Journal 53

[Julie2owlsdene]

Just received mine through the post too. Fabulous. Nice day for sitting out in the garden and reading the Journal.

[pete9012S]

Mine is here too!

Just devoured the article on Betty Maxey.I really enjoyed it. Thanks to Tony,Anita and of course Peter Taylor for including it in the journal.

Did you know you can stay in Casa Zorro the house they had built in Formentera Spain?

http://www.casazorro.es/Casa_Zorro_-_info.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How about that for a Forum Gathering one day??

[Courtenay]

I've got mine too! Just reading about the Wishing-Chair (an old favourite) and starting on "The Politics of Enid's Stories". Many thanks for another great feast of Blyton-themed reading!

[Rob Houghton]

Looking forward to a good read later...looks a great feast as always...!

[Poppy]

Looks like a great selection of reading is lined up, this issue! I have read two or three articles already, despite it only having slipped through the letterbox half an hour ago. These include Anita's wonderful review on the Famous Five Annual 2014, Julie's enjoyable report on the Famous Five short stories and also - Miranda's letter. All brilliant - can't wait to read more!

[Moonraker]

[sends out a search party to find the postman]

[Katharine]

I think I saw the postman's van in our road earlier today, and normally he comes about 11.30 - 12.00, so I'm assuming mine won't be arriving today

[Julie2owlsdene]

Did you know you can stay in Casa Zorro the house they had built in Formentera Spain?
http://www.casazorro.es/Casa_Zorro_-_info.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
How about that for a Forum Gathering one day??

How did you find that out Pete? Wait a min though, I think I can hear Nigel using his favourite saying - Google is your friend!

[sends out a search party to find the postman]

Why don't you collect yours from Tony, save him buying the stamp!

[Moonraker]

Just arrived!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Just finished reading the article about Betty Maxey by Peter Taylor. Very interesting article, thoroughly enjoyed it, even though my favourite illustrator is Eileen Soper.

And I've also just finished reading John Henstock's article - The Politics of Enid's Stories. Very good, I agreed with everything he put. I too would have loved Enid to write The Railway Children, as John mentions, Enid's version would have been filled with mystery and adventure.

[Eddie Muir]

My copy was on the doormat when I got back home at 4.15pm. It looks great and I can't wait to read it this evening. Many thanks indeed, Tony.

[Francis]

Another excellent journal - even better than the ones that came before. Thank you Tony and all the those who produced articles. Just read Julie's excellent contribution on the Famous Five short stories - very well written and I totally agree with all her points. Nothing can beat the illustrations by the wonderful Eileen Soper. Mind you there is a great article on Betty Maxey which I have almost finished. Lots of goodies still to read!

[Courtenay]

I've just enjoyed "The Genius of Harmsen Van der Beek" - beautiful article! Loved "The Politics of Enid's Stories", too, especially John Henstock's musings on what The Railway Children might have been like if written by Enid. I laughed out loud at some of his observations, especially about the unlikelihood of Blyton-era girls wearing enough petticoats to make flags out of! Miranda's letter is just gorgeous too.

However, perhaps the most wonderfully atmospheric and moving piece is Enid's Teacher's World article from 1927, "Midnight in the Snow". What a gift she has for portraying scenes and feelings with just the right choice of words - so economical, yet so evocative. Thank you so much, Tony and all the contributors - this Journal is a treasure trove!

[sixret]

Peter Taylor? Is he our Pete?

[Poppy]

I've read several articles now:

Anita's article on the Famous Five Annual 2014 was very informative and enjoyable. I certainly learned several things from this: I didn't know so much was taken from Norman Wright's Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Famous Five. So really the annual was just 'put together' - the publishers didn't really do much to add to it or bring anything new to it. I thought many of these things were created especially for the annual, itself. You're not alone in not understanding the games, either!

Julie's review on the Famous Five short stories were very cleverly written - not giving too much information about the plots, but summing the stories up beautifully. You have certainly encouraged me to reread them!

Miranda's letter was beautifully written - just like Bob's weekly letters, it is comical and enjoyable and really shows Enid's good humour and a completely new technique.

I have just now read Robert's comparison of The Railway Children and The Family at Red-Roofs and it was a very interesting indeed. Very thoughtful and well put together. I have taken forgranted in the past the aspects with do make them similar, but it it amazing to put them together and the two authors backgrounds and there are many elements which do make the two stories similar.

A brilliant issue so far - thanks to Tony and all the contributors as usual!