The Secret Island

[Philip Mannering]

Me too. I can't imagine selling my current Blyton books. My four Fives are in horrible condition, and my 2000 copy of 'Island of Adventure' isn't too good either, yet I love reading it. Afer all, the 2000 editions were much better than the 2007 ones.

[Moonraker]

What do we mean by value, seems to be the question. Supermarkets mean it to be a bargain-priced product, an auction house might mean it to be a very expensive item. To me, the greatest value lies in the memories that a book brings back to me. When I read a Find-Outers story, I am again a nine year old boy, living where the mysteries took place (in my imagination) where I lived. Many of my books have the names of children written inside; that increases the value to me. Did they enjoy the story? Why did they sell or give away the book? What sort of school did they go to? Where did they live? The list goes on.

Our friend Blytonboy seems to focus on a different value (and there is nothing wrong in that!), that is to buy a book as cheaply as possible, 'do it up' and sell it on at the greatest profit. Not for him the real, true enjoyment of following in the shadows of our heroes as they sit down to scrumptious high teas, explore caves, get lost underground and ride their bikes along country lanes, with the sky as blue as cornflowers. Rather, to pose as a lover of Blyton, coerce us to his eBay listing deceitfully, pretend to feign interest in the sale from a third person's viewpoint, then when his deceit is exposed, instead of having a laugh with us and saying, "Fair cop, guv!" as Fatty probably would, he throws his toys out of the pram and resorts to name calling. Not very Blyton like, and there is something wrong in that.

I do detect some nastiness in your response...

Not at all! It is just a bit of ironic humour! I have ribbed Aurelien about his advancing years, I have berated Julie for washing her laptop with a bucket and mop, I have put Viv into several of the caption competitions! In fact, I think it is this gentle teasing between us that makes this Forum all the more friendly. It is only a bit of fun, I would never knowingly be nasty. I am sorry if I have given that impression; I know that I can overstep the mark on occassion!

Now I must move on, I have a lot of catching-up to do by reading many more posts from my smug forum friends and their endless boring fantasy-land postings.

What would Julian think of that?

[Eddie Muir]

A superb post, Nigel which I find myself agreeing with totally and wholeheartedly. I particularly enjoyed reading your comments about the Five Find-Outers stories, as my experiences of reading these wonderful books are exactly the same as yours.

[Philip Mannering]

Agree perfectly, Nigel. I could never understand why people just choose to collect books for the sake of it and profit (no offense, anyone who does this). To me, the most important thing is the words written inside. What, just get a book, and store it up? Not read it or anything? I don't think that's my 'cup of tea', really.

[Daisy]

Well said Nigel - I totally agree. I think Blytonboy should have chosen another pseudonym though! Not much Blytonish about him me thinks!

[Kate Mary]

I own a first edition of "The Secret Island", that is to say a first Armada paperback edition, which I have had since it was new and I'm perfectly happy with that. I regard myself as a reader more than a collector, and although I have a (very) few first editions I'm quite content with reprints, with or without dust-jackets. I certainly wouldn't sell them, it would be like selling my childhood friends, Moonraker is right, the greatest value of these books is the memories they hold.

[Tony Summerfield]

I posted this last night immediately after Blytonboy's post, but then 'moderated' it. After consideration I have decided to put it back.

I was disappointed not to get my reserve for this rare, sorry scarce, book. I still have the rare, sorry scarce, book .... to stabilise such a rare, sorry scarce, book.

I now have no reason to visit this smug little forum and the endless boring fantasy-land postings

So the leopard has revealed his true spots! Your only interest in Enid Blyton was apparently for your own commercial gain and you are sufficiently conceited to think that your opinion is the only one that matters and the rest of us are idiots and don't have a clue what we are talking about.

If you think that some of us are smug and rude perhaps you ought to take a long hard look in the mirror at some stage.

[Timmy-the-dog]

So the leopard has revealed his true spots! Your only interest in Enid Blyton was apparently for your own commercial gain and you are sufficiently conceited to think that your opinion is the only one that matters and the rest of us are idiots and don't have a clue what we are talking about.

If you think that some of us are smug and rude perhaps you ought to take a long hard look in the mirror at some stage.

Nice one, Tony, Couldn't agree more
By the way, The journals arrived this morning - I'll put another cheque in the post in the morning
cheers
Timmy

[Eddie Muir]

o the leopard has revealed his true spots! Your only interest in Enid Blyton was apparently for your own commercial gain and you are sufficiently conceited to think that your opinion is the only one that matters and the rest of us are idiots and don't have a clue what we are talking about.

If you think that some of us are smug and rude perhaps you ought to take a long hard look in the mirror at some stage.

Well said, Tony! I agree with you entirely.

[Nearby]

Perhaps you could gradually collect the paperbacks again too, Nearby, as money (and space!) allow.

That is the plan Anita, though they still won't be my books I'm afraid. The 'Five go off in a Caravan' with the front cover hanging by a thread, the Five Go to Billycock Hill with the crayon markings on a few pages, every torn or stained page, all familiar and comforting in their way. Still, if I buy them from a boot sale I've a good chance of getting my original ones back.

Many of my books have the names of children written inside; that increases the value to me. Did they enjoy the story? Why did they sell or give away the book? What sort of school did they go to? Where did they live? The list goes on.

Do you do that as well? I wonder the same thing. Who were those children? Did they get the book as a birthday or christmas present? Did they like it or did they wish they'd be given something else? Did they save up their pocket money to slowly build the collection? Did their mum give away the lot to a boot sale or jumble sale? Did they get so completely immersed in a story that they had to be shaken until their parents got their attention, as I did? Where are they now?

That sort of thing. Every book has a history I suppose.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

When I give talks I'm sometimes asked about book values, but since I'm not a collector I haven't got a clue.

With my slideshow, I say to the audience "there is a very valuable book shown here. Can you guess which one it is?"

The answer is a battered Amada paperback of The Secret Island, owned by my assistant, Shelley. It was her favourite book, and so often read and re-read that even the sellotape holding it together has just about given up.

Not worth anything in the eyes of a dealer, but priceless to the owner!

Viv

[Moonraker]

Many of my books have the names of children written inside; that increases the value to me. Did they enjoy the story? Why did they sell or give away the book? What sort of school did they go to? Where did they live? The list goes on.

Do you do that as well? I wonder the same thing. Who were those children? Did they get the book as a birthday or christmas present? Did they like it or did they wish they'd be given something else? Did they save up their pocket money to slowly build the collection? Did their mum give away the lot to a boot sale or jumble sale? Did they get so completely immersed in a story that they had to be shaken until their parents got their attention, as I did? Where are they now?

One of my books has a girl's name and full address written inside it. I had half-thought of writing there to see if the family still lived there. Then I realised that that would be pretty silly, as it was written in 1950. I am sure they have long moved away from there.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Besides, the "girl" might ask if she could have her book back!

[Moonraker]

Besides, the "girl" might ask if she could have her book back!

I never thought of that! She was 10 when she wrote inside the book, so she would be nearly 70 now!

[Kitty]

One of my books has a girl's name and full address written inside it. I had half-thought of writing there to see if the family still lived there. Then I realised that that would be pretty silly, as it was written in 1950. I am sure they have long moved away from there.

I've half thought of looking the previous owner up on Ancestry when that happens, but by the time I'm back at the computer, I've always forgotten. I suppose its just a case of wondering what people from the past were like when they liked the same books that you do now. And then, if I found out that the previous owner was in a descendant's family tree on Ancestry, would it be the right thing to do to offer them the book, in case they had no other link with their ancestor? So perhaps better to leave it alone