his cronies and the rival party are off to Honduras on a treasure hunt.Tom must overcome wild jungle animals and the rival party to find the gold idol and win Mary.

Tom appeals the President of the US for an exemption from military duty. Even Ned speculates that he could be a "slacker." It is revealed that Tom has been at work building a bigger, better, stronger and faster armored War Tank. Espionage, subterfuge, assault, kidnapping and grand theft are just a few of the obstacles Tom must overcome for Uncle Sam.

Tom thinks that a silent airplane motor would be beneficial in advancing the war effort. During the development of the power plant, Tom runs afoul of the Universal Flying Machine Company, a competitor for government contracts. Bribery, intimidation, espionage, threats, theft and kidnapping are all used against Tom to try and sabotage his efforts. Naturally, Tom wins in the end and his new Air Scout is an unqualified success.

Mr. Damon shows up with a new friend, Dixwell Hardley, who promises wealth from the bottom of the sea. Tom reluctantly agrees to join the search for the sunken steamship SS Pandora and a million dollars in gold coins. In his submarine, the Advance, Tom and his chums must overcome deadly sea creatures, foul weather, accidents and a doublecross from Hardley before reaching his goal.

Upstate New York is in flames. The Shopton fireworks plant and a large lumberyard are destroyed. A farmer's barn is set ablaze, boats and trees mysteriously burst into flames. Eradicate is severely injured in a chemical explosion. Finally a skyscraper in nearby Newmarket burns and the call is out for Tom's latest invention, an aerial fire suppression system. It's up to Tom to save the day and rescue two of the Nestors from a fiery doom.

Tom is challanged to design and build an electric railroad locomotive that will top 120mph and drag a string of loaded freight cars up a 2% mountain grade without slowing. Richard Bartholomew is a rail tycoon, beset by rivals that are trying to put his Western road under by devious and illegal means. When Tom takes the contract, he joins Bartholomew and wait for the next threat to emerge. High explosives, armed robbery and sabotage are just a few of the obstacles Tom must overcome. Then the locomotive becomes a runaway on a mountain grade, testing Tom's skill to the utmost.

Tom wants to improve seaplane technology and builds a new, large luxurious flying boat from scratch and in record time. Just in time to mount a rescue mission to the Arctic in an attempt to save Mr. Damon and Mr. Nestor, who have been stranded on an iceberg after the schooner they were traveling on was wrecked. Agents of the USSR and foul weather are just a few of the obstacles hampering Tom's rescue effort.

Mr. Damon contracts The Swift Construction Company to make oil drilling equipment for a group of shady Texas wildcatters. They have to be watched constantly by Ned Newton to keep them honest. To make matters worse, one of them is eying Mary Nestor. Tom comes up with a new style rotary well drilling rig that cuts through rock 3 times faster than the existing machinery can. They go to Texas to try the new device and encounter all sorts of obstacles before Tom can prove the worth of his new invention and strike oil.

Tom constructs a large, heavy brass-bound oak chest to keep his blueprints, formulae and models in until an underground vault can be built. Tom is attacked and his possessions, the chest and Koku are all missing. Tom must discover who stole his Chest of Secrets and save Koku from the grips of the culprits.

Tom is waylaid, drugged, shackled and beaten by a couple of disgruntled ex-employees now employed by the "Hooded Two." They think that Tom's latest invention, The Airline Express, is their idea and try to prevent Tom's success by any means. The revolutionary concept will travel from coast to coast in a 16 hours using a concept similar to the old Pony Express but with wings. Tom must overcome the "Hooded Two" and battle sabotage and terrible weather to make his Airline Express a success.

Barton bets $20,000 that Tom can make a round the world trip in under 20 days time. The craft must be built and the voyage must be completed in 6 months time. A $100,000.00 prize is added by a New York newspaper which organizes a race open to all comers. Tom completes The Air Monarch, a luxurious but speedy triple traveler in record time in spite of the machinations of rival Red Arrow Aeroplane Company. This machine is a flying boat with powered wheels that will let it cruise in the air, sea & land. Tom overcomes sabotage and all obstacles to win the prize.

Tom has invented a device that seriously jeopardizes the existing theater and moving picture establishment. It is a large screen color TV with hi-fi sound. Six wealthy business executives who think they stand to "lose millions" if Tom's invention is marketed. They will do anything, from sabotage and subterfuge to kidnapping and attempted murder to stop this device from being marketed.

The Swift Construction Company is not doing well. The Airline Express hasn't been profitable and his Talking Pictures isn't either. Tom is offered a lucrative contract to build equipment by a shady character. Tom refuses and the man starts threatening mayhem and murder. Tom designs and builds his House on Wheels that can be used to get away from it all. Tom and Ned take a trip to Dismal Mountain, that is rumored to be a criminal hangout. Tom and Ned get carjacked twice and must use their wits to escape. Tom proposes to Mary. She accepts and they wed.

Martin Jardine commisions Tom to build the Silver Cloud, the largest dirigible in the world but it is discovered that Jardine did not have the authority to enter into the contract and his brother Lawrence, who does have authority, refuses to approve the deal. Tom decides to complete the dirigible anyway, hoping to sell it after it is completed. The new dirigible proves a success - capable of bucking even a hurricane - but no one wants to buy it. The climax comes when a madman sets a ring of fire around a resort on Mount Camon - the resort where Mary, Mr. Damon and the ailing Barton are staying. Tom must use his dirigible in a desperate race against time before his family and friends are killed in the blaze.

Tom is working on his latest invention, the Sky Train. First his experimental Sky Train crashed, then the bank denied a crucial loan, then his Sky Train crashed again. Could it be sabotage? The Acton firm is sponsoring another, rival Sky Train in hopes of beating Tom to the market. A World Exposition in which airplanes feature highly is to be held in San Francisco shortly and both want to be the first to be there. It's a race - both Sky Trains are to take off at the same time and whoever gets to San Francisco first will receive a huge amount of money. Tom overcomes both sabotage and aerial hazards to win the prize.

A local scrap yard owner comes to Tom with a desire to have a more powerful magnet made so he can process all the metal coming through his yard more efficiently. A rival dealer who specializes in marine salvage, also approaches Tom and a competition ensues to see who gets their bigger magnet first. Tom whips one up in no time flat. That comes in handy when the Navy's latest sub, the SVJ-13 is disabled during her shakedown cruise and only the Giant Magnet can save the sub and her crew.

Ned Newton is working on pocket wireless sender to be used to communicate via a secret code if one of the chums is in trouble. A vault located below Tom's lab and protected alarms has been burgled and the formula for a deadly war gas is taken. The formula was taken by a nefarious foreigner, The Leopard. Ned's is captured and held hostage to prevent Tom from finishing his detector and using it to locate the Leopard and the stolen formula. Ned is able to contact Tom with his pocket wireless and Tom comes to his rescue, captures The Leopard and retrieves the deadly formula.

Tom decides to build a large floating airport in the middle of the ocean. A special kind of wood from Haargoland called talcap is needed. After some difficulty Tom gets his wood and builds his Ocean Airport. After the airport is built, the Haargoland navy shows up to claim it for Haargoland on the grounds that Tom had no right to take the wood. Tom uses his new soundless wireless to contact the US government to send a large plane and a Navy vessel to the scene. The Navy forces the Haargolanders to surrender. Before the US government can claim the Airport, diplomatic ceremonies must take place. The diplomats to perform these ceremonies are on board the airplane, which gets caught in a terrible Atlantic storm. It's up to Tom and his new Ocean Airport to set things right.

Tom is stymied when his new invention, the Metalanthium Lamp, a device that is used to heal the sick by bathing the patient in its "mysterious, healing rays" doesn't work. Koku gets a letter from his brother Tola recalling them to their homeland to ascend to the throne as co-kings. Their younger brother, Kosk, has died and the tribe requires the brothers to govern them. Tom arranges a trip with them and his usual cronies to Giant Land, where a large meteorite has fallen. Tom must overcome evil witch doctors and other hazards before discovering the secret of the Planet Stone.

The government of Ruthenia tries to get Tom to build them completely silent airplane, armed with which they hope to vanquish its enemies. Tom turns them down because the US Army has already hired him to do the same thing. Tom discovers an ore that can absorb sound waves. If he can extract the ore, Tom hopes to build the soundless airplane. The ore proves highly dangerous and only the efforts of Barton saves Tom. Tom manages to extract the ore, build a soundless airplane and vanquish the vicious Ruthenian Purple Shirts.