Nancy Drew

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- For many young women, the age between braces and a retainer, before the freckles fade, is a moment when life's possibilities are illuminated in the darkness by a flashlight on a printed page.Nancy Drew, the teen-age heroine of more than 100 books read by girls since 1930, has shaped the imagination of generations of women."What matters in the books "is not her sex appeal but how tough and smart and adventurous she is," said Catharine R. Stimpson, a professor at Rutgers University who studies women, culture and society.

Q: When I was a girl, every Christmas I got Nancy Drew mystery books. I still have those books and would like to know their value.A: "Farah's Guide," which lists prices for all Nancy Drew books from 1930 to 1979, is available for $50 postpaid from author David Farah, 2036 Pauline Blvd., Apt. 1B, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48103, (313) 665-2661. According to Mr. Farah's article, "Collecting Nancy Drew Mystery Books," in the September 1990 issue of Mid Atlantic Antiques, all pre-1943 Nancy Drew books with dust jackets can range in price from $20 to $1,000.

George jumped to her feet. "Where do you want to start?" she asked Jackson as she went over to the coat rack and took down the coats."How about Fort McHenry?" He pulled on his jacket. "It's just across the harbor, and if we hurry we'll catch the last changing of the guard.""Sounds good," Nancy said, adding, "We can take our rental car. It's parked in the underground lot of the Lady Baltimore Hotel."Don't be surprised to find Old Bay seasoning on Nancy Drew's fingers: After legendary escapades in exotic locales such as Turkey, Scotland, Hawaii and Kenya, the fictional teen sleuth is now venturing into Charm City.

When I was about 9 years old, I met my first feminist. Her name was Nancy Drew and she lived in two places: in the mythical town of River Heights and inside me.Although I didn't know anyone quite like this independent, spirited, intelligent teen-ager who chased down mysteries in her snappy blue roadster, Nancy Drew was as real to me as a close friend.So great was my involvement with this young sleuth that even now I can still summon up instantly the names and plots of my favorite Nancy Drew books: "The Secret of the Old Clock."

TELL THE TRUTH NOW: AREN'T YOU sick and tired of hearing about how hot it is outside? Really, haven't you had it with all the talk about how it's only July and already we're into the dog days of summer?Must be a hundred degrees in the shade, they say. Humidity so thick you can cut it with a knife. Can't remember a summer so hot, blah, blah, blah.And tell the truth: Wouldn't you rather hear about some subject other than the current state of the weather? Some really fascinating story that is historical but timeless; universal but personal; a bit of Americana that has worldwide implications?