Blyton BBC Archive

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

The BBC have just released their collection of correspondence between Enid and themselves.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/blytonandt ... 2&doc=8411" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BBC Radio Solent have just phoned to ask me to make some comments on it during an interview this evening in 4 hours and 20 minutes time. We will be discussing whether the BBC were right in not backing Blyton in the 1930s, and should they have done so in the 40s and 50s. My collection of early works is at home (I'm in the shop at Poole) so I'm desperately trying to think about comments of her work before 1936. Of course I have no idea of what material the BBC did consider fit for Broadcast and how children responded to it.

I like the wildlife books best, both the Bird and Animal books.

The early poems are very twee, there are only a couple in Child Whispers that I like. However, I very much enjoy the 1927 Poetry Book. A Non-Stop Run is an excellent description of 1920s railways, all done in verse

I've never been one for Fairy Stories so haven't read many. I don't remember the early stories being up to much; the Society reprints are curiosities rather than long lost Blyton gems.

If anyone has some comments I'd be delighted to hear from them!

Thanks

Viv

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

This is unbelievably bitchy!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/blytonandt ... s/8423.txt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Viv

[Moonraker]

Just heard your talk on Radio Solent, Viv. A great interview, good on you for mentioning Mystery of the Pantomime Cat -- at least the listeners will know that there is more to Enid than Noddy and the Famous Five! I can't think it will be long before you get your own radio show!

[chloe1]

We already knew this but interesting reading

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20091116/tu ... ad41d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit: I've merged your thread with Viv's, Chloe, so we have all the comments in one place. - Anita

[chloe1]

I just posted about this in the books section - didnt realise there was something else written about it.

Crikey shows the BBCs true colours doesnt it! Very very bitchy. Poor Enid.

Hope the interview went well Viv.

[Anna Moss]

Heh! They reject her first couple of times round, and now years later, it makes me very proud to know the BBC is making a drama about Enid! It just proves how wrong people can be at first

[Lucky Star]

What a nasty, high handed letter that was. I had to laugh at the bit where the writer says that children will leave Blyton after a short "craze" and never return.... perhaps we should invite this person to attend an EBD Day and see what she thinks of that statement now. I can agree that children should be exposed to all kinds of literature, not just Blyton, but the condescending way in which Enid is written off is amazing.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

Thanks for your comments. The presenter rang me at lunchtime when I'd only just started to look through the BBC archive, and whilst I had a good idea of what I was going to be asked I was in a bit of a flap since Enid pre 1936 isn't my strong point!

I've still got the Society publications strewn around my feet, along with Tony's dossier and Barbara's biography - I'd be stuck without these reference books! Looking at the early work I could not have predicted that Enid would become the writer she did since the quality of the writing is so variable. There is the good (but not yet excellent) to the abysmal Sports and Games which would be poor coming from a 12 year old. (A pity - the pictures are lovely!)

Had I more time I'd have tried to trace some of the early Sunny Stories into later collections, but I guess they would have been the good stories. The not so good would have been quietly dropped!

Best wishes

Viv

[Anna Moss]

'literary taste'. That is ridiculous. It is most likely if children like myself read Enid Blyton that we/I read many other authors too. It seems almost as if they are trying to imply that Enid's work is not beneficial. Personally, I have learnt many things e.g about puffins' extinction (Island of adventure, I think) and much more. I feel their is not a single item lacking in Blyton's work.

[Lucky Star]

This story has been in several newspapers and news bulletins over the past few days. Its good to see her back in the news even if its with a rather negative slant. I think time has proved the critics wrong, that "very small beer" has turned into one of the longest lived and best loved careers in childrens literature.

[Moonraker]

Just heard your talk on Radio Solent, Viv.

For those of you unlucky enough not to live in the Solent area, you can hear Viv's interview HERE. Just go on to 2:04:51 where it will start.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks for the link, Nigel. Some very thoughtful points, Viv. You're right that it would be interesting to know what the BBC were broadcasting for children at the time, and what feedback they had from their young listeners.

Anita

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

Thanks for the link, Nigel. I'm quite hopeless at doing links!

Viv

[Moonraker]

Thanks for the link, Nigel. Some very thoughtful points, Viv. You're right that it would be interesting to know what the BBC were broadcasting for children at the time...

I've found some information on BBC radio programmes, click on the Children's Programmes and Children's Hour links on this website.

[Lucky Star]

Excellent interview Viv and thanks to Nigel for providing the link. Good to hear you give the society website a plug.