Famous Five Annual 2015

[Lucky Star]

I grew up in Ireland so maybe we were a bit behind the times. I vividly remember it being used in the schoolyard and by my grandmother.

[Katharine]

I don't remember specifically hearing that phrase, but when I read the book I didn't even notice it, so I suspect it's the kind of thing I would have heard as a child. Nowadays many children suffer problems caused by a difficult labour, and I suspect the same was true in the past. During the 1950s, I doubt childbirth would have been discussed much, and certainly not in front of children. I can think of a couple of EB stories where the children didn't even know their mother was pregnant until the new baby is shown to them. Under those circumstances, they definitely wouldn't have known why a baby might have some kind of mental impairment. Much easier for adults to say something like the baby had been dropped.

[Moonraker]

I seem to remember hearing the phrase used is a derogatory fashion. If someone had what today would be classed as learning difficulties (how long before that term is frowned upon?) or were a bit slow on the uptake. Children would say that he/she had probably been dropped, as a baby. I never took much notice of the term, or questioned its validity.

another disabled character who plays a major part and is portrayed sympathetically is Dummy in The Rubadub Mystery

Not a very sympathetic name though!

[Katharine]

I don't know that I ever heard it in a derogatory way, more a vague explanation. Although I wouldn't condone the use of the phrase today, in some ways I think it was much easier in the past to be able to wave matters like that aside. I sometimes feel I'm in a PC nightmare. Is it acceptable to call a child/adult 'handicapped',
'disabled', having 'special' needs, or 'additional' needs. I've heard children being described as having
'challenging' behaviour, and even the term "so and so is a bit 'special'". Then there are 'behavioural problems', and 'delayed learning', along with all the actual conditions such as Downs, Autism, ADHD etc. etc.

Ideally it's best not to focus on a person's differences, but sometimes it is helpful to be able to describe someone who doesn't fall into the general category of life, but not be worried that I'm going to accidently use the wrong terminology and cause offence.

[burlingtonbertram]

As a child I liked Julian, now, as an adult, I can't help finding him a bit of a prig. *

I hope my opinions on Enid's characters don't change when I am an adult...

(Not so much about Julian but some of my current favourites like Andy and Barney, Diana and Jack Trent)

Rest easy; I still like all of them so maybe you will to, fingers crossed.

[Poppy]

Thanks Bertram. I'm sure I'll always love Enid Blyton books as much as I do now. I hope my general opinions don't differ. A few people here say that reading the books as an adult: they see them in a different light (ie: becoming more aware of racism/ sexism/ etc) I love reading the books because they transport me to a different world and being aware of faults of such would spoil things for me, a bit, I think.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Although I'm a little more critical as an adult, it doesn't spoil things for me at all as I still lose myself in the story. My favourite characters are still the ones which were my favourites as a child - Jack and Lucy-Ann Trent, Tassie, Kiki, Button, Huffin and Puffin, Fatty, Bets, Elizabeth Allen, Julian Holland, Snubby, Mafumu (The Secret Mountain), Jimmy and Lotta, Lucky, Nobby, Pongo, Hurly and Burly (The Rilloby Fair Mystery), Benjy (Willow Farm series), Mr. Pink-Whistle and the Saucepan Man. Some of the "baddies" or unpleasant, difficult characters are favourites too (because they're so interesting to read about) - Mr. Marvel, Rose Longfield, Mr. Goon, Gwendoline Mary Lacey, Arabella Buckley, Mrs. Kent (The Six Bad Boys), Block, Barling, the Sticks, Lou and Tiger Dan, the Lots and Brimming sisters (The Secret of Moon Castle), Curious Connie (The Folk of the Faraway Tree) ... and I'm sure there are others which have momentarily slipped my mind!

[John Pickup]

I see the 2015 annual is currently for sale at £4 on Amazon.

[Rob Houghton]

talking of the Boysie comment about being dropped on his head as a baby, that was a very common saying when I grew up, and when I read this book (one of the only FFO books I read as a child!) I thought nothing of it at all. These days I interpret it as being typical of the sort of thing Fatty would say. He was very outspoken, and I think Enid's skill with this character is often under-estimated. Enid has Fatty saying quite a few things throughout the series that he has obviously heard other adults saying, and he's repeating them to sound grown-up (in my opinion anyway!) It's the kind of thing Fatty would have heard said, and he is repeating in his know-it-all way.

Regards liking the Famous Five - I was never a fan, except maybe for Smuggler's Top and Mystery Moor (and this was because I had the annual versions of these books in the late 70's) I never read any of the Famous Five books apart from those two, until I was well into my thirties. I also only read three or four Find Outer books - but loved those I read as a child - Burnt Cottage, Missing Necklace, Tally-Ho Cottage and Pantomime Cat, and I still love them now. To me, they are still some of Enid's strongest books.

[pete9012S]

Well I can resist no longer!
I've just ordered the annual from Amazon.I paid £5.29 including delivery which seems reasonable considering the annuals list price don't you think?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... dition=new" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Julie2owlsdene]

I think you've got a good bargain, Pete. I paid £5, so you've only paid 29p more than I did.

[pete9012S]

Thanks Julie.
I thought it was too good a price to resist delivered and lets be honest,what can you buy with 29p these days?
Maybe not even one decent banana!

[Katharine]

W H Smith still don't appear to have any, but Waterstones had 3 copies today. I had a quick flick through, and it look very good. Can't wait until Christmas morning.

[John Pickup]

I've stopped looking in the WH Smiths here in town. I will order mine from Amazon for £4. Luckily, my wife wants a book from them so I shall get away with paying the postage.

[Moonraker]

Rather than looking, have you asked anyone? I would have thought all branches would now have these in stock, but they might not have been put out yet. Just a thought.