When I was at school and relied on the public library for my books, I was ages waiting for Castle to be on the shelf to complete all the Adventure series. Every week it wasn't there and I had read all the other seven at least twice before the friendly librarian told me I could order it.pete9012S wrote:Yes, the only thing I agonised over when young when coming to the end of one book was getting my hands on another Enid Blyton book to read!
I Know the header has changed at least once since I've been here and the Secret Island pic has obviously disappeared. Does anyone remember when it changed? Or what the old header looked like?DarrellRivers wrote:
This picture is also the last picture in our header.
) and I'm glad to say that I still agree with myself. 
Lucky Star wrote:You can say that about virtually every Blyton book. I mean is it really feasible that a bunch of kids can outwit spies, criminals, kidnappers, smugglers etc? Or that they have more success than the police at crime solving? Or that they can trek all over the country amd even abroad and survive better than many adults? Blytons magic trick is to draw in the reader and involve them in such a way that these often amazing situations seem perfectly possible, indeed we feel certain that the kids will triumph in the end.Blytonboy wrote:I have just finished reading my newly restored 1st edition and it is an utterly charming but completely unrealistic story. Even by the standards of the time, the situation in which the children find themselves is not sustainable and they would probably have poisoned themselves or died from hypothermia
As Anita said the books are charming and thrilling fantasies, the sort that children act out in their minds all the time. Blyton spoke directly to my imagination when I was younger (and still does
And I agree with you too, John LS!Lucky Star wrote: It's amusing to see what I wrote almost fourteen years ago (
I first read The Secret Island only a few years ago, and even as a (sort of) grown-up I had absolutely no problem with the fact that the story was "completely unrealistic". Most children love to imagine "running away" to an island or some other secret place where they could live totally free of adult interference — and of course totally free of any real-life considerations like food and shelter and hygiene and other basic survival matters. As a child, in your imagination, you can do anything anywhere (and be home in time for tea), and that's just what this story is playing on. I absolutely loved it and wish I had an early edition of it with the lovely dust jacket illustration! 
This is an old post from 2007 by John. I was delighted to find a thread on one of my favorite EB books.Lucky Star wrote:You can say that about virtually every Blyton book. I mean is it really feasible that a bunch of kids can outwit spies, criminals, kidnappers, smugglers etc? Or that they have more success than the police at crime solving? Or that they can trek all over the country amd even abroad and survive better than many adults? Blytons magic trick is to draw in the reader and involve them in such a way that these often amazing situations seem perfectly possible, indeed we feel certain that the kids will triumph in the end.
Same here even until today.pete9012S wrote:Yes, the only thing I agonised over when young when coming to the end of one book was getting my hands on another Enid Blyton book to read!
That sounds fascinating, dsr. I'll have to chekc out Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough.dsr wrote:But even so - I went to Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough last year, and it seems that she lived in a cave for the first two years of her life along with her 15 (going on 17) year old mother. It is physically possible.
And there are lakes with few or no people living alongside so they can avoid being spotted. If the Isle of Innisfree didn't have a castle across the lake, it would be ideal. It's so heavily wooded that the children could easily move about unseen. Western Irland would be a good place for a lot of Enid Blyton adventures, apart from the obvious caveat that it rains too much!
I remember exactly how that felt!John Pickup wrote:When I was at school and relied on the public library for my books, I was ages waiting for Castle to be on the shelf to complete all the Adventure series. Every week it wasn't there and I had read all the other seven at least twice before the friendly librarian told me I could order it.
Two weeks later and the agony was over.
Same here.Courtenay wrote:I first read The Secret Island only a few years ago, and even as a (sort of) grown-up I had absolutely no problem with the fact that the story was "completely unrealistic". Most children love to imagine "running away" to an island or some other secret place where they could live totally free of adult interference — and of course totally free of any real-life considerations like food and shelter and hygiene and other basic survival matters. As a child, in your imagination, you can do anything anywhere (and be home in time for tea), and that's just what this story is playing on. I absolutely loved it and wish I had an early edition of it with the lovely dust jacket illustration!
How I agree with you there Chrissie!Chrissie777 wrote: When I get sick I tend to re-read it. It's like medicine.
I would very much like to see that - oh and please tell Andre hi from me too!Chrissie777 wrote:My husband created a dust wrapper for my "Secret Island" edition.
I know, Pete. He looks so much younger, but he turned 67 in October 2020pete9012S wrote:Thanks Chrissie. I hope André is looking forward to his retirement. I know I've said it before, but he simply doesn't look old enough to retire!
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