The Enid Blyton Society

I'm now reading another Robert Westall novel, Falling Into Glory, first published 1993.

joanne_chan wrote:While cat sitting I have been reading The New Girl and Nancy by Dorita Fairlie Bruce where we get to grips with an new girl who is a heiress and rather spoilt with it to begin with gradually reforms her character, gaining acceptance.

I noticed yesterday that I have a book by that author in my 'to read' section - I don't think I've ever read anything by her. Maybe I shall move it to the top of the pile.

I've just finished reading 'Winter Holiday' by Viola Bayley. One of my all time favourite books from childhood, and it still hasn't lost its magic. I did a spot of Googling to find out when the book was written, as it is undated. I found a bit of info about the author and discovered she only died in 1997. Wish I'd know, as maybe I could have written to her and let her know how much I've enjoyed the book over the years.

I'm reading "La reine Margot" by Dumas père, a story about Bartholomew's Night which took place in the late 1500's (when the Catholics slaughtered the Huguenots). I started reading it in the Louvre (when I could no longer walk ) where it actually takes place long before it was the museum that we know today.

Bond on Bond: The Ultimate Book on Over 50 Years of 007
by Roger Moore

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listi ... d&qid=&sr=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Have you visited the Bond in Motion Exhibition at the London Film Museum in Covent Garden, Pete? It's an amazing collection of vehicles from Bond films, with relevant clips playing alongside each one. There are props, models and concept art on display too. I've barely watched any James Bond films but I found the exhibition fascinating nevertheless!

That sounds great Anita.Thank you.I would like to see that exhibition.

pete9012S wrote:Bond on Bond: The Ultimate Book on Over 50 Years of 007
by Roger Moore

Sounds like an interesting book!

Now I'm almost finished reading Robert Dallek's John F. Kennedy biography from 2003, "An Unfinished Life" which I had started reading in France.
It's a bit too political for my taste (a LOT about the cuba crisis, Vietnam, Cold War and JFK's relationship with Chrustchev), but also gives a lot of information on JFK's bad health before and during his presidency. Almost no info on his private life with Jackie and the children.
I prefer definitely the JFK biography by Nigel Hamilton on JFK's youth wich was supposed to be the first part of a trilogy until the Kennedy clan interfered and stopped giving Hamilton access to the papers in the JFK Library in Boston.

John F. Kennedy would have turned 100 years this month, he was born in May 1917.

The third book this month (which I've read on the flight on 11th of May) was "Cold as the Grave" by Peter Robinson, the sequel to my favorite DCI Alan Banks novel "In A Dry Season". It was good, but I'm still hoping for another Banks story as excellent as "In A Dry Season".

I have been reading "Wave Me Goodbye" by Jacqueline Wilson that came out very recently telling the story of Shirley, an evacuee from London and two boys who are sent to live in the countryside of Meadow Ridge under Mrs Waverley and her house person, Chubby.
The period detail is good and at times it is quite moving to see how the unfolding of W.W.2 and all its consequences through the eyes of children.

Joanne, I can highly recommend "Good Night, Mr. Tom" by Michelle Magorian on the same topic.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodnight-Mist ... 8&qid=&sr=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm 170 pages into the Lehndorff biography written by Antje Vollmer. Heinrich von Lehndorff was a member of the German resistance against Hitler around Stauffenberg who tried to kill Hitler on 20th of July 1944.
Heinrich married Gottliebe in the late 1930's, they had four daughters, the 4th was born in August 1944, two weeks before her father was killed by the Nazi regime for being a member of the resistance.

Their second-oldest daughter later became very famous as a model, Veruschka von Lehndorff. She had a part in Antonioni's cult movie "Blow Up".
I will read Veruschka von Lehndorff's autobiography next.

The style of this biography is a bit dry which doesn't bother me, it's interesting nevertheless, but why did the publisher alternate between regular (good readable) dark print and very light (almost unreadable) print?
Hopefully that was an experiment and won't turn into a regular thing.

I'm currently reading The Complete Short Stories of Roald Dahl, in two volumes, published in 2013. Great reading.

Ronald Dahl? Is he very famous?

Oops! Wretched predictive text! Duly corrected.