The Enid Blyton Society

Enid was a two-fingered typist, by the looks of it! Makes her prodigious output all the more remarkable, unless perhaps she learned to touch-type later.

Anyway, that was a wonderful clip indeed, and I echo the thanks of others, Petermax. Really appreciate your sharing it.

RDMorrell wrote:Enid was a two-fingered typist, by the looks of it!

The quickest two-fingered typist I've ever seen though!

Being new to the society (today) I don't know if you have seen / heard the recordings on the BBC Archive but it is well worth a visit - http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/blyton" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. The Women's Hour interviews are great to hear as are the interviews with her daughters and others. There is also footage of the demolition of Green Hedges which was rather distressing to watch but was at the time the only image of Green Hedges I had seen. I have since watched YouTube which images are definitely more pleasing.

Well done, Petermax. Must date from just before the BAN BLYTON era.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

Liz wrote:Being new to the society (today) I don't know if you have seen / heard the recordings on the BBC Archive...

Good to welcome you to the forums, Liz! Yes, I think most of us do know about this excellent BBC site - there is a link to it on our Home page (Lashings of Links) and there has been some discussion elsewhere on the forums.

Welcome Liz. I know you'll enjoy it here

Wayne from South Wales.

It is a pity that Enid Blyton was shunned for a long time by the BBC . Nonetheless, maybe because of guilt or other circumstances, it is the BBC that facilitated her final "farewell" audio interview during that "Women's Hour" program in which she highlighted some of the dynamism behind her literary success. That was in 1963 which also coincided with the ending of most of her successful book series such as The Famous Five, The Secret Seven and Noddy. After that interview, the world literally was not to see or hear about Enid Blyton, at least in public terms, until her death five years later, in 1968. In my foreword to my book, The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage, I note two modern tranitions in modern Blytonian history. One was obviously in 1963 that was punctuated by that historic BBC interview which coincided with the ending literally of most of her main publications as I have already stated. Another transition was in 1997, during her centennial birthday that also coincided with the emergence of J.K. Rowling as her potential "heir-apparent" to her legacy. Of course, between the period between enid's death in 1968 and 1997, i.e. almost 30 years heir-apparent pretenders to her literary legacy such as Judy Blume had tried to emerge with little or no success. 1997, which also marked her centennial birth anniversary coincided with the emrgence of J.K. Rowling. Of course, there are other transitional events in 1963 and 1997 in relation to Enid Blyton, but the ones I have stated were the most important ones.

Stephen Isabirye

Enikyoga wrote:Of course, between the period between enid's death in 1968 and 1997, i.e. almost 30 years heir-apparent pretenders to her literary legacy such as Judy Blume had tried to emerge with little or no success.

Judy Blume was an American author who wrote mainly about self-absorbed characters, obsessed with their personal "issues." I must admit I found the children and teenagers in her books dull and even neurotic at times - not at all like Enid Blyton's fun-loving, healthy, interested, outward-looking characters. I can't see that Blume was in any way an inheritor of Blyton's literary legacy.

Anita

Anita Bensoussane wrote:

Enikyoga wrote:Of course, between the period between enid's death in 1968 and 1997, i.e. almost 30 years heir-apparent pretenders to her literary legacy such as Judy Blume had tried to emerge with little or no success.

Judy Blume was an American author who wrote mainly about self-absorbed characters, obsessed with their personal "issues." I must admit I found the children and teenagers in her books dull and even neurotic at times - not at all like Enid Blyton's fun-loving, healthy, interested, outward-looking characters. I can't see that Blume was in any way an inheritor of Blyton's literary legacy.

I didn't realise that literary talent was inherited. Does this mean that Enid Blyton inherited her talent from someone? I know she has been linked with gypsies and an American rock n roll singer, but surely it is possible to write books off one's own back? I would imagine that Enid could have got her ideas/inspirations from her travels (obvious links with Dorset and Cornwall, for example). Working the other way, Enid has been reported as having influenced William Golding. I tend to think most of this is at least, somewhat fanciful. Indeed, the most similarities in Enid's writing seem to me to be linked to Agatha Christie's books. I have always looked on Dame Agatha as a grown-up Enid Blyton!

I tried the previous links but they don't seem to work anymore..
I think this link is ok;

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/perso ... y/wildcard" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1963 Woman's Hour
http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/blyton/8400.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the new links, Pete - much appreciated.

Thanks for these very interesting links, Pete.

Thank you, Pete. Very enjoyable!

Some very interesting links there, Pete. Thanks for providing them.

I think the same link is also in Lashings of Links, on this site. It's lovely to hear Enid's voice. I think there's a link to Mings radio interview too when she came over here for the E.B. Day.