Enid Blyton - The Untold Story

[Moonraker]

Thanks, Fiona. I didn't realise there were English bookshops other than in the UK. Do we, I wonder, have French, Italian or Chinese books in our country?

As for pronunciation, I pronounce the word bookshop in the same way HM the Queen does.

Back on topic, I note Brian has chosen https://www.enidblyton.net/ to make an announcement about his book. I haven't read all sixteen pages of this thread, so apologies if he has already posted here.

[pete9012S]

Thank you for the update Nigel.
I would love to get a pdf copy of Brian's book.

July 5, 2021 - Brian Carter says: Brian Carter writes I’m pleased to announce that my book: Enid Blyton: The Untold Story has finally been published by Bloomsfield Publishing April 19, 2021. The book is now on eBay, at £20 a copy, and doing well, but some Australians have been sending me emails asking if there’s a eBook version as the postage of £23. 75 plus the £20 cost for a copy make it unaffordable. There’s no eBook version as yet, but as a goodwill gesture, I’m offering to send a pdf version to 10 Australians for them to read online. All that’s necessary is to send your name and email address to me, through the Contact Us facility in my website: www.EnidBlytonbio.co.uk and the online version can be with you in a few minutes. OK with me if you want to pass it on after reading as you’ll be helping more of your compatriots on low incomes to benefit. This can easily be done through the We Transfer website where large files can be sent at no cost. For convenience the wording can be as follows: Dear Publisher, I’d like to take up your offer of a complimentary pdf online version of Enid Blyton: The Untold Story. My name is… and my email address is… Many thanks.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks, Fiona. I didn't realise there were English bookshops other than in the UK. Do we, I wonder, have French, Italian or Chinese books in our country?

I've been to a French bookshop and an Arabic bookshop in London.

Oh, and there are plenty of English bookshops in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada!

[pete9012S]

I have been able to view a pdf copy of Brian's book courtesy of a very kind cerise lassie who shall remain anonymous..

Many thanks!

[Boodi 2]

There is an English shop in Stuttgart that also stocks some books along with a range of other articles from clothing to food and drink. However, I have rarely bought anything there as the prices are outrageous and in recent years most of the larger supermarkets here occasionally have English (and Irish!) products, so I am kept supplied with tea, McVitie's biscuits, Cheddar and Stilton cheese, Cadbury's chocolate and even HP sauce. The only thing we have not succeeded in finding is Sharwoods Chutney!!!

[pete9012S]

The book really goes to town on Enid's prodigious poetry output over the course of her career.

Also, how I enjoyed and heartily agreed with this excerpt from:

CHAPTER III
ENID THE COLUMNIST & FEATURE WRITER OVERVIEW

HUMAN INTEREST

Here are three brief extracts from some of her articles in this category,
written between 1925 and 1926:

The Best People In The World (January 28, 1925 page 887)
... The naturally happy spirit is a rare and beautiful gift. People
who have it are the luckiest folk on earth ... If only it were a duty
to be happy! We are thought that we must be good, that we must
have common sense and that we must love one another; but we
are not told that we must be happy. It would need a happy person
to teach that properly …

A Sense of Humour (March 4, 1925, page 1129)
…Certainly life is a serious business – so serious sometimes that
it is not to be greatly wondered at if bitterness and prejudice
creep into our character. And then only a sense of humour
can save us. I think if people realised the real power of this
underestimated sense, they would not readily either part with it
or leave it undeveloped…

Kindness (March 31, 1926, page 1347)
…Kindness consists of smaller acts, and is more apparent
between strangers than between friends where it gets swamped
by the bigger virtues of love and unselfishness … There is a
tremendous lot of kindness in the world. It pops up unexpectedly
everywhere, and gives you a delicious warm feeling round your
heart…

This book is a serious good read. If you are deciding on buying it or not, just go for it. I'm sure you won't regret it.
As John Pickup rightly predicted, every purchaser of this book who genuinely loves the work of Enid Blyton will surely give it a positive review.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, it's good to see Brian Carter highlighting some of Enid Blyton's philosophical musings. The fact that she was regarded as a serious educational writer is rarely acknowledged.

[John Pickup]

Brian's book certainly highlights Enid's teaching side and her work for Teachers World and the From My Window column show just how intelligent and articulate she was, her love of nature and living creatures shines through in her absorbing and descriptive prose.
Which makes it all the more irritating to read negative and discriminatory reviews of her work by people who have probably only glanced at Noddy, the Famous Five and seen the cover of The Three Golliwogs. If only more of her detractors took the time to explore her articles and poetry.

[Daisy]

Hear hear, John. If only. The lack of proper research seems to show a less than keen interest in Enid - just an excuse to trot out the old criticisms when a comment is perceived to be needed about her!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've had an email from Brian Carter in which he says:

My book is now back on Amazon. The new selling price is £19.95, and postage and packaging are free.

The book's being sold to UK residents only for the time being, so prospective readers in Europe and some other countries would have to wait a while.