50 years since the death of Enid

[Sallyh]

I thought it worth mentioning that 28 November next week marks 50 years since the death of Enid Blyton. It is remarkable but important that she is still regarded as one of the most significant children''s authors of all time. My only regret is that \I didn't meet her or communicate with her in my childhoold years when I read her books for the first time (from 1962 to 1965) and when she was still alive, although clearly not as she had been.

Tony - Wondering if anything will be said publicly about this milestone?

[number 6]

Yes, you're right in every respect, Sallyh! Personally, it's still hard for me to believe that I was just 3 years old when Enid passed away. My Mum read me my first Noddy book around that time & I was hooked! However, it wasn't till the 1978 F5 TV series aired that I really got back into Enid Blyton books again. I owe a lot to the F5 stories from the age of 10 to 14, as they helped me through a bad period of my life. She was my saviour! I'll forever be in her debt.
I hope there is something lined up to celebrate the anniversary.

[Lucky Star]

Amazing that she is still so widely read 50 years after her death. I wonder if any of the media outlets will pick up on the date and give it any coverage? It would be nice to see wider acknowledgement of her achievements on this big date.

[Courtenay]

Yes, I would hope so too — if only the emphasis will be on her achievements and not on all the "ooer, sexist, racist, insipid, a bad influence on children" accusations that we've all heard before... Seriously, I do wonder why such awful things still get said about Enid's works when surely they've more than stood the test of time, unlike those of so many other children's authors. Why does she not get more widely acknowledged as a genius and a truly great author? I can never quite understand that.

[kirstleecurry]

I've seen a few posts today, some positive, a few so obnoxious that I just wanted to scream! Enid is still one of my top authora of all time, I don't understand why people can't understand that she was writing in a different times with different standards!
RIP Enid Blyton, the haters gonna hate

[Boatbuilder]

This article appeared in yesterday's Independent:

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ente ... 42836.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

May Enid continue to Rest In Peace.

[Daisy]

An interesting and well balanced article, in my view. Thanks for the link , John.

[Lucky Star]

A good article Boatbuilder. Thanks for the link. I was a bit surprised by some of the Top Ten Book entries. The River of Adventure is a strange choice of Adventure series novel; Valley or Island would have been much better choices. And choosing two Faraway Tree books without making any reference to the Secret, Barney or FFO series was a mistake in my view. But nice to see a positive overview and some nice pictures.

[Courtenay]

Yes, that was a very good article, thanks, John. (I also wasn't sure about some of the top 10 book choices, but glad to see Mr Galliano's Circus included in there.

Mind you, presumably in the interest of balance, The Independent has at the same time published another article that completely pans Enid (and, strangely, classic children's literature in general) for all the drearily predictable reasons: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ente ... 48281.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Boatbuilder]

Well the article did say - To mark the half-century since the writer’s death, here is our selection of some of her finest books - so the selection is just 'theirs', and is therefore subjective.

[Nobby]

Indeed, fifty years ago today. And she likely is the most popular and widely read children's author of all time in the world. Her books have passed the test of time, and new generations of children discover and enjoy them.
What is a disgrace is the sanitised versions they sell nowadays courtesy of the infamous PC enforced culture we live in.

[Fiona1986]

Scotland Tonight, on last night, was to feature a 'chat' about Enid Blyton at 10.30. I know this because I, at late notice, at 6pm was invited into the Dundee STV studio to appear on it! Unfortunately I had to decline as I was in my pyjamas making Brodie's tea and I had just washed my hair and it was still wrapped in a towel turban. Plus 10.30 is more or less my bedtime these days . They were desperate enough to offer to send a taxi to collect me as well.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Yes, Enid died on my 16th birthday, 28th November, 1968.

One of the questions I ask the children whom I talk to during my school visits is - Who loves to read Enid Blyton books? I'm sometimes surprised that some of the children don't know who Enid Blyton is, until I say some of her books, and many of them like the Famous Five and the girls go in for Malory Towers and St. Clare's. But the majority of raised hands for their favourite author is always - JK Rowling and David Walliams.

I sometimes wonder is it only the adults who still dearly love this author's books because of the nostalgic aspect for us all, remembering her in our own childhoods and how she now takes us back to these times when we do our re-reads.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Well the article did say - To mark the half-century since the writer’s death, here is our selection of some of her finest books - so the selection is just 'theirs', and is therefore subjective.

Yes, maybe Joe Sommerlad asked ten colleagues to name their favourite Enid Blyton books. It's nice that such a large part of the article is devoted to a selection of the books, discussing what makes them so appealing.

Tony was contacted about Scotland Tonight too, Fiona. What a pity we didn't get to see you in your towel turban! If you're able to view the programme (for some reason I could access it a few minutes ago but can't any more), the Enid Blyton segment starts at about 17:43. It features author Lari Don, who says she loved Blyton books when she was young but doesn't now! Her appraisal seems rather negative for a commemoration of Enid's lasting legacy!

Tony also received an email from Dr Andrew Maunder, whom I believe is writing a biography of Enid Blyton, saying that he had been interviewed by BBC Northern Ireland for the Gaelic programme I Lár an Aonaigh - link below. The Enid Blyton section begins at about 6:23 and it's good to see the lady who has translated some of the books into Gaelic praising them for richness of language.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... -episode-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Daisy]

Yes, Enid died on my 16th birthday, 28th November, 1968.

One of the questions I ask the children whom I talk to during my school visits is - Who loves to read Enid Blyton books? I'm sometimes surprised that some of the children don't know who Enid Blyton is, until I say some of her books, and many of them like the Famous Five and the girls go in for Malory Towers and St. Clare's. But the majority of raised hands for their favourite author is always - JK Rowling and David Walliams.

I sometimes wonder is it only the adults who still dearly love this author's books because of the nostalgic aspect for us all, remembering her in our own childhoods and how she now takes us back to these times when we do our re-reads.

If the children are reading the Famous Five and the school stories it shows they like the books but haven't taken much notice of the name of the author. I remember having read a good few Enid Blyton books before consciously looking for her name at the library and realizing how many there were! At the same time I was reading Kathleen Fidler, Malcolm Saville and Monica Edwards.
I quite agree that reading Blyton these days is a kind of escapism to our carefree childhood years and it's a great help in combating today's strains and stresses.
I remember the day Enid died - my youngest was two months old and I still can feel the sense of sadness I felt that there would be no more books - not realizing then, that she hadn't actually written for a few years.
I have introduced her books to grandchildren and now great-grandchildren by passing on duplicates as I find better editions or can pick up some very cheaply in charity shops.
I mentioned to "Dick Kirrin" today that it was 50 years since she died, and he said yes - it was mentioned in one of the German newspapers today. That was nice to hear!