"Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross" is the last of the series under the pen name Edith Van Dyne which was published in 1915. The book like all the others was published by Reilly & Britton of Chicago and originally sold for sixty cents. This book is 256 pages in length and measures 7 3/4 x 5 1/2 and was illustrated by Norman P. Hall. The book I have is the second edition because of the additional 32 pages not included in the first print.
This book was written at the beginning of the "European War" and sends our girls Patsy, Maude and Beth along with Uncle John oversease in a hospital ship to offer neutral aid to the wounded. In 1918 the additional four chapters were added to better reflect changes in popular attitudes as America was drawn into conflict.
The four chapters included a revision of the final four pages of the prevous edition, in which a character killed in the original goes unharmed. A new character named Charlie Holmes who is a camera man from Hollywood who Maude knows from her acting career loses an arm, which is rather tinman inspired. I say that because another new character named Dr. Godrayl has done surgies replacing limbs, like the tinsmith does for tinman in Oz. There are slews of characters but somehow the charm is lost in this book.
The book plays heavily on the issues of war, the casualities and horrors of war, and by some readers in some circles maybe considered propaganda in nature. Although while being neutral in nature by caring for all the wounded it is in no doubt wanting to bring an end to the war which by some maybe considered pacifist.
While a very good read and a must if you want "the whole Aunt Jane's Nieces story" this book in my opinion should be the last one you read as by itself it does not promote the charm and wit that the other nine books do.
So until next time....... I am so glad we had this time together.
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