Journal 59

[Daisy]

As usual I have enjoyed the variety of articles. It was good to have the chance to read Enid's own story and her observations from her window.... she certainly had a way with words.
Like some others, I was expecting Block to be one of Julie's baddies - he would be in my list, I think. An interesting choice though which got me thinking.
I decided to find out just how many Fives books were in Colin's box which John observed would have been so heavy. It was fourteen I think. The later seven were written after 1955 when that particular Secret Seven book came out. Interesting observations on a series which I have never taken to in the way I have most of the others. Thank you John.
The Secret Series has always been a favourite of mine and I have enjoyed Anita's observations on them all. The last one, Moon Castle, has never had the same appeal to me probably because I didn't read it as a child, but I have read it a few times and of course there are parts of it which are as enjoyable as ever.
I actually had the very first Enid Blyton Magazine ... graduated to it from Sunny Stories when that ceased to be. None of my periodicals survived though, so it was good to renew acquaintance with that particular one.
I have never been much of a fan of the TV versions of any books and I can clearly remember watching "The Castle of Adventure" on TV and being disappointed at how different it was from the book. I immediately took a dislike to Susan George as Aunt Allie, feeling she was far too young! I remember recognizing Brian Blessed too.
Hearing about the background of the making of the series was most entertaining and made me realize why these productions cost so much.
Thanks once again Tony for such a splendid production, with lovely coloured illustrations to whet the appetite too.

[Kate Mary]

What marvellous service! Thank you Tony. The plot thickens though, if the chapter How Bruiny Came to Live Next Door was written at the time of serial publication why was it never used? or was it specially written for the book? Unlikely I think but I guess we'll never know.

[Wolfgang]

Nothing anyone says about the Adventure or Secret TV series' is particularly making me want to rush out and buy copies, lol! I quite like both series of Famous Five...but even these can be frustrating...so I can tell I would be doubly frustrated by the Secret and Adventure episodes! They sound pretty lame compared to the books.

I'd much rather read the books and dramatise them in my imagination I think!

Actually the first three films are quite good, with "Sea" starts the decline of the series trying to include comic relief.

[Courtenay]

NOT very observant of you, Courtenay! The tigress WAS in the story...better go back and read it again and pay more attention!!

Oh yes, she was too, in one sentence on the very last page. Still, one is left wondering why she wasn't bullied by the other animals as well, or why her husband apparently didn't hesitate to desert her!!

[Rob Houghton]

It did make me think her husband was a bit of a cry-baby!

[John Pickup]

Once again, an excellent journal. Leaving out my own pale offering, I enjoyed reading all the others, particularly An Unexpected Adventure. I don't really mind my article being split into two parts, at least I don't have to come up with something for the next journal! Well done to all the contributors and to Tony for producing another classic edition.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks very much for uploading the two extra chapters about the Tales of Toyland characters, Tony. 'The Noah's Ark Tiger' is quite touching and 'Humming-Top Town' is most imaginative. It's intriguing that 'How Bruiny Came to Live Next Door' didn't appear in Sunny Stories.

When I added those two stories this morning I was interested that they were called No. 9 and No. 10, which to me implied that this was never intended as a novel, but just as several short stories about a group of toys.

Yes, and Enid Blyton's note at the end of each story/chapter - "Another tale of Toyland soon" - also implies that at that time she thought of the "chapters" as individual stories revolving around Tiptoe, Jolly and other inhabitants of Toyland.

Like some others, I was expecting Block to be one of Julie's baddies - he would be in my list, I think.

I'm another person who would have chosen Block because he's "so sinister and creepy", as Robert said. Mr. Marvel would have been on my list too as he's cold, calculating and completely uncaring. It was very interesting to read Julie's choices. The description of Mr. Potts having "a nasty treacly smile" makes me think of a cloying, sickly-sweet smile dripping with insincerity and designed to ensnare. Great to hear that Stephen has built a model Owl's Dene complete with black Bentley for his model railway, Julie!

I'm enjoying John's Secret Seven article too - although I'm not sure I quite agree that there are two too many in the society. I used to think this about Pam and Barbara - but since reading the books again I've noticed that actually Pam and Barbara have more to do than I first imagined. Good article though, John.

I found John's article on the Secret Seven most perceptive and I must admit I tend to agree that the club simply has too many members for Enid to give each one a significant role or memorable personality. Barbara strikes me as the most redundant, though I may well be wrong! Good point that Peter himself is always first in the shed so doesn't have to prove that he has remembered the password! Interesting too that John picked out Secret Seven on the Trail as the title in which Susie begins to play a more prominent role - I'll have to look out for that next time I read the Secret Seven books. I also agree with his observation that the series evolves "into a set of adventures highlighting a more personal and social side to life." I look forward to Part 2 of the article in the next Journal.

I also read Enid's 'From My window' article - always a highlight. I particularly noticed, this time, how good Enid is at painting pictures with words. I've always known this, of course, but this is a great example - its a very powerful piece of writing - and if ever people need proof of what a good writer Enid was, then they should read as many 'From my window' articles as they can.

True. Enid Blyton captures the exhilaration of a windy day beautifully.

I can clearly remember watching "The Castle of Adventure" on TV and being disappointed at how different it was from the book. I immediately took a dislike to Susan George as Aunt Allie, feeling she was far too young!

I thought she seemed about the right age to have children in their early teens but I must say she didn't look anything like my mental picture of Aunt Allie!

The Secret Series has always been a favourite of mine and I have enjoyed Anita's observations on them all. The last one, Moon Castle, has never had the same appeal to me probably because I didn't read it as a child, but I have read it a few times and of course there are parts of it which are as enjoyable as ever.

I enjoyed how you finished off your Secret Series, Anita, writing you're sorry your journey has come to an end though it's a journey I look forward to making again in the future.

That's the beauty of reading Blyton's books, we can read them over and over again and they'll never end for us.

Thanks, Daisy and Julie. I lapped up Moon Castle as a child but I'm more aware of its shortcomings as an adult. Nevertheless, it still has much in it that I enjoy.

I always feel sad when I finish the last title in an Enid Blyton series, Julie, but you're right that the books and series never really end because they stand up to numerous re-readings.

This Journal has given us a lot to discuss, and I'll have more to say about other articles another day.

[Rob Houghton]

I can clearly remember watching "The Castle of Adventure" on TV and being disappointed at how different it was from the book. I immediately took a dislike to Susan George as Aunt Allie, feeling she was far too young!

I thought she seemed about the right age to have children in their early teens but I must say she didn't look anything like my mental picture of Aunt Allie!

I have to admit that The Castle of Adventure was one of the best adaptations I've seen of an Enid Blyton book - and I have only seen the shorter video version. It's very well done - but it still doesn't match up to my imagination!

[Nicko]

I agree with the previous comments that some of the villains are OTT in the Cloud 9 Adventure series. I mentioned this to the producer Geoff Husson recently (tactful as always ) and he gave some interesting insights which should appear in a future journal.

I'm looking forward to read about those insights! Will they be in the next article or will you do a part 3 where they will be?

I agree that Raya Uma and Igor are pathetic, and also the helpers of Madame Tatiosa. But I think that Perez "Sea", Joe "Island" (more for the fact that the kids thought of him as a friend) and Madame Tatiosa and the Count "Circus" are dangerous.

To think that the kids have 5 minutes to save Bill from beeing fed to the sharks...

They hopefully should appear in the winter edition of the journal this year.

[Nicko]

With regards to TV adaptations, my feeling is that the producers absolutely have to make changes to the books due to it being a different medium and the logistical/financial issues (it would have been impossible for either The Castle of Adventure or Cloud 9's Adventure series to have been made as period pieces for example). Therefore I try to view them as something different and to judge them on their own merits.

Several of the early episodes of the Cloud 9 series are very well done including Island, Valley, Sea and Mountain (considering how daft the latter book is). The way that Bill and Mrs. Mannering are portrayed is particularly good as well.

Some of the later episodes such as Ship and River are weaker but for good reason...

[Rob Houghton]

With regards to TV adaptations, my feeling is that the producers absolutely have to make changes to the books due to it being a different medium and the logistical/financial issues (it would have been impossible for either The Castle of Adventure or Cloud 9's Adventure series to have been made as period pieces for example). Therefore I try to view them as something different and to judge them on their own merits.

It's interesting how I can accept this philosophy with printed material such as the Famous Five annuals with comic strip chapters, or the 'Famous Five Adventure Magazines' - which often completely alter parts of the stories they are portraying - but with movies or TV series, I find it harder to accept - I suppose because they are 'pretending' to be the 'definitive' version of something, rather than a variation.

One TV/movie adaptation I have always been frustrated with is Daphne DuMaurier's 'Rebecca' - I have seen three or four versions, including a stage version, and none of them do the book justice!

[walter raleigh]

Our post has been delivered consistently later in the day for ages now, yesterday it arrived at 5.15pm! If mine arrives today at least I'll have something to read before I go to sleep tonight.

Our post is really unpredictable, to the extent that we can't plan to be in when parcels arrive etc. Many times they decide to come at the wrong moment and I have a 'something for you' card posted through instead and have to arrange redelivery. grr! Sometimes they don't even ring the doorbell but just post a card through saying I was out when I wasn't! One day our post might arrive at 9am and another day it will be after 2.

My situation exactly Rob! Upon going to the front door yesterday morning, ready to leave for work, I discovered the Postman had prematurely posted (to coin a phrase...) - The post hardly ever arrives before lunchtime normally. The good news was I received my new Journal. The bad news was that there was one of those 'Sorry you were out when we called cards'. Except I wasn't out. They just didn't ring the darn doorbell!

Now I have to wait until Saturday to go to the Post Office to pick my parcel up, and it wouldn't entirely surprise me to discover it would have fitted through my letterbox anyway. It's certainly happened before. Still at least I found some time to look through the new Journal, and an exceptionally fine issue it is too.

I've only read the first article so far (which is terrific by the way ), and was astounded to discover that there are chapters missing from the collected edition of "Tales Of Toyland"! So I immediately came here to deman...er I mean, politely ask if Tony could find some way of publishing them, only to see others have got in before me. And, what's more, to see Tony has already benevolently aquiesced.

[Rob Houghton]

My situation exactly Rob! Upon going to the front door yesterday morning, ready to leave for work, I discovered the Postman had prematurely posted (to coin a phrase...) - The post hardly ever arrives before lunchtime normally. The good news was I received my new Journal. The bad news was that there was one of those 'Sorry you were out when we called cards'. Except I wasn't out. They just didn't ring the darn doorbell!

Now I have to wait until Saturday to go to the Post Office to pick my parcel up, and it wouldn't entirely surprise me to discover it would have fitted through my letterbox anyway.

I usually go online and book a redelivery rather than go to the post office, which is annoying. You can arrange a day to suit you (like Saturday) but of course, you still have to wait around for the post to arrive!

Glad you liked that first article...and I'm really pleased to hear how much interest it has got from members - and pleased to see I've encouraged a few people to take another look at the book and check out the extra missing chapters!

[walter raleigh]

I usually go online and book a redelivery rather than go to the post office, which is annoying. You can arrange a day to suit you (like Saturday) but of course, you still have to wait around for the post to arrive!

I'd rather go and pick it up myself when it's convenient for me, rather than wait in all day for the Postman to come at whatever bizarre time he chooses. Plus he might very well not bother ringing the doorbell again!

Glad you liked that first article...and I'm really pleased to hear how much interest it has got from members - and pleased to see I've encouraged a few people to take another look at the book and check out the extra missing chapters!

Yes, I've read the missing chapters now (thanks Tony! ) and they're lovely. It does make the decision by Dean to pad out the book with various random stories (delightful though some of them may be) even stranger. If they'd have used these two tales and picked a couple of other Toy related stories to include (and I'm sure there must be loads) it would surely have made a stronger and more coherent book. They could even have used the 'Faraway Tree' chapters from the 'Enid Blyton Omnibus', as these are set in Toyland and, as far as I'm aware, have never been republished.

[Nick]

Journal 59 may well be my favourite issue yet. I pretty much read it from cover to cover in one sitting and I'm just re-reading some of my favourite articles. Nick Atkins' articles continue to stand out for me, is he an investigative journalist? The amount of effort that must go into researching and writing them must be immense.

Nick, if you fancy a new challenge I've always been fascinated with the SS covers of the late 70's and early 80's and who the actors/models were and what went into the shoot. I'd love to know more

Many thanks to all the contributors for such excellent work.