The Enid Blyton Society

But despite what Fiona says it's money really well spent!

Seriously,yes I bought 'Give Up The Booze' by mistake.
I've sent you a longish sample in a couple of formats to your gmail address.

If you don't get them,or you've got a new email,just pm me your email again.

Regards

Pete

Received it. Thank you so much, Pete. Very much appreciated.

pete9012S wrote:Not forgetting some exciting new titles coming soon:

https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/books/de ... 1786483867" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm quoting that from the 'Lines you would never hear in Enid Blyton!' thread. Thanks, Pete. I didn't have time to look at the link properly before today, but I see that further adult Famous Five titles are to be released at appropriate times of the year during 2017 (if there is such a thing as an appropriate time for these books! ):

Five Forget Mother's Day (Mar 2017)

Five Get Beach Body Ready (June 2017)

Five Get on the Property Ladder (Sept 2017)

Five Help Gran Go Viral (Oct 2017)

So if people are desperate for more they won't have to wait until next Christmas!

You think they'd wait and see how the first lot went down before committing to more! Decent pre-Christmas sales don't prove much because we won't know proper opinion until the recipients have read them!

Sadly I do not think the publishers are overly concerned with the opinions of the recipients. They sold well and that's all that matters with this kind of publication. The same idiots will buy then again next year as Christmas presents so it's worth committing to bringing them out.

Today someone told me that they received the FF Team Building book. They've read some of it and are really enjoying it.

I was particularly surprised as this person doesn't usually 'do' books, however the reason it was bought for them was because they hate team building sessions, and reckon this book is spot on. They also said they thought the FF characters were good, HOWEVER they didn't grow up reading the FF, or if they did, only the odd book or two, their main experience of them was from the TV programme (probably the 1970s version).

So perhaps that's who these books are aimed at? People who only have a vague idea about the FF, not avid fans, and people who are reading it more for the subject it covers, rather than a strong link to the Famous Five?

Katharine wrote:
So perhaps that's who these books are aimed at? People who only have a vague idea about the FF, not avid fans, and people who are reading it more for the subject it covers, rather than a strong link to the Famous Five?

I think that's a really good point - and would explain a lot.

The other day I went to the bookshop I thought I might read some pages of it but I was really put off by the first sentence. The writing is not like Enid Blyton and I felt a bit cross to think Enid Blyton characters were being used like that.

Katharine wrote: So perhaps that's who these books are aimed at? People who only have a vague idea about the FF, not avid fans, and people who are reading it more for the subject it covers, rather than a strong link to the Famous Five?

My thoughts too. I personally can't see how any avid follower of Enid Blyton could enjoy these books as they are nothing like Famous Five and nor are they written in a way Enid would approve of!

I saw some of these books in a bookshop! I didn't think they would come out here.
They look better on the surface than the modern versions of the original stories. It's because of the illustrations I suppose. But it's confusing as they have the Enid Blyton logo and could be mistaken for a real Fives book.

I looked at the "Brexit Island" one, it didn't seem too bad from reading a bit. I suppose George would be for it, being a loner.

Fiona1986 wrote:You think they'd wait and see how the first lot went down before committing to more! Decent pre-Christmas sales don't prove much because we won't know proper opinion until the recipients have read them!

I checked out the books in both Smith's and Waterstone's this morning. 'Brexit Island' has been reprinted 15 times and three of the others are also in double figures on reprints - I think 'Gluten Free' was on 13. Not too shabby for books that were published in November!

I am sure that those who have copies will be checking to see if they have 1st editions (the full number line going down to 1).

Tony Summerfield wrote: I am sure that those who have copies will be checking to see if they have 1st editions (the full number line going down to 1).

i'm still not sure where to find the 'full number line going down to 1' ?

I still say, even at 15 reprints, there's a difference between 'buying' and 'reading'! i'm sure most people are buying Brexit Island simply because it's one of the few books 'about' Brexit. How many other books have the new word 'Brexit' on the cover? Not many!

On the back of the title page and opposite the contents page, near the bottom of the page.

I'm a bit slow, I know! You mean the ISBN? I don't have any number lower down the page than that except '16' !

Which means that you have a 16th reprint, Rob!