Website Additions

[Lucky Star]

Thanks Tony those are wonderful. I particularly liked Round The Year Stories, very colourful and magical with it's princess and elves.

[Courtenay]

Wow, those are lovely, Tony! Thanks for all your work.

[John Pickup]

Yes, many thanks, Tony. It's a pleasure to be able to see the back covers which are stunning.

[Poppy]

Those look excellent Tony! Thanks very much for all your work, putting them in the Cave of Books. I love the Friends of the Countryside artwork, in particular.

[Katharine]

Don't know what just happened, I thought I posted to say that I was interested to see the covers, but that they didn't really appeal to me. Don't know if I didn't hit the submit button, or maybe the system deleted me because I was being uncomplimentary?

[Tony Summerfield]

I don't think that the website discriminates in that way, Katharine! Sometimes this happens to me and it is because I press preview rather than submit.

Just a reminder that All About the Circus is a Galliano story that can't be found anywhere else.

You can see on the updates page that I also added a review of Tales About Toys by the ever industrious Terry Gustafson this morning.

[Katharine]

No I didn't think it did Tony, and I'll have to blame human error (me).

I haven't read the review of Tales About Toysas I don't want to know the stories before I read them. It looks a lovely little book, and one I'll definitely try and get my hands on some day.

[Julie2owlsdene]

What nice additions. I love the colour Circus and Zoo books.

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's lovely to see the full covers of these books - they look very bright and cheerful. Thanks, Tony!

[Eddie Muir]

Great additions. Thanks, Tony.

[Rob Houghton]

They look great, Tony! I love these covers. I bought the Robin Hood one at an EB Day, but I'm unlikely to find the others at a reasonable price, I'm sure!

[Moonraker]

Good to take a look at these covers, but like Katharine, I'm not a massive fan. However, it was incredible what a shilling would get you in 1954!

I enjoyed reading Terry's latest review, as always his reviews are always entertaining. Not too sure about book #2, though...

[Courtenay]

Not too sure about book #2, though...

Neither am I, Nigel, don't worry. Pink just isn't my colour!!

I think Friends of the Countryside is my favourite out of the covers.

Looking at A Visit to the Zoo, it's nice to see a picture of an "open plan" zoo (rather than cages) as far back as 1954, but what's stopping those lions from hopping over the low barrier and making lunch of a few of the other animals... or children?!

[Kate Mary]

Nice to see the full covers of these books as I've never seen them 'in the flesh'. The review of Tales About Toys was interesting, I've never come across that either.

[tix]

On March 20th 2015, Katharine wrote:

... I don't want to know the stories before I read them ... I'll definitely try and get my hands on (Tales About Toys) some day ...

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Nowadays there should be no worries at all about EB plots being exposed prior to the books being read because a new Cave-procedure has been instituted. What are known as 'blurbs' have been placed at the top of many reviews and they give the searcher only a very brief synopsis of what's inside the actual book. However there's one slight problem - when the blurb is read and the page is about to be closed there's a possibility one's eyes could slip down to take in the first line of the review proper. One may not be able to stop!

This is a psychological manifestation of the 'Must Read Just A Little Further' syndrome and it was well illustrated in a newsletter that came out many years ago. The editor finished her report about marching teams or perhaps the local softball club she'd been writing about and as there was still half a page left to fill, a little innovation was called for. Can't remember exactly what she put in, but my own version is pretty representative -

"DO NOT READ BELOW THIS LINE" appeared just above a typed break, and then below was printed:

'Why are you still reading? I've written 'Do Not Read Below This Line,' yet you're still carrying on. The request couldn't be more succinct could it, and you can't say my noticeable notice wasn't noticed can you, so I fail to understand why you're still reading. There's nothing at all of substance to follow because I'm just writing anything I can think of in order to complete the page and that’s why I put 'Do Not Read Below This Line.' I didn't want to waste your time.

Stop NOW!

Look at that! Despite my insistence, you just couldn’t help flicking your eyes downwards to read this sentence could you? The instruction was NOT to continue yet you still keep on going. What's the matter? Can't you read? Well, of course you can otherwise you wouldn't have reached this far; look I'll put some nonsense in so you can see there's definitely no point in continuing, although it would be eminently more sensible to simply cease right now.

Whykickamoocow, Whykickamoocow, Whykickamoocow. Abbledy, Abbledy, Abbledy, Abbledy (courtesy of Mr. Goon), Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah ... I sailed to the moon in western skies ... Cha, Cha, Cha, Cha, Cha, Cha.

Still going?

All right -

"Harry old chap, did you hear the one about the idiot who said "No?"

"No!"

Answer this question in eight seconds - ONLY eight seconds (time yourself) -

Q: What's twice the half of one and a half?

Well?

Did you manage it?

Of course not, and now it's back to the boredom, boredom, boredom ... nothing else. Could you please STOP reading this right NOW, as in NOW!

I cannot believe it; you're still taking in this interminable nonsense. Is it addictive? Are you afraid something might be missed? There's nothing else ... nothing at all, just blather blather blather and more blather. Sorry, I don't want to label you a bonehead or anything but well, if the description fits ...

OK, I'm now throwing my hands in the air.

Over and Out.


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Of course there's always the thought that if inspecting a review is the same as reading the actual story, you could look at it this way - most of us have read our Blytons more than once despite having full knowledge of the outcome so why read them again? Some people have perused their collections many times therefore it looks as if the re-reading of a book is a very pleasurable act and won't in any way be spoilt by a review that, in most cases, doesn't reveal all that much. A summary of the contents certainly can't duplicate Enid Blyton's technique for painting various scenarios with words, and isn't that what it's all about? Appreciation! That's the word; but who knows, some people might insist on beginning a book with absolutely no foreknowledge whatsoever of the story content.

If you're adamant about waiting until 'Tales About Toys' is purchased then I can only admire your strength of character. However, this particular booklet isn't around all that much in these modern times so the years may pass with no satisfaction gained, either through auction sites or second-hand outlets, until one afternoon when a small girl arrives home from school.

"Mummy (sorry - 'Grandma'), guess what I saw in the Sallies' shop window?"

"What dear?"

"Tales About Toys,"

"Well Glory Be, I've craved that book for more years than I can remember and now at last I can discover what it's all about. (NB: The phrase "Glory Be" is actually printed in the review).

Now isn’t that intriguing?

"One, two, three - stand!"

Up you get, and Alicia (the granddaughter's name?) will pull the walker into position and then it's just a small shuffle to the door and down the street to claim your prize for, well let me think now ... it'll be a very old book so how about £60. Doesn't matter though because at last you'll have one of the series you've been after for such a length of time.

Splendid.

Of course you could always have a little peek at the contents right now, taking into mind the aforesaid. Your self-discipline should hold up and ensure that you read 'only' the blurb - no peeping down at the first line of whatever's below. Yes, the required item is there waiting, and the Cave is so wonderful you'll only need to print 'ta' in the search box. That's all, and a healthy list of titles will immediately come into view including 'Tales About Toys,' but as there are so many it would pay to put in the full name. Make sure you don't get mixed up with Evans Bros' Tales of the Toys (Little Book No.5) - but of course, that's only if you decide to take a quick look.

Meanwhile the book will remain there in the Cave ... waiting ...

... just waiting!