Barbara Stoney's biography

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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Rob Houghton »

Moonraker wrote:And we should also remember that Imogen might not like her mother talked about in this way - especially by people who have never met her.
Then again, this image of Enid as a dislikeable character mostly comes from 'A Childhood at Green Hedges" - which I found a most uncomfortable book to read, and it has coloured my view of Enid ever since, despite not wanting to believe it.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

It doesn't only come from Imogen Smallwood's book. Barbara Stoney also discusses how Enid Blyton cut her mother out of her life and had very little to do with her brothers. She didn't visit her mother even when Theresa was dying and pleading to see Enid, and Hanly could have done with some help when he was struggling to look after his mother and wife, who were both very ill:
Although she had sent occasional small sums of money towards her upkeep, Enid had not seen Theresa since the early twenties, despite her mother's pleadings - particularly during her latter years - to see the daughter from whom she had so long been estranged. Hanly found his sister's attitude towards the dying woman difficult to understand and repeatedly begged her to visit, but Enid's reply had always been that she was 'too busy' to make the journey - and this was also the reason she gave for not attending the funeral. Whatever the origins of her bitter feelings towards her mother it was impossible, it appeared, for her to put them aside. Gillian and Imogen knew nothing of their grandmother until after her death and neither Hugh nor Kenneth were ever given an explanation as to why they were never allowed to meet their mother-in-law. They had no reason to disbelieve Enid's story, also told to her daughters, that she had been 'brought up' by the Attenboroughs, having run away from home as a 'young girl'. With Carey overseas, it had been left to Hanly to bear the brunt of caring for an ailing and difficult mother throughout his married life and - for the past twenty years - for his two children and a sick and almost bed-ridden wife.
Barbara Stoney learnt that information from interviewing Hanly, Gillian and Imogen.

Barbara also says that, when Enid Blyton was ill and couldn't work:
She confided to Imogen that, whereas previously she had always been able to ride disaster by 'keeping busy' she was now finding her thoughts 'closing in' upon her... Perhaps with time now to brood over some of the unhappy events of the past... she may even have experienced certain feelings of guilt over her treatment of those once close to her - particularly of Hugh and her mother.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I've read both of these mentioned books, and somehow find Enid's life to be rather sad and a touch lonely inside her as a person, which I think is why she wrote such great books, as a sort of escapism to childhood days.

But I don't think it is nice to use the word 'horribly', as no one knows exactly how Enid felt inside, and we really shouldn't judge someone we don't know.

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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

It's not really possible to judge Enid Blyton's behaviour towards Theresa as we don't know enough about their relationship. We know Enid could be headstrong and that she wasn't the quiet, domesticated girl Theresa hoped she'd be. Nevertheless, it seems that Theresa supported the idea of Enid having a career and being trained as a pianist - and that Enid still visited her mother from time to time after becoming a teacher instead, even though things appear to have been strained between them. Whether Theresa was shocked at the idea of Enid marrying Hugh, a divorcee with a child, or whether something else happened that caused a rift between mother and daughter is unclear.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

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Julie2owlsdene wrote: But I don't think it is nice to use the word 'horribly', as no one knows exactly how Enid felt inside, and we really shouldn't judge someone we don't know.
Exactly the point I was trying to make. We all know what has been said in various books, I just don't see the need to keep repeating it.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Rob Houghton »

I do agree that such things don't really need repeating, although I also believe that Enid's background and the things she endured/caused/lived through, however you want to look at it, definitely had a bearing on her stories. Because Enid had a troubled childhood, this undoubtedly influenced her later life, and is the reason, I feel, that she wrote such good escapist stories, where she tried to recreate some of the feelings and situations that had eluded her as a child.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Paul Austin »

Enid did bad things and it's not fair to whitewash that when both Imogen and Hanly attested to it in interviews and books.

At the end of your life, when they put all the good you did, and all the bad you did, on a scale - you know one of those scales where you see which one is heavier - and Enid did a lot that was right - that side of her scale is pretty heavy - but you cannot ignore that she did some cruel and bad things to people in her life.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

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I read the biographies of Dorothy L. Sayers(born in 1893), Agatha Christie(born in 1890), Georgette Heyer(born in 1902), Margery Allingham(born in 1904), Enid Blyton (born in 1897), Margaret Thatcher(born in 1925), P.D. James (born in 1920), Ngaio Marsh(born in 1895) and others- All their mothers expected them to learn and do domestic works. But the only person who had animosity to her mother was Enid Blyton and Margaret Thatcher was indifference towards her mother(not animosity). The others loved their mothers even though they had conflicts here and there with their mothers. Both Margaret and Enid had dementia and Alzheimer diseases when they became older. The rest were spared.----> I am just stating a fact here. I don't speculate, these information are all in their biographies. :D

Even my own mother expects me to learn/do some house works. We argue a lot but we know deep down we love each others so much. Very much. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Having animosity towards your own mother just because of that reason is unnecessary and uncalled for. :D

Moral of the story: Love your mothers and fathers and your families. Mothers and Fathers are the best. :wink:
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

Paul Austin wrote:Enid did bad things and it's not fair to whitewash that when both Imogen and Hanly attested to it in interviews and books.
And you I suppose have never ever done any bad things, Paul!!!!!!!! :roll:

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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Moonraker »

Let's hope we never have to read Paul's biography.

Good post, Poppy - although I suspect most of this will be deleted. :|
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Poppy »

Moonraker wrote:Good post, Poppy - although I suspect most of this will be deleted
I'm not involved in this! :D
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Daisy »

Julie2owlsdene wrote:
Paul Austin wrote:Enid did bad things and it's not fair to whitewash that when both Imogen and Hanly attested to it in interviews and books.
And you I suppose have never ever done any bad things, Paul!!!!!!!! :roll:

8)
I hardly think that making an observation such as Paul did is implying that at all. You need to take the full text -
Paul Austin wrote: At the end of your life, when they put all the good you did, and all the bad you did, on a scale - you know one of those scales where you see which one is heavier - and Enid did a lot that was right - that side of her scale is pretty heavy - but you cannot ignore that she did some cruel and bad things to people in her life.
....
and then the remark seems quite balanced.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I'm not getting into an arguement over this!

Everyone has their faults, and we all have our own opinions on Enid through Barbara's excellent book and Imogen's book.

But I hate to see words like - horribly - and Enid did bad things etc - used on our favourite author. Who isn't even around to defend herself!

Paul should keep his 'horribly' opinions to himself, rather than, as usual wanting to cause an arguement on a perfect lovely thread as this one about Barbara's book. A lovely lady who I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with on numerous occasions.

That is all I want to say on this matter.

8)
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Paul Austin wrote:Enid did bad things and it's not fair to whitewash that when both Imogen and Hanly attested to it in interviews and books.
:lol: I honestly think that's the last thing anyone could accuse us of on this website! It's a website devoted to Enid Blyton so we look at all aspects of her life and work, negative as well as positive. We always have done, and I don't think that's about to change. You only have to look through past posts to see that.

Having said that, the thing that made us all Enid Blyton fans in the first place was her work, not her life. Her books have entertained, educated and inspired us - and many others around the world. And they continue to do so. Therefore it's natural for us to discuss her stories more than her life, and many comments on those will be positive. We also note inconsistencies and discuss how attitudes towards certain things have changed since the books were written, but this is done in a spirit of affection for books which are much loved.

It's true that Enid Blyton treated some people in a questionable manner but we don't know the whole story and we never will. It's also true that everyone has sometimes done unkind things and made mistakes - it's just that Enid Blyton was a well-known figure so these things have been made public through biographies. I'm happy to take the rough with the smooth, as nothing I've learnt about Enid Blyton has diminished the wonder of the stories. She put the very best of herself into her books and through them she continues to bring great joy to people.
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Re: Barbara Stoney's biography

Post by pete9012S »

Paul Austin wrote:Enid did bad things and it's not fair to whitewash that when both Imogen and Hanly attested to it in interviews and books.

At the end of your life, when they put all the good you did, and all the bad you did, on a scale - you know one of those scales where you see which one is heavier - and Enid did a lot that was right - that side of her scale is pretty heavy - but you cannot ignore that she did some cruel and bad things to people in her life.

If we only read books by people who didn't make mistakes we wouldn't have very much to read.
We ourselves if we are honest, make mistakes all the way through our lives.

Paul is entitled to his opinion about Enid Blyton of course and he is obviously very knowledgeable about her life and work.
For balance, I would be very interested Paul to know what is it that draws you to read her work in spite of her imperfections and what you actually like most about Enid Blyton?
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