enidblyton.net

[Moonraker]

hi

Check out Keith's site. It just got better!

http://www.enidblyton.net

[Sooty]

hi

Check out Keith's site. It just got better!

http://www.enidblyton.net

Excellent stuff. Nice layout.

[Julie2owlsdene]

One of the messages on the E.B.net, which I accepted yesterday, was from a 81 year old lady, (Hilary) who she said during her childhood, lived 5 miles away from where Enid Blyton lived at Green Hedges, Beaconsfield, and whenever she bought a new book by Enid Blyton, she would cycle over to Enid's house, where Enid herself would invite her into the garden, to help feed the fish in her pond, and sign her new books.

When Hilary moved to the States in 1960, she left all her signed Enid Blyton books behind. I thought how absolutely amazing was that! To be able to cycle over to Enid's house and ask for the lady herself to sign any new Blyton book. And just imagine how magnificent that would be today, to have a collection of personally signed books by Enid, all done in the garden at Green Hedges. Gosh, what a treasure that would be.

[Aussie Sue]

Thanks for posting this Julie, more proof that no matter many articles are written trying make Enid out as a horrible person, these, true/personal things crop up that prove, despite her incredible workload she was very generous with her time when it came to children. What an amazing wonderful woman she was. I have found that articles written to be published are usually horrible because that sells papers but whenever we come across letters or children's personal interactions with/from Enid they tell a different story.

[Boatbuilder]

That's almost like a story out of one of Enid's books.

[Julie2owlsdene]

It would be really interesting if many people who met and spoke with Enid similar to Hilary's experience could come forward and tell us their stories.

[Katharine]

Always good to see something positive written about Enid.

[Anita Bensoussane]

That's lovely, Julie!

[IceMaiden]

What an amazing story Julie! I can't believe the lady left them, I wouldn't have parted with them for the world's weight in gold bullion!

Thanks for posting this Julie, more proof that no matter many articles are written trying make Enid out as a horrible person, these, true/personal things crop up that prove, despite her incredible workload she was very generous with her time when it came to children. What an amazing wonderful woman she was. I have found that articles written to be published are usually horrible because that sells papers but whenever we come across letters or children's personal interactions with/from Enid they tell a different story.

Jealousy. I'm convinced that the reason they slate her is pure jealousy because they don't possess one fingernail's width of her talent or imagination and never will do.

[Aussie Sue]

Jealousy. I'm convinced that the reason they slate her is pure jealousy because they don't possess one fingernail's width of her talent or imagination and never will do.

I agree IceMaiden, Enid was an incredibly successful author and an amazing business woman back before it was acceptable for women to achieve like this.

This paragraph in Barbara Stoney's Biography says it all:
'Her output of literary work was becoming so prolific that she began to keep an account book. This shows that during 1923 alone, her writing earned her well over 300 pounds - the price of a small, suburban house at that time.

How many of us earned enough money when we first start work to buy a home outright with our first years wages. Pretty remarkable and something that could make less successful people, particularly men who were meant to be the successful ones, very jealous. And her amazing success had only just begun.

What a remarkable woman.

cheers
Sue

[pete9012S]

I agree with the comments above.

Enid was knocking out books and work from the 1920's onwards.

Which book and decade did the serious criticism of her output begin?

[Moonraker]

I agree with the comments above.
Which book and decade did the serious criticism of her output begin?

It certainly occurred in the 50s, when I was in primary school. I would think all was well in the 40s. Have no idea if a book was to blame.