Journal 57

[Lucky Star]

Journal 57 has landed and looks fantastic as always. I've only read the editorial so far and am, like everyone else, immensely sad to see that The Secret Mountain is no longer to be published. This is one of my all time favourite Blyton books and indeed one of my all time favourite books full stop. Thanks to Tony for trying to persuade them to change their minds but the PC crowd will stop at nothing these days. As others have said it is hardly the only book dealing with adventures in Africa and none of the others have been banned. My big fear is that it will be only the first. More may follow.

Anyway I shall settle in later and over the weekend and enjoy my ride on the charabanc.

[pete9012S]

I decided to renew my subscription before I set foot in the Journal.

I've read about half of it in one go now and it's very good indeed.
There is plenty of variety on a vast number of subjects and topics-surely something for everyone is this bumper edition.

I loved the account of the Enid Blyton collector receiving a pack of superb cards for their customer loyalty,along with the other account of the person asking if they had any more items on Enid Blyton,only for the husband to return to the shop with a rare 1940's Enid Blyton board game @ £10.Great stuff.

I'm as sad as anyone that it has been decided to omit 'The Secret Mountain.'
But ,reading what a well known Enid Blyton enthusiast said about the 1992 edition,it's obvious the version we all grew up with and loved ceased to really exist a long time ago!

In the 1992 edition of The Secret Mountain, the reference of the “black man” having not seen a mirror before was replaced by “the man” never having seen a mirror before. Sentences such as Mafumu jumping “like a goat from one stone to another,” “black boy,” “black man,” “black skin,” “white boy,” “slave”[which was replaced by another controversial word, “nurse”], as well as his walking on his knees and “kissing Jack’s feet” appear to have been removed in the 1992 edition, though it boggles the mind as to why Mafumu’s age was reduced from “not yet twelve years old”, to “not yet ten years old”.

I grew up with the version Anita refers to.I think that's the one with the bright yellow cover?

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I bought my copy at around the same time as her on a day trip to trip to Alton Towers. I instantly forgot about all the rides,fairground,motorboats etc and was instantly transported to an African adventure.
Now I have the original hardback version too,but I prefer the illustrations in my 1970's edition.Ranni looks so butch!

[Rob Houghton]

I love that illustration too! Never seen the armada version before, as it was the only 'Secret' book we didn't own when I was a child.

Oh dear - those alterations are as insipid as I had dreaded they would be - removing 'black man' and 'white man' and even references to Mafumu being able to climb like a mountain goat (a well-known saying that can be applied to white people as well as to black!). The references to Mafumu making himself Jack's slave are endearing and a deely effective and touching part of the book - sounds like it would be better off not being published again if so many changes have occurred.

I actually have the 1992 version but as you can tell, I never read it, as I have early hardback editions. Long may the 1992 version remain closed on my bookshelf!

[Nick]

What a stunning issue.

I pretty much read it from cover to cover last night and have even re-read a couple of articles this morning. I found John & Anita's articles fascinating. I doubt I will, in the short to mid term at least, ever have time to read the Secret Series or Adventurous Four so it is always nice to have an insight into the stories from people that know Enid's work inside out.

My favourite read this time around was Nick Hopkins' look at the FFO in Japan -how on earth do you go about finding out that sort of information on a series so obscure from the 70's!

I also really enjoyed the second installment of how his collecting bug started. Living not far from Lincoln I've made a mental note to visit the book store by the cathedral. A shop keeper that says little other than "aarrr" sounds just like a Blyton character!

Many thanks to all contributors. Journal 57 is the best issue I've read since subscribing.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've only read part of the Journal so far but, like others, I enjoyed the charabanc ride at the beginning. I also liked the charming Sylvia Venus illustrations on the Contents Page.

Anita's article on the Secret Mountain is as interesting as her contributions always are - and yes, Anita ... the misprint is a misprint... my 1947 hardback version has 'beard' as you suspected it should be.

Thanks, Daisy. It's annoying when errors are introduced into later editions.

I agree with several people here that The Secret Mountain is a very strong book and it's a real shame that it's facing elimination. It combines classic adventure elements with comic-book adventure elements and it's the first story in which Paul is involved right from the start. Although it contains some stereotyping, readers are left with the overwhelming impression that Mafumu is a valued friend and that Jack and the others will make an effort to see him again when they can. After they've left him Peggy says, "He seemed quite one of us" and Mike remarks, "Wasn't he a fine friend?" The companionable interaction between the English, Baronian and African children is a joy to see.

I'm as sad as anyone that it has been decided to omit 'The Secret Mountain.'
But ,reading what a well known Enid Blyton enthusiast said about the 1992 edition,it's obvious the version we all grew up with and loved ceased to really exist a long time ago!

In the 1992 edition of The Secret Mountain, the reference of the “black man” having not seen a mirror before was replaced by “the man” never having seen a mirror before. Sentences such as Mafumu jumping “like a goat from one stone to another,” “black boy,” “black man,” “black skin,” “white boy,” “slave”[which was replaced by another controversial word, “nurse”], as well as his walking on his knees and “kissing Jack’s feet” appear to have been removed in the 1992 edition, though it boggles the mind as to why Mafumu’s age was reduced from “not yet twelve years old”, to “not yet ten years old”.

Crumbs - it seems that even the 1992 bowdlerised edition is not PC enough these days!

I grew up with the version Anita refers to.I think that's the one with the bright yellow cover?

I bought my copy at around the same time as her on a day trip to trip to Alton Towers. I instantly forgot about all the rides,fairground,motorboats etc and was instantly transported to an African adventure.
Now I have the original hardback version too,but I prefer the illustrations in my 1970's edition.Ranni looks so butch!

My edition was the 1978 one which came just after that, Pete:



I'm not too keen on the 1978 cover as the colours look unnatural. I much prefer your yellow cover, Pete, though Nora is in a terribly precarious position!

My copy has the same internal illustrations as yours (by Dylan Roberts) and I love them. Some of them look incredibly similar to Harry Rountree's originals though, e.g. the one of Mafumu inching along the ledge near the waterfall.

[Katharine]

I'm still waiting for mine.

[Tony Summerfield]

I also liked the charming Sylvia Venus illustrations on the Contents Page.

I'm sorry to correct you here but the illustrations on the contents page are by Joyce A. Johnson. You can see the initials J.A.J. in the bottom right hand corner. I took it from the back cover of Sunny Stories No. 69 published in May 1938. I recently bought the original cover artwork from The Good Morning Book published by World Distributors in 1961 also illustrated by Joyce A. Johnson who was one of Enid's long-term illustrators - particularly known for the 1st edition of The Three Golliwogs.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Oops - sorry, I ought to have spotted the initials! Still just as charming though!

Sorry you haven't received your Journal yet, Katharine. Maybe your post is late today. If not, I hope your Journal arrives on Monday.

[Tony Summerfield]

There were some really nice back covers on Sunny Stories, but they don't often get much of a look in which is why I try to use some in the Journal occasionally.



Before someone points it out to me I have just realised that I used the same Contents Page pic in Journal 51!!

[Rob Houghton]

Those are perfect for the contents page of the Journal! I love the way it says 'ask your dad to order from his newsagent...' - obviously 'mother' wasn't capable of such difficult things!! It seems odd to me, as it was always my mum who ordered and paid for magazines and newspapers etc.

[pete9012S]

My copy has the same internal illustrations as yours (by Dylan Roberts) and I love them. Some of them look incredibly similar to Harry Rountree's originals though, e.g. the one of Mafumu inching along the ledge near the waterfall.

Here's 'The Chief' as depicted by the original illustrator Harry Rountree,the 1965/1971 edition,and then the 1986 edition:





Dylan Roberts (1965)....................../................Artwork by unknown artist (1986)

[Katharine]

Yippeee - thanks Anita - your positive comment must have cast some kind of magic spell. Normally the post is here by about 10.00 on a Saturday. When I left the house just after 1.00 we hadn't received anything, so I assumed there was nothing for us today, however, when I arrived home again just over an hour later - there was Journal 57.

[pete9012S]

Well done Katharine,now you can join in with all the fun!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Delighted to hear you've got your Journal after all, Katharine!

Pete, it's good to see the Chief as drawn by three different artists for The Secret Mountain. The influences are clear, though I think the original drawing by Harry Rountree is by far the most dramatic.

Those are perfect for the contents page of the Journal! I love the way it says 'ask your dad to order from his newsagent...' - obviously 'mother' wasn't capable of such difficult things!! It seems odd to me, as it was always my mum who ordered and paid for magazines and newspapers etc.

I had the same thought!

Before someone points it out to me I have just realised that I used the same Contents Page pic in Journal 51!!

Ah well - I probably thought it was Sylvia Venus that time, too! At least I know it's Joyce Johnson now!

[Moonraker]

I normally savour the Journal, reading it over several days. However, this edition was so good, I repaired to the summerhouse and read it cover to cover in one sitting! A fabulous edition. My extreme gratitude to all of the contributors and of course, to the editor. I will pen some thoughts next week, although with an Exeter trip on Tuesday and London on Wednesday, I have a fairly busy (for me) schedule.