Helen Dore Boylston Books In Order

Publication Order of Sue Barton Books

Publication Order of Carol Page Books

Publication Order of Helen Dore Boylston Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of U.S. Landmark Non-Fiction Books

Helen Dore Boylston was a prominent American author, who was famous for writing young adult, nonfiction, and memoir, and fiction novels. She was particularly well known for her 2 book series, the Sue Barton and the Carol Page series. Author Boylston was born on April 4, 1895 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She spent most of her childhood days there. As she was a very mischievous child, Boylston was nicknamed as Troub. She studied for one year at the Simmons College, Boston. Author Boylston wanted to study medicine like her dad, but she chose nursing because it had a short training period. Later, Boylston completed her graduation from the Massachusetts General Hospital in the course of nursing in 1915. Immediately after, Boylston sailed to France as a team member of Harvard Medical Unit for serving in World War I. She used to nurse the wounded soldiers at a local hospital and specialized in as an anesthetist. Author Boylston went on to reach a captain’s rank. She described her experiences during her service in a book that was released in 1927. Following the Armistice of 1918, author Boylston stayed in Europe and worked towards providing service to the civilians in Poland, Italy, Germany, Albania, and Russia for a period of 2 years. During the same time, she got acquainted with Rose Wilder Lane, and became a close friend of her. Author Boylston continued to work as a nurse after returning to General Hospital in Massachusetts. She taught anesthesiology to the students at the hospital and later became the department’s director. After that, Boylston became a psychiatric nurse in New York City and then a head nurse in Connecticut. It was not before the mid 1920s that started focusing on her writing career. Her first book, Sister : War Diary of A Nurse, gives a detailed account of her personal experiences during the war times. She collaborated with Rose Lane and wrote a book based on their time spent together in European excursion of 1926. This book, called Travels with Zenobia, was published in the year 1982. The book explores the experiences of the two friends while traveling to Albania from Paris in a car that they had named Zenobia. Boylston wrote this novel long after she wrote the Carol Pafe and Sue Barton series, during the last couple of years of her life.

Author Boyslton had quoted after writing the first two Sue Barton books that each and every incident that was mentioned in those books had actually happened. The incidences directly involved either Boylston or her classmates. The characters of Conie and Kit were real, in fact, they were the real names of her classmates. The same goes for the a few other characters like Hilda, Bill, and Francesca, however, they are not the real names. Hilda, in particular, was the roommate of Boylston when she was in the probe. Another character named Miss Cameron was highly amused by finding her description in Boylston. She wrote charming letters to her. Sue’s character was not based on Boylston, which she had clearly stated at that time. Boylston had built the character with her imagination. In fact, author Boylston wished she was the kind of person and nurse that Sue Barton was. While developing Sue’s character, author Boylston enjoyed very much. The books of the Sue Barton series were very successful and sold millions of printed copies throughout the world. They were also translated into various foreign languages. Author Boylston was highly praised for the authentic representation of the practice of nursing. The novels are reprinted in today and remain as successful as they were at the time of their initial release. Author Boylston never entered into marriage. Later in her life, she got ill with dementia and eventually died on September 30, 1984, in Trumbull, Connecticut.

The Sue Barton nurse series written by Helen Dore Boylston consists of a total of 7 books, which were released between the years 1936 and 1952. All the books of this series feature the central character as Sue Barton, whose life during her nurse training and early work is depicted in the books. In the German translations of the series, Sue is named as Susanne Barden. An initial book published in this series is entitled ‘Sue Barton, Senior Nurse’. This book was first released in 1937 and then the Hodder and Stoughton publication released it again in 1984. At the start of the story, it is shown that Sue Barton has become a senior nurse after serving for 2 years at her hospital. She realized that her career has reached an important stage now. However, she soon discovers that has to deal with a personal problem. She was dedicated enough to make it big in the field of nursing, but she had developed feelings for Bill Barry at the same time and it was not letting her focus completely on her work. Bill Barry was a young doctor working at the same hospital. When Sue used to work in Bill’s proximity in the operation theater, she used to lose her concentration. The matter reaches the Christmas Ball night. Bill Barry uses the opportunity to propose Sue Barten, but she shockingly turns him down. Later, while working in a maternity hospital, Sue comes to know that Bill is seeing another nurse. He even writes a harsh letter to her, saying that he is leaving the hospital forever. Sue becomes heartbroken and couldn’t get her mind off Bill in spite of immersing herself completely in her nursing duties. She wonders whether she has made a huge mistake in turning Bill Barry down?

Another mind blowing written by author Boylston in the series is called ‘Sue Barten, Neighborhood Nurse’. At the beginning of the book, it is seen that Sue Barton leaves her nursing job with the Superintendent’s position at the New Hampshire Hospital for raising her family. With Dr. Bill, Sue has 3 children named, Tabitha, and the twins Jerry and Johnny. She seems very happy in carrying out her duties as a mother and wife. However, things begin to change after she attends the class reunion at her nursing school. Knowing about the accomplishments of her batch-mates makes Sue feel stagnant. But, she makes good use of her talents by nursing the neighborhood. With her dedicated efforts, Sue tries to mend people’s wounds and hearts. Her attempts bear fruits when disheartened people come together and relationships in her neighborhood begin to blossom again. And at the same time, something always keeps happening at her home with Bill and her children making her feel as if she is wasting her abilities and training by looking after the small personal problems.