What Enid Blyton book have you recently bought?

[John Pickup]

You're right, Rob. The first Find Outer book in Armada that I bought was Disappearing Cat and it fell apart after a couple of reads. I was forever getting the pages mixed up with some of them.
Thanks for replying, Tony. I have Mystery At Witchend with the Bertram Prance wrapper but a 1st edition like yours was offered to me at York Book Fair a few years ago for £1500. At the time I wasn't sure it was a 1st because of the wraparound jacket. It was in very good condition so I picked it up, inspected it, watched the dealers eyes light up and then I put it back.

[Katharine]

Enid Blyton's Magical Treasury. Compiled by Norman Wright.

£6 from W H Smiths. I can't say the illustrations are really to my taste, and a quick glance would indicate it has been modernised, but at 70% off, I couldn't leave it on the shelf.

[pete9012S]

Well done Katharine!
I think you got a bargain there.I've been looking for that book at a good price myself.

[Courtenay]

Ah yes, I saw that one in one of my local bookshops recently, also for something like 70% off. Wasn't seriously tempted, as I don't need it and I prefer to buy what Enid wrote, not what modern editors think she should have written. But it looks like a lovely book for kids and I thought the illustrations were quite attractive — not my favourite style either, but certainly appealing, especially as these are stories genuinely aimed at younger readers. (Better than making the Famous Five look like they're for kindergarten kiddies! ) I think the cover would definitely have caught my attention and intrigued me as a young girl:



Talking of the Famous Five, I quite like Emma Chichester Clark's illustration for one of their covers as well — it looks modern without completely losing the "classic" feel of the characters:



My only major complaint would be that she makes Timmy look rather bizarre!!

[Machupicchu14]

The Magical Treasure was in my local bookshop, but when I wanted to buy it, it was gone, which I think was a real pity but I hope it's in good hands.. All I know is that next time, I am not gonna loose my opportunity!!!
It looks like wonderful and 'magical' book!!! A true delight for children!!!

[IceMaiden]

A copy of The Big Enid Blyton Book with a dust wrapper for £2.50. The wrapper's a bit torn, not sure how badly exactly yet as it hasn't arrived, but it didn't look that bad in the picture. Anyway, I'd have had it no matter what state the wrapper was in for that price, I've been looking for ages for a copy, seems to be incredibly hard to find .

[Rob Houghton]

Is that the later abridged edition, or the earlier one? I've been looking for a first edition one in a wrapper for ages!

This is the abridged version, which I'm selling -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Enid-Blyton-T ... fresh=true

[IceMaiden]

According to the description it's a 1961 first edition but I know sellers can unknowingly put books are 'first editions' when they aren't really so I wouldn't like to say for certain until it shows up. It's definitely the earlier version (first ed or not) though as the wrapper doesn't look like the one in your link, I have seen a few in that wrapper but none in this one, I have been looking for ages but it seems very hard to find. I was quite amazed nobody else bid on it actually though perhaps ending at 3pm on a Monday afternoon helped there! I'll post a picture when it's arrived .

[Rob Houghton]

That's a great price, even if you discover the wrapper isn't great! I have the first edition version but with no dust wrapper. It's strange how difficult it is to find in a wrapper!

[sixret]

Well done Katharine and Ice Maiden!

[Daisy]

I recently bought "My favourite Story" http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... rite+Story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I paid £2.00 for it - I actually bought it from a fellow Chalet group member who had it given her by her daughter as it has one Brent-Dyer story in it. However, she already had a copy so offered it to us. When I saw the first story was by Enid Blyton, I decided it was worth getting! I thought the Father Time story was very good, and have enjoyed most of the others as well, by many authors well known to me.

[Wolfgang]

Some more books arrives today:
Le Clan des sept à la rescousse Hachette 1961 Secret Seven mystery
Les Sept et les Soucoupes volantes Hachette 1979 The Seven and the UFOs
Le Mystère du carillon Hachette idéal 1964 The Ring O'Bells Mystery
Fünf Freunde und der blaues Diamant Bertelsmann 1979 The Famous Five and the blue diamond

While the FF book isn't in good shape at all, at least it is complementary in so far that most of its illustrations (but one) are untouched while with my first copy (one of) the former owner(s) tried to make it "First ever full colour edition" (and failing) while the artisitic talent left quite a bit to be desired.

[Rob Houghton]

The Thames edition of 'Valley Of Adventure' in a dust wrapper. That now completes my collection of Thames Adventure books (all six) to go with my full dust wrapper collection of the original Macmillan versions!

[sixret]

Well done, Daisy, Wolfgang and Rob!

[Lucky Star]

The Thames edition of 'Valley Of Adventure' in a dust wrapper. That now completes my collection of Thames Adventure books (all six) to go with my full dust wrapper collection of the original Macmillan versions!

Well done. I also have a full Thames set and they are really lovely covers. Now I just have to complete my Macmillan set.