Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
Post Reply
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17568
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by pete9012S »

This article is a bit out of date now,but I enjoyed reading through it :

http://www.antiques-info.co.uk/new/pdf/Sep04/2.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by Daisy »

Thanks for that link Pete. An interesting article.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
MJE
Posts: 2534
Joined: 15 Nov 2006, 12:24
Favourite book/series: Famous Five series
Favourite character: George; Julian; Barney
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by MJE »

     I'd just like to ask a question about this. It may be a typo, but there is a passage that makes me wonder if I've somehow missed a whole novel in one of the adventure series.
     To quote from the article:
The stories were a development of an idea first published in 1941 as The
Adventurous Four when Andy, the Fisherboy, helped Tom and his twin sisters to solve wartime
mysteries in Scotland. Two further books were published in 1947 and 1948 and a short story in
1952.
     This clearly suggests that there are three Adventurous Four novels plus a short story; but I have only ever known of two novels plus the short story.
     Does anyone know about this, please? Is it just a mistake? (I could understand typing "three" instead of "two" just being a simple mistake; but putting in an extra publication year seems far less accidental, somehow.)
     Also, how is the article out of date?

Regards, Michael.
Society Member
User avatar
pete9012S
Posts: 17568
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
Location: UK

Re: Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by pete9012S »

Hi Michael. I think it is an error.
As you know, The Cave lists two books and one short story.

I wondered about this statement too:
It was writing ‘The Adventurous Four’ in
1941 that gave Enid Blyton the idea for her
Famous Five series.
Anyone heard that statement before?

Regards

Pete
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -

Society Member
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by Daisy »

Apart from the fact they both feature islands I can't think why The Adventurous Four should have in any way inspired the Five books.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: Enid Blyton: A Market Guide

Post by Rob Houghton »

pete9012S wrote:Hi Michael. I think it is an error.
As you know, The Cave lists two books and one short story.

I wondered about this statement too:
It was writing ‘The Adventurous Four’ in
1941 that gave Enid Blyton the idea for her
Famous Five series.
Anyone heard that statement before?
never heard that one before! Sounds pretty unlikely, considering that 'The Children of Kidillin' had been written before either of those series, in 1940, and so had 'The Secret Island' and 'The Secret of Spiggy Holes' - which bear much more of a resemblance to 'Five On A Treasure Island' than 'The Adventurous Four'! :D I always consider The Adventurous Four to be on on its own, as it seems very unlike any other Blyton book (although it shares aspects with The Children of Kidillin)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
Post Reply