Journal 81
- Kate Mary
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: 20 Apr 2007, 06:25
- Favourite book/series: The Treasure Hunters/ Five Find Outers
- Favourite character: Barney
- Location: Kent
Re: Journal 81
There isn’t a sequel to The Book of the Year, Helen, but according to The Cave there were four editions and my copy is a fourth impression of the fourth edition so it must have been a very popular and useful resource for teachers in the 1940s and 50s, as well as being a great read for children and the not so young!
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith
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- Lenoir
- Posts: 1896
- Joined: 18 Jun 2005, 20:40
- Favourite book/series: FFO/FF. Five run away together, Most FFO books.
- Favourite character: Fatty
- Location: Cape Town,South Africa
Re: Journal 81
My copy has reached its first destination and I think I'll be getting it within about 9 days from now.
It's not coming straight to me this time but this way will be faster and more reliable.
It's not coming straight to me this time but this way will be faster and more reliable.
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- Lucky Star
- Posts: 11496
- Joined: 28 May 2006, 12:59
- Favourite book/series: The Valley of Adventure
- Favourite character: Mr Goon
- Location: Surrey, UK
Re: Journal 81
You always seem to be last to receive your copy. At least you have the certain knowledge that it will be well worth the wait. Enjoy.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
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- Anita Bensoussane
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- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Journal 81
I'm glad you've found a quicker way of getting your Journal, Lenoir!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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Re: Journal 81
I apologise for not writing down my thoughts on J81. I haven't been home much in the last three weeks and need to set some time down to compose a review. I will try to do this in the next few days, suffice to say now it was one of the best Journals yet.
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- Anita Bensoussane
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- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Journal 81
Comments are very welcome at any time and I look forward to reading yours, Nigel.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Lenoir
- Posts: 1896
- Joined: 18 Jun 2005, 20:40
- Favourite book/series: FFO/FF. Five run away together, Most FFO books.
- Favourite character: Fatty
- Location: Cape Town,South Africa
Re: Journal 81
Me too! It was delivered to me today (by hand). It is quicker this way.Anita Bensoussane wrote: ↑06 Aug 2023, 09:44 I'm glad you've found a quicker way of getting your Journal, Lenoir!
Thanks to all the contributors and to Tony for all the hard work you do to make it possible.
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- John Pickup
- Posts: 4895
- Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 21:29
- Favourite book/series: Barney mysteries
- Favourite character: Snubby
- Location: Notts
Re: Journal 81
Oh dear. Thanks, John. I have been away so much, I had completely forgotten about it. We will have a house full later today until the beginning of next week, so I will try to post on Monday or Tuesday. (Might need another nudge).
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Re: Journal 81
As promised a post on J81 - albeit a short review!
Much has been said already about this excellent edition, so I will just add some of my thoughts.
John Pickup's Return to Rubadub was a comprehensive and most interesting article. The other article that stood out for me was Judith Crabb's The Fatty Trotteville Canon (Part Two). Two of my favourite series were given a really good insight by these two writers.
Anita's article was also of interest - it certainly shows that Enid had a real lack of imagination when it came to her book titles. I don't own a copy of Boys' and Girls' Circus Book or the retitled Enid Blyton's Circus Book, so will have to keep an eye out for a copy at some point.
I cannot mention every article, but suffice to say, I (again) thoroughly enjoyed this edition and spent a very happy couple of hours in my summerhouse in its company.
Much has been said already about this excellent edition, so I will just add some of my thoughts.
John Pickup's Return to Rubadub was a comprehensive and most interesting article. The other article that stood out for me was Judith Crabb's The Fatty Trotteville Canon (Part Two). Two of my favourite series were given a really good insight by these two writers.
Anita's article was also of interest - it certainly shows that Enid had a real lack of imagination when it came to her book titles. I don't own a copy of Boys' and Girls' Circus Book or the retitled Enid Blyton's Circus Book, so will have to keep an eye out for a copy at some point.
I cannot mention every article, but suffice to say, I (again) thoroughly enjoyed this edition and spent a very happy couple of hours in my summerhouse in its company.
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- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26890
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Journal 81
Interesting point about titles, Nigel. Boys' and Girls' Circus Book and The Enid Blyton Book of Brownies must be two of the worst as they don't sound like novels at all, and some of the Famous Five and Secret Seven titles are very vague (e.g. Five Have a Wonderful Time, Five Have Plenty of Fun, Well Done Secret Seven, Good Old Secret Seven, etc.) The Adventurous Four and The Adventurous Four Again! sound a little dull too (though the contents are not!)
The 'of Adventure' and Secret titles are more enticing, however, as they give an idea of the different settings. The Find-Outers titles are suitably intriguing and the titles of the Barney mysteries are delightful, linked by the letter 'R' and by an appealing fairytale feel.
The Mister Meddle titles are super too (Mister Meddle's Muddles, etc.) as they're alliterative and are a joy to pronounce. The Six Bad Boys, The Naughtiest Girl in the School and Those Dreadful Children sound full of promise as well, and The Land of Far-Beyond sounds gorgeously dreamy.
The best of Enid Blyton's titles whet the appetite, but it is a pity that some of them are so banal or even downright misleading.
The 'of Adventure' and Secret titles are more enticing, however, as they give an idea of the different settings. The Find-Outers titles are suitably intriguing and the titles of the Barney mysteries are delightful, linked by the letter 'R' and by an appealing fairytale feel.
The Mister Meddle titles are super too (Mister Meddle's Muddles, etc.) as they're alliterative and are a joy to pronounce. The Six Bad Boys, The Naughtiest Girl in the School and Those Dreadful Children sound full of promise as well, and The Land of Far-Beyond sounds gorgeously dreamy.
The best of Enid Blyton's titles whet the appetite, but it is a pity that some of them are so banal or even downright misleading.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- Posts: 3486
- Joined: 06 May 2022, 12:50
- Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers, Famous Five.
- Favourite character: Fatty & Buster, George & Timmy.
- Location: England
Re: Journal 81
Very good point about the book titles of different series, Anita.
As you say, the FF and SS ones are mostly pretty generic and often don't say anything about the specific book contents - which makes it harder to recall which book is which in some cases.
'The ... of Adventure' titles are great, as anything put there - Island, Castle, Sea, etc - immediately sounds very exciting and makes you want to read about it. And I do like the fact that the Fatty and Barney R titles are very apt for the books, so it's always easy to immediately know which stories they are (as opposed to some of the generic FF and SS ones that are harder to place). And, as you say, the Barney R's also have a poetic, fairytale feel to their titles.
As you say, the FF and SS ones are mostly pretty generic and often don't say anything about the specific book contents - which makes it harder to recall which book is which in some cases.
'The ... of Adventure' titles are great, as anything put there - Island, Castle, Sea, etc - immediately sounds very exciting and makes you want to read about it. And I do like the fact that the Fatty and Barney R titles are very apt for the books, so it's always easy to immediately know which stories they are (as opposed to some of the generic FF and SS ones that are harder to place). And, as you say, the Barney R's also have a poetic, fairytale feel to their titles.
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- Lucky Star
- Posts: 11496
- Joined: 28 May 2006, 12:59
- Favourite book/series: The Valley of Adventure
- Favourite character: Mr Goon
- Location: Surrey, UK
Re: Journal 81
I still can't remember the plots of half the SS books from the titles. The FF are a bit better as I read them all umpteen times as a child and they have stuck with me all through life.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
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- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 03 Nov 2020, 22:10
- Favourite book/series: The Five Find-outers, The Six Cousins
- Favourite character: Ern
- Location: Germany
Re: Journal 81
I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one who finds it difficult to distinguish between the FF and SS books based on their very non-informative titles. The titles of the FFO, Adventure, Secret and Barney/R books are much clearer and easier to remember!
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- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26890
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Journal 81
Same here!Lucky Star wrote: ↑12 Sep 2023, 10:23 I still can't remember the plots of half the SS books from the titles. The FF are a bit better as I read them all umpteen times as a child and they have stuck with me all through life.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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