Nigel is already beating a path to the door, chequebook in hand.pete9012S wrote: A new voluptuous cover that united these two giants of Enid Blyton Famous Five illustrations throughout the decades might sway the hoards of Betty Maxey followers to check out your book???
Stephen Isabirye
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Re: The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
Lucky Star wrote:
Nigel is already beating a path to the door, chequebook in hand.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.
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Re: The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage
... to pay you anything - anything you want, Pete - NOT to do it.Lucky Star wrote:Nigel is already beating a path to the door, chequebook in hand.pete9012S wrote: A new voluptuous cover that united these two giants of Enid Blyton Famous Five illustrations throughout the decades might sway the hoards of Betty Maxey followers to check out your book???
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Re: Stephen Isabirye
pete9012S wrote:Enikyoga wrote:
Very true Stephen.
It was a flash of genius perhaps even akin to Uncle Quentin's marvellous Sko Wheel.
I don't know what your stance on Betty Maxey is,but I do know you are fair and impartial on most things.
A new voluptuous cover that united these two giants of Enid Blyton Famous Five illustrations throughout the decades might sway the hoards of Betty Maxey followers to check out your book???
.
Pete, I still think the Eileen Soper illustration is better. The way George and Timmy jump out in the Eileen Soper illustration is very dramatic in contra-distinction with Betty Maxey's that has no action of any sort. In addition, putting the two illustrations, side-by-side would put off many readers or a potential of them...As you may recall, in his book, The Famous Five: Everything you Ever Wanted to Know, Norman Wright also used Eileen Soper's illustrations as opposed to those of Maxey. It would seem that there is something both classy and classic about Soper's illustrations as being deemed to be the authentic and official pictorial depictions of The Famous Five. This is not to say that Betty Maxey did not have good illustrations i.e. such as those depicting Timmy in Five Go To Demon's Rocks as well as Maggie and her partner in Five On A Hike Together (the two looked hip for the 1970s era in this book; maybe that is one of the reasons why Maxey's illustrations replaced those of Soper).
Stephen I.
Last edited by Enikyoga on 14 Nov 2014, 05:37, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
Thanks for appreciating Betty's work Stephen.It does put you in the minority with me though!Enikyoga wrote:This is not to say that Betty Maxey did not have good illustrations i.e. such as..... Maggie and her partner in Five On A Hike Together (the two looked hip for the 1970s era in this book..).
Stephen I.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
Don't worry, Pete; our friend Stephen is quite at home being in a minority.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
For once I actually agree with Stephen on something, I think. Soper's illustration of the five meeting has much more movement and action while In Maxeys everyone looks half asleep! I find that about most of her pictures - even when George is meant to be storming about in a huff and yet Maxey draws her as if she's just wandering in a daze.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
But Stephen said he preferred Maxey's....
Pete, still I think the Betty Maxey illustration is better
Last edited by Moonraker on 13 Nov 2014, 17:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
That's what I thought.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
That's why I said "I think" at the end. Stephen does say he likes Maxey's better but then goes on to talk about how hers lacks action while George and Timmy are more dramatic in Soper's.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
In the words of a couple of Australian comedians whom I remember singing this on the radio once:
"Well, I might contradict myself, but at least I don't contradict myself..."
"Well, I might contradict myself, but at least I don't contradict myself..."
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
How very apt!
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
My apologies, I meant to say, "Pete, I still think the Eileen Soper illustration is better." Maybe this is the effect of some health ailments I have recently suffered from. I have since corrected this error.The advice of proofreading one's stuff thoroughly is well taken in this aspect. Once again, my apologies!!!Enikyoga wrote:Pete, I still think the Eileen Soper illustration is better. The way George and Timmy jump out in the Eileen Soper illustration is very dramatic in contra-distinction with Betty Maxey's that has no action of any sort. In addition, putting the two illustrations, side-by-side would put off many readers or a potential of them...As you may recall, in his book, The Famous Five: Everything you Ever Wanted to Know, Norman Wright also used Eileen Soper's illustrations as opposed to those of Maxey. It would seem that there is something both classy and classic about Soper's illustrations as being deemed to be the authentic and official pictorial depictions of The Famous Five. This is not to say that Betty Maxey did not have good illustrations i.e. such as those depicting Timmy in Five Go To Demon's Rocks as well as Maggie and her partner in Five On A Hike Together (the two looked hip for the 1970s era in this book; maybe that is one of the reasons why Maxey's illustrations replaced those of Soper).pete9012S wrote:Enikyoga wrote:
Very true Stephen.
It was a flash of genius perhaps even akin to Uncle Quentin's marvellous Sko Wheel.
I don't know what your stance on Betty Maxey is,but I do know you are fair and impartial on most things.
A new voluptuous cover that united these two giants of Enid Blyton Famous Five illustrations throughout the decades might sway the hoards of Betty Maxey followers to check out your book???
.
Stephen I.
.Moonraker wrote:But Stephen said he preferred Maxey's....
Pete, I still think the Eileen Soper illustration is better
Moonraker, etal, I have since corrected the above error. Regardless, preferring Eileen Soper illustrations does not suggest that at times the Betty Maxey illustrations could be better at times as I have already pointed out.
Stephen I.
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
Sorry to hear you have been unwell Stephen. I hope you are fully recovered now.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
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Re: Stephen Isabirye
Hope you're feeling better Stephen.
Please don't give up on Betty Maxey.
I admit she's not to everyone's taste,but she does grow on you if you persevere.
Please don't give up on Betty Maxey.
I admit she's not to everyone's taste,but she does grow on you if you persevere.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
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