The Radio Boys and Girls: Radio, Telegraph, Telephone and Wireless Adventures for Juvenile Readers, 1890-1945

Serial fiction about wireless and radio was the most popular young adult literature at the turn of the 20th century and a form of early social media. Before television and the Internet, book about plucky youths braving danger and adventure with the help of wireless communication brought young people together. They gathered in basements to build crystal sets and listen to early broadcasts. They built transmitters and talked to each other across neighborhoods, cities and states. By 1920, there was music on the airwaves and boys and girls tuned in on homemade radios, inspired by their favorite stories. This book covers more than 50 volumes of wireless and radio themed fiction, offering a unique perspective on the world presented to young readers of the day. The values, attitudes, culture and technology of a century ago are discussed, along with issues still debated today, including immigration, gun violence, race, bullying and economic inequality.