The Enid Blyton Society

Get out and swing on those gates folks. Journal 42 is on its way. Mine just thumped onto the mat about 20 minutes ago and mighty fine it looks too. I have to go to work now but the day will be infinitely more bearable knowing that I'll be reading it when I get home.

Wow! What a bumper issue. I don't know where to start.

Got my copy this morning - it's fab. Great reading for a bleak rainy morning. Anita's report of the EB Day brought back a lot of fond memories, and Bill's journal was an interesting read, too.

Cheers


Dick Kirrin

PS: Maybe Julie had the big gates taken down, just to make sure that no more kids get trapped within them.

My copy has just arrived in the post and I must say it looks very impressive - 84 pages! I look forward to curling up with it later today. Thank you, Tony.

Julie2owlsdene wrote:

Robert Houghton wrote:I'll be 'swinging on the gate waiting for the postman to come by' like Pip and Bets!

I've not got a gate. Will mine still come.

Don't worry Julie, I wasn't swinging on my gate and my copy arrived safely this morning.

Got mine this mornig, thanks Tony !
It opened up on page 44, Bill`s Diary - sounds really interesting I´m looking forward to reading it and all the other stuff in bed this evening before I go to sleep and start dreaming about having an adventure like Jack, Dinah, Lucy-Ann, Philip and Kiki of course

Feet up, coffee in hand, cat on lap and journal being read. Top stuff!

Just had a quick scan through the Journal: brilliant reading as always. One of the most original and interesting, in my opinion, is Terry Gustafson's 'Bill's Diary' - what an original slant on a familier story: a brilliantly written 'article' if it can be called that, and one of the most unique entries I've ever seen in The Journal. Wish I'd have thought of something similar!

I was also interested to read Enid's view on gardens and the people that own them: quite a bit of truth in her words I reckon!

The book review also looks interesting, and of course the EB Day review: a brilliant bit of 'rubbing our noses in it' for those of us unlucky enough to not be there!!

The other articles and reviews will be read in due course. Well done to everyone who contributed: it's a real bumper issue. And special thanks to Tony. Without him there just wouldnt be any Journal.

The Journal looks great! A pity the same can't be said for my gate, which is now hanging at a decidedly odd angle!

What a treat Journal 42 is. I have yet to sample all its delights but I have read David Cook's article on the FFO short story "Just a spot of bother". I agree it is one of the best short stories from a major series and I also think that the unattributed illustrations for this are by D C Eyles; I remember well his style from the comics and annuals of my childhood. (He always seemed to do pony stories, his horse pictures were always good).

I was also very interested to read John Lester's review of Owen Dudley Edwards book "British Children's Fiction in the Second World War". I have been aware of this book since its publication and wanted to read it, but the only library copies I could find in the country were in the British Library, National Library of Scotland and various university libraries and it was unlikely any of those would be willing to send their copies on inter-library loan, but John's article has inspired me to track down a paperback copy.

I have only skimmed through the rest so far and look forward to a leisurely read with a cool drink at hand this weekend. I shall save the rare, uncollected short story by Enid until last, that will round it off nicely.

Many thanks to all the authors of the articles and especially the editor. Well done, all.

Kate.

Kate Mary wrote: I was also very interested to read John Lester's review of Owen Dudley Edwards book "British Children's Fiction in the Second World War". I have been aware of this book since its publication and wanted to read it, but the only library copies I could find in the country were in the British Library, National Library of Scotland and various university libraries and it was unlikely any of those would be willing to send their copies on inter-library loan, but John's article has inspired me to track down a paperback copy.
Kate.

I had actually provided a link to several chapters from this book sometime last year:
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... =17&t=2936" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is an excellent book, and I look forward to reading this review.

Tony, I have to renew my subscription, and will do so soon. Sorry about the delay.

Tony Summerfield wrote:A few to go still, we have never had a subscriber in South America and we seem to have been frozen out of the Arctic and Antarctic regions!

1 Sweden, 3 Canada - are any of those Arctic? Or even one of the USA, if Alaska's on the list?

Received my journal okay, despite I haven't got any gates to swing on. So you were right, Katharine, it did arrive

I'll enjoy reading it now over the next few days.

Dick Kirrin wrote:
PS: Maybe Julie had the big gates taken down, just to make sure that no more kids get trapped within them.

I'm afraid Owls dene has no gates because Perton and Rooky sold them for scrap metal, as they were old, rusty and didn't close anymore, even the wheel that turned them was sold back to an old ship

What a feast of delights the latest Journal is! Bill's Diary is a brilliant new 'take' on a well loved and familiar story. Each article has something to commend it and I have thoroughly enjoyed every one. Thank you to all the contributors and above all thanks to Tony for putting together another bumper issue, not only in size but in content.

Again, its another thumping read. You keep coming up with the goods, Tony!
Well done!