The Enid Blyton Society

I'm reading a "tree book" and e-book at the moment. The "tree book" is Paddington's Finest Hour, by the late (alas!) Michael Bond. So far I've read five of the seven chapters in that. This book was only published a month or two ago, and is the 15th and final Paddington Bear novel (I think Love From Paddington counts as the 14th one).

The e-book is Dave Dawson at Casablanca by Robert Sidney Bowen. It's the 13th book in "The War Adventure Series", and I have also read the previous 12. After this there are just two left. The series (which could also be called the "Dave Dawson" series, seeing as all the book titles start with his name) is set in World War 2, and was actually written during that time, so the events described would have been extremely fresh in readers' minds, as well as the author's. Dawson is a kind of American Biggles, and rather like W.E. Johns, Bowen saw active service in World War 1 (he was in the Royal Flying Corps as well). Dawson and his best friend, an English youth named Freddy Farmer, are ace pilots, although like Biggles, they also do a bit of Intelligence work. The series takes them to pretty well all the major theatres of war - Europe, North Africa, China and the Pacific. They get into all kinds of scrapes and have near brushes with death, but of course always get out of them and live to tell the tale. The books don't shy away from the grim reality of war - people die in them, often at the hands of Dawson and Farmer themselves (you wouldn't want to make an enemy of these guys!). They're an entertaining read, and educational sometimes too, but like a lot of books from that era, there's a bit of racism (e.g. the Japanese are often described as "little brown rats" or "slant-eyed rats", but on the other hand the Chinese, who were among the Allies, are portrayed much more sympathetically). Still, if you think they might appeal to you, I think the entire series is available for free download from Project Gutenberg (that's where I got most of my volumes from).

The Wombles by Elizabeth Beresford. A very charming little book upon which the 1970s children's TV series was based. I used to love the little 5 minute cartoons as a child. Nice to meet the characters again after so long.

I finished another great novel by Douglas Kennedy last night, "Five Days". As it describes many places where I used to live (Maine) and am familiar with (Boston) it was a wonderful reading experience.
Now I'm waiting impatiently for the last two novels by Douglas Kennedy which I was able to order one month ago at amazon.de in German translations. The shipping often takes 5 to 6 weeks.

Chrissie777 wrote:I finished another great novel by Douglas Kennedy last night, "Five Days". As it describes many places where I used to live (Maine) and am familiar with (Boston) it was a wonderful reading experience.

That sounds an attractive read, Chrissie, I hadn't come across Douglas Kennedy and must look out for his work. Meanwhile I'm back with Susan Howatch for the annual re-read of her Church of England series!

Floragord, you might know his book "The Big Picture" which was filmed under the same title with Romain Duris and Cathérine Deneueve a few years ago.
It's basically the first Tom Ripley novel by Patricia Highsmith in modernized version.

Biggles Flies South by Capt. W.E. Johns. Probably the only series of books which are even more exciting than Enid Blyton.

More exciting than EB and Norman Dale?
What is it about?

It's been a while since l read a Gwendoline Courtney so I chose The Girls of Friar's Rise from my collection. It is a wonderful family story, as good as Sally's Family or Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre.

When their parents were obliged to go Canada for a couple of months the six Nairne sisters (ranging from Esther 18 to Judith aged eight) are left to look after themselves and their remote Devon home. A young man arrives out of a storm to move into a tiny cottage nearby. He is ill and alone and the girls take him under their wing and help him turn his bleak, rundown cottage into a snug home, not without opposition from some interfering neighbours and an unwelcome Aunt and cousin.

I'm so charmed by the characters that I wish there was a sequel but like most of Courtney's books this is a stand alone novel, however I do have another five Gwendoline Courtneys unread on my shelves and after that I'll just have to start reading them over again.

Chrissie777 wrote:Floragord, you might know his book "The Big Picture" which was filmed under the same title with Romain Duris and Cathérine Deneueve a few years ago.
It's basically the first Tom Ripley novel by Patricia Highsmith in modernized version.

No, I hadn't come across the book or movie, Chrissie, must look out for them! I've not yet read anything by Patricia Highsmith either. Hope you had a wonderful holiday, look forward to hearing about it!

Floragord, I'll send you some France pics via e-mail.
It was another perfect vacation with great weather on most days. May is just our favorite month to go to Europe.

I'm currently reading, Jill, the first of Philip Larkin's two novels. It was first published in 1946 and its setting is 1940 Oxford University.

Eddie, that sounds like something I might be interested in. Reminds me of "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L. Sayers.
I've heard of this author before, but never read anything by him.

Right now I'm reading two novels parallel, one upstairs at night before falling asleep ("The Woman in the Fifth" by Douglas Kennedy, taking place in the 5th arrondissement in Paris) and another one downstairs whenever our dog lets me have some quiet time, "A Place of Execution" by Val McDermid.
As the Swedish author Stieg Larsson mentioned his male character Mikael Blomkvist reading Val McDermind crime novels more than once in his books, I assume that "Execution" might have inspired him to write his first part of the Millenium Trilogy where a girl disappeared years ago from a Swedish island.

Chrissie777 wrote:

Eddie Muir wrote:I'm currently reading, Jill, the first of Philip Larkin's two novels. It was first published in 1946 and its setting is 1940 Oxford University.

Eddie, that sounds like something I might be interested in. Reminds me of "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L. Sayers.
I've heard of this author before, but never read anything by him.

Philip Larkin is better known for his poetry, Chrissie. He wrote just two novels: Jill in 1946 and A Girl in Winter in 1947.

Sounds good.
I will check it out, Eddie.