Classic Blyton

[Redrachel76]

If Chorion were to pick 10 "classic" Blytons and reproduce them in original text with original dustcovers as classic collector editions that would be nice. What books would you choose?

I agree that Enid Blyton wrote too many to just pick 10 that could be released as original.
I would pick the ones with the most beautiful illustrations evocative of the time.

My 10 books:
(1-3) The Enchanted Wood -the whole series of 3 for gorgeous illustrations.

4) 6 Bad Boys

5) The Five Find Outers - I would release the whole set but since we can only pick 10 books I'ed just pick any one of them. This series makes far more sense to read as a period classic with original illustrations.

6.) The First Term Mallory Towers- the front cover on this original is so beautiful and evocative of the era. Even more than the St Claire's illustrations IMO.

7.) The Secret Seven

8.) The Island of Adventure

9.) The Wishing Chair

10.) Famous Five because it is popular and would sell the best.
...But... personally I have never liked FF as much as the other series, for my 10th choice I'ed pick some obscure novelty that's politically uncorrect and been out of print for ages like Dame Slap or something.

[Redrachel76]

Re: On the same subject of reprinting the books in their original first printings and illustrations

I live in Israel and I was in a bookshop here and saw that a small number of Enid Blyton books here are printed with original old fashioned illustrations. They did not used to do that. I hope that one day in the UK they will also get the same idea of reverting to the original illustrations.

On this website is a picture of a FF title in Hebrew with an oldish illustration.
http://simania.co.il/bookdetails.php?item_id=174443
My Hebrew isn't good but I read the title as "Five Go on an Adventure"

Only about 66 of Enid's titles are translated into Hebrew. They are FFO, Secret Seven, FF and Noddy. Israelis are generally surprised when I tell them that Enid wrote around 600 books.

Just to go off topic: I recently found out that Noddy is renamed in Hebrew as "Neddy". I asked an Israeli why they didn't just call it the same as in English. She said that that they had to change the name because "Nod" means fart in Hebrew. Sorry to be crude but it just made me laugh to hear that.

[Katharine]

Just to go off topic: I recently found out that Noddy is renamed in Hebrew as "Neddy". I asked an Israeli why they didn't just call it the same as in English. She said that that they had to change the name because "Nod" means fart in Hebrew. Sorry to be crude but it just made me laugh to hear that.

That's one change to text I can definitely understand!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I live in Israel and I was in a bookshop here and saw that a small number of Enid Blyton books here are printed with original old fashioned illustrations. They did not used to do that. I hope that one day in the UK they will also get the same idea of reverting to the original illustrations.

On this website is a picture of a FF title in Hebrew with an oldish illustration.
http://simania.co.il/bookdetails.php?item_id=174443

It looks good! A few years ago vintage-looking editions of the Famous Five books were brought out here in the UK, but unfortunately they contained updated text.

[pete9012S]

I recently found out that Noddy is renamed in Hebrew as "Neddy". I asked an Israeli why they didn't just call it the same as in English. She said that that they had to change the name because "Nod" means fart in Hebrew. Sorry to be crude but it just made me laugh to hear that.

Well,you learn something new every time you drop in here!

[Moonraker]

I don't know, Farty in Hebrew and Wee-wee in French. No wonder Enid avoided toilet visits.....

[Wayne Pyer]

#Make way for Farty..........#

[Anita Bensoussane]

And I thought it was only the car that went "Parp, parp!"

[Francis]

I've just realised that people's 10 classic Blyon books include many I have never
read. Obviously I have a long way to go.

[Poppy]

Yes, there is a charity shop I always have a look in (there are always plenty of books!) but of course I am only interested in one author's books! I noticed too, that in this shop (Oxfam) the Enid Blyton books are always put in the Classic Section. I don't really think them as classics, although they probably are. I think this is because there are so many of them, unlike some classics like Alice In Wonderland, The Railway Children, Black Beauty, etc where there are one on their own's but Enid wrote so many!

[Francis]

Sometimes they have the old hardback versions in the 'classics' section and the later paperback
copies in the main children's section.