The Enid Blyton Society

Katharine wrote:
I've read about half of the first article by Robert, and I'm really enjoying it. I've got several comments to make, and wasn't sure if I should put them here, or start a separate thread?

I look forward to hearing your comments, Katherine!

Anita - your copy of Tales of Toyland sounds very much like my copy of The Folk of the Faraway Tree...I decided the illustrations would look much better coloured in...but in my case I used felt pens that stained through the page!

Interesting observation about the missing chapter being similar in title to the Noddy episode where a lion escapes from the ark. I wonder if the Tales of Toyland 'version' is similar or completely different?

Nicko wrote: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...

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!

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

I agree, really — that's why I always preferred books to TV and movies when I was little, because you got to imagine all the characters and scenes for yourself and could have them exactly how you wanted them, not how someone else thought they should be. Screen versions can be fun, but too often I find they're a let-down — and then sometimes when I want to go back to imagining the story for myself, I can't get the film or TV images and dialogue out of my head.

So far I've really enjoyed Rob's musings on "An Enid Blyton Love Story", plus Julie's favourite villains (I would have added Block to the list myself! ), and am currently reading Angela Canning's article on Enid's school days. That's particularly interesting to me as I live less than 15 miles from Beckenham myself. If I wasn't part of the Society, I would never have guessed that I was so close to a local connection with Enid Blyton! I wish I'd been a member when there was a Society outing to Beckenham.

Kate Mary wrote:I would like to make a special plea to Tony, may we have the two 'missing' chapters, The Noah's Ark Tiger and Humming-Top Town reprinted in future editions of the Journal?

Quicker than that, they are in the Cave waiting for you!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... #wholebook" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert Houghton wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote: I think at this point I should both apologise and explain to Rob why I used Hilda McGavin's illustrations when he was waxing lyrical about Grace Lodge's illustrations!

Thanks for the explanation, Tony...I did wonder, but guessed it was probably for technical reasons.

I wondered too, and was going to comment, but did imagine that Tony's explanation, relating to image size, would have been the answer. As I said elsewhere, a really good article Rob, which had me rushing off to eBay once more!

Tony Summerfield wrote:

Kate Mary wrote:I would like to make a special plea to Tony, may we have the two 'missing' chapters, The Noah's Ark Tiger and Humming-Top Town reprinted in future editions of the Journal?

Quicker than that, they are in the Cave waiting for you!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... #wholebook" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Marvellous!

Thank you, Tony! Those stories were very interesting and entertaining to read! It's a real pity they weren't included in the book - especially the first story about the tiger, which I feel helped to pad-out the characters of Jolly and Tiptoe quite well.

Moonraker wrote:

Robert Houghton wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote: I think at this point I should both apologise and explain to Rob why I used Hilda McGavin's illustrations when he was waxing lyrical about Grace Lodge's illustrations!

Thanks for the explanation, Tony...I did wonder, but guessed it was probably for technical reasons.

I wondered too, and was going to comment, but did imagine that Tony's explanation, relating to image size, would have been the answer. As I said elsewhere, a really good article Rob, which had me rushing off to eBay once more!

Mind you, there are three or four full-page/ half-page illustrations by Grace Lodge that could have been used in between the Hilda McGavin ones, perhaps...

Always glad to hear I've encouraged someone to spend money!

Fabulous fun-packed Journal. A great read.

I must admit I don't read the 'toys and fairies, etc of Enid's books, but I did find your article surprised me somewhat reading about Tales of Toyland, Rob. You made it interesting, and I hadn't realized that Enid put such thought and 'work' into her books for the youngsters.

I love the colour pics in the centre pages and did search out those books by other authors on Ebay. And it was lovely to see all the Twins books on the back page too.

All the articles were very good, and 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.

I enjoyed reading Enid's An Unexpected Adventure. Brilliant.

All the articles as I said were a great read. Thanks to all and to Tony for yet again another great Journal.

Aww, what a sweet story about the Noah's Ark tiger! Mind you, it being an Ark, there must have been a tigress as well, and yet we never hear anything about her...

The humming top story was a little more odd to me, but then I've never had a toy top. Thanks for putting those in the Cave for us, Tony.

Robert Houghton wrote:Mind you, there are three or four full-page/ half-page illustrations by Grace Lodge that could have been used in between the Hilda McGavin ones, perhaps...

Unfortunately the length of your article limited the number of illustrations I could use. You wanted it all in one part, so as a result I had to cut two other articles in half. Sadly I had so much material that I also had to leave out two illustrations that Julie had wanted in her article - but heh, I guess it is the editor's job to take a bullet or two.

Nigel said that he nearly commented about your illustrations, but I thought he already had in another thread, when he remarked that fortunately he had bought the version with the Grace Lodge illustrations! I got the message!!

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.

Courtenay wrote:Aww, what a sweet story about the Noah's Ark tiger! Mind you, it being an Ark, there must have been a tigress as well, and yet we never hear anything about her...

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

Tony Summerfield wrote:

Robert Houghton wrote:Mind you, there are three or four full-page/ half-page illustrations by Grace Lodge that could have been used in between the Hilda McGavin ones, perhaps...

Unfortunately the length of your article limited the number of illustrations I could use. You wanted it all in one part, so as a result I had to cut two other articles in half. Sadly I had so much material that I also had to leave out two illustrations that Julie had wanted in her article - but heh, I guess it is the editor's job to take a bullet or two.

I was grateful you put it all in as one part, Tony - for several reasons - the main one being I don't think it merited being split! I also wanted to start a brand new series in Journal 60,

Tony Summerfield wrote:
Unfortunately the length of your article limited the number of illustrations I could use. You wanted it all in one part, so as a result I had to cut two other articles in half. Sadly I had so much material that I also had to leave out two illustrations that Julie had wanted in her article - but heh, I guess it is the editor's job to take a bullet or two.

I won't give you the bullet, Tony, for not putting in those two photos, but I might give Robert a slap if ever I see him!

(only joking)

On the other hand, I didn't stipulate the number or size of illustrations for my article!

I don't mind being slapped though!!