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~ PUBLISHING INFORMATION ~

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. The paper was changed to white starting with volume 11. Beginning with volume 21, the DJs were changed to a 2 color process illustrating a scene (allegedly) from the story. Beginning with volume 29, this was changed to a full color process. Covers that were previously printed using the 2 color method were changed to full color. Although the same scene was depicted on these covers, it appears to me that, at least in many cases, the artwork is entirely new. In about 1933 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. Although the quad and 2 color jackets are far harder to find than their full color counterparts, they tend to be less valuable. Likewise, books with the plain orange binding tend to be worth less than the quad versions, despite the fact that the orange versions are far scarcer. 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 Big Little Books connected with this series. Many of the titles are now in the public domain and can be downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg. The available titles are linked to on this web site by clicking on the book title. These titles are now being released in paperback and hardcover format as well as on CD-ROM by Quiet Vision. 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 leather-bound editions.

~ WHO'S WHO ~

Tom Swift: Hero of the series. Although his age is never specifically stated, he seems to be in his very late teens when the series started and aged from there till he hit his mid-20's. Tom is clever, brave, polite, adventurous and a hard worker! Barton Swift: Tom's father and noted inventor. His first invention 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 almost all his adventures. Wakefield Damon: 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. Eradicate "Rad" Sampson: Black Steppen Fetchit-type itinerant handyman. Later becomes a general helper at the Swift compound. Accompanies Tom on many of his adventures. Much given to calling Tom "Massa" and, in some books, "Marse" and indulging in other demeaning activities. Despite this, he shows his courage 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. Accompanies Tom on many 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. Andy Foger: Tom's nemesis in the earlier books. A bully and braggert who is occasionally abetted by his father. 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.

~ THE BOOKS ~ Note: Click on highlighted titles to read full text of the story at Project Gutenberg. "For Sale" books are from Amazon.com or their Marketplace Sellers. 01: Tom Swift And His Motorcycle - 1910 - For Sale or, Fun and Adventure on the Road Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Rudolph Mencl Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Keds paperback; Applewood Books; Easton Press Binding: tan quad, orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 02: Tom Swift And His Motor Boat - 1910 - For Sale or, The Rivals of Lake Carlopa Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Rudolph Mencl Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Keds Paperback; Applewood Books; Easton Press Binding: tan quad, orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 03: Tom Swift And His Airship - 1910 - For Sale or, The Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Rudolph Mencl Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Applewood Books; Easton Press Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 04: Tom Swift And His Submarine Boat - 1910 - For Sale or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Rudolph Mencl Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Easton Press Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 05: Tom Swift And His Electric Runabout - 1910 - For Sale or, The Speediest Car on the Road Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Rudolph Mencl Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Easton Press Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 06: Tom Swift And His Wireless Message - 1911 - For Sale or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Easton Press Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 07: Tom Swift Among The Diamond Makers - 1911 - For Sale or, The Secret of Phantom Mountain Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 08: Tom Swift In The Caves Of Ice - 1911 - For Sale or, The Wreck of the Airship Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 09: Tom Swift And His Sky Racer - 1911 - For Sale or, The Quickest Flight on Record Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 10: Tom Swift And His Electric Rifle - 1911 - For Sale or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Island Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Brown paper quad; White paper quad; Two color; Full color 11: Tom Swift In The City Of Gold - 1912 - For Sale or, Marvelous Adventures Underground Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 12: Tom Swift And His Air Glider - 1912 - For Sale or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 13: Tom Swift In Captivity - 1912 - For Sale or, A Daring Escape by Airship Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 14: Tom Swift And His Wizard Camera - 1912 - For Sale or, Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 15: Tom Swift And His Great Searchlight - 1912 - For Sale or, On the Border for Uncle Sam Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 16: Tom Swift And His Giant Cannon - 1913 - For Sale or, The Longest Shots on Record Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by H. Richard Boehm Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 17: Tom Swift And His Photo Telephone - 1914 - For Sale or, The Picture That Saved a Fortune Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 18: Tom Swift And His Aerial Warship - 1915 - For Sale or, The Naval Terror of the Seas Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 19: Tom Swift And His Big Tunnel - 1916 - For Sale or, The Hidden City of the Andes Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 20: Tom Swift In The Land Of The Wonders - 1917 - For Sale or, The Underground Search for the Idol of Gold Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: White paper quad; Two color; Full color 21: Tom Swift And His War Tank - 1918 - For Sale or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by R. Emmett Owen Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 22: Tom Swift And His Air Scout - 1919 - For Sale or, Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by R. Emmett Owen Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 23: Tom Swift And His Undersea Search - 1920 - For Sale or, The Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by R. Emmett Owen Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 24: Tom Swift Among The Fire Fighters - 1921 - For Sale or, Battling with Flames in the Air Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 25: Tom Swift And His Electric Locomotive - 1922 - For Sale or, Two Miles a minute on the Rails Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 26: Tom Swift And His Flying Boat - 1923 - For Sale or, Castaways of the Giant Iceberg Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 27: Tom Swift And His Great Oil Gusher - 1924 - For Sale or, The Treasure of Goby Farm Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 28: Tom Swift And His Chest Of Secrets - 1925 - For Sale or, Tracing the Stolen Inventions Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Two color; Full color 29: Tom Swift And His Airline Express - 1926 - For Sale or, From Ocean to Ocean by Daylight Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art 30: Tom Swift Circling The Globe - 1927 - For Sale or, The Daring Cruise of the Air Monarch Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 31: Tom Swift And His Talking Pictures - 1928 - For Sale or, The Greatest Invention on Record Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 32: Tom Swift And His House On Wheels - 1929 - For Sale or, A Trip around the Mountain of Mystery Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 33: Tom Swift And His Big Dirigible - 1930 - For Sale or, Adventures Over the Forest of Fire Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 34: Tom Swift And His Sky Train - 1931 - For Sale or, Overland Through the Clouds Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 35: Tom Swift And His Giant Magnet - 1932 - For Sale or, Bringing Up the Lost Submarine Written by Howard Garis Illustrated by Nat Falk Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: tan quad; orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 36: Tom Swift And His Television Detector - 1933 - For Sale or, Trailing the Secret Plotters Written by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams Illustrated by Nat Falk Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 37: Tom Swift And His Ocean Airport - 1934 - For Sale or, Foiling the Haargolanders Written by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams Illustrated by Nat Falk Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (large & small 1937) Binding: orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art. 38: Tom Swift And His Planet Stone - 1935 - For Sale or, Discovering the Secret of Another World Written by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams Illustrated by Nat Falk Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap; Whitman (small 1937) Binding: orange DJ: Full color; Whitman Full color DJ has new art 39: Tom Swift And His Giant Telescope - 1939 Written by Thomas Moyston Mitchell Illustrated by James Gary Publisher: Whitman - Better Little Book Binding: Pictorial cover - no dust jacket 40: Tom Swift And His Magnetic Silencer - 1941 Written by Thomas Moyston Mitchell Illustrated by J.R. White Publisher: Whitman - Better Little Book Binding: Pictorial cover - no dust jacket

Some collectors believe the following two books should be included in a complete Tom Swift collection. While not directly related to the original series, they are interesting collectibles. Shorthand Tom, The Reporter by Edward Stratemeyer First published in 1894, it is the first appearance of the name Tom Swift in a Stratemeyer book. Reprinted many times by many publishers for at least 30 years. Jack Swift And His Rocket Ship by Cliff Farrel & Hal Colson 1934 Big Little Book by Whitman featuring a Tom Swift clone.

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