Why Enid Blyton Matters

[Judith Crabb]

Jane Sullivan is an avid reader who grew up in London in the 1950s. She decided to try to understand the child she had been and the woman she became by re-reading a selection from the hordes of books which she read between the ages of 7 and 11. 'Storytime: Growing up with Books' published this year by Ventura (inc. e book) is her bibliomemoir of the most beloved and significant books of her childhood.
I have read only one chapter so far, 'Things Begin to Happen: The Castle of Adventure by Enid Blyton'. I read 'The Castle of Adventure' about the same time as Jane, but on the other side of the world, and I read the whole series compulsively, again and again and again.
At first I thought that Jane had fallen into the trap that adult-highly-literate readers often do. You know, going no further than the usual, Blyton's improbable plots, superficial characterisation, generic landscapes, pedestrian style (if you pick your spots you could accuse Shakespeare of much the same). However, she realizes that this, even if true, explains nothing. She presses on, and deeper, and comes as close to the truth as I have read anywhere, that, 'intuitively, [Blyton] is delivering to her young readers all the features of archetypal myth and storytelling'. Eureka! The criticisms levelled at Enid Blyton could just as surely be levelled at Homer, the saga of Asgard, or the folk tales of the whole world..
I must get back to 'Storytime'. I feel like an excited eight-year-old clutching an invitation to a party. What a feast lies ahead. What larks.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Sounds fascinating, Judith! Like Jane Sullivan, I've always been an avid reader and books were at least as important as people in my formative years - perhaps even more important at times.

[Ambersmum]

My parents are librarians so I could probably read before I could walk!

[Kate Mary]

It sounds a fascinating book Judith. I am an avid reader too and have been ever since I could read aged about four. I haven't ever grown out of my childhood books and still read them with pleasure. I read and re-read many favourite adult authors too from Jane Austen and Flora Thompson to Miss Read and Georgette Heyer and many others too.

[Pohutukawa]

to try to understand the child she had been and the woman she became

I've become aware that the influence of my childhood reading goes deep indeed.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for this book.

Like many of you, I'm an avid re-reader including the authors mentioned above.

[Judith Crabb]

Another reason why she matters which I'm sure I've posted elsewhere but can't find - her influence on other writers. I've just read in today's paper an interview with Australian crime novelist 'best-selling queen of rural suspense' Fleur McDonald. What made her love writing? Her answer:
'Enid Blyton's Famous Five books. I loved the fact that four children and a dog could out-wit very bad grown-ups! Those storylines made me want to try and write exciting adventures like she did.

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's good to hear authors acknowledging that Enid Blyton has been an influence on them. Horror-writer James Herbert said something similar.