What Enid Blyton book have you recently bought?

[Courtenay]

Can anyone with a knowledge of geology make a guess at why the editors changed the rock from granite to sandstone? I've been down disused copper mines on the Great Orme in Llandudno, North Wales, but the rock there is limestone.

I'm not a geology expert, but I know that limestone is a sedimentary rock (i.e. made from many layers of sediment pressed together over thousands of years), and so is sandstone. Granite, on the other hand, is an igneous rock (i.e. made from volcanic matter that has cooled and solidified). From what you say, then, I would guess that copper is typically found in sedimentary rocks rather than igneous rocks, and that's why they made the change.

Here's an online school science booklet that outlines the processes involved in copper mining: http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/cd ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; You can see a photo of a copper-bearing rock on the page - it is indeed very green!

[Anita Bensoussane]

That's interesting, Courtenay. I was wondering whether copper ore could be found in granite, so I did a spot of Googling and found a mention of Tresavean, where "the copper-ores are all in the granite":

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iWc ... er&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Many readers imagine the Isle of Gloom to be in Cornwall (though I can't remember whether it says so in the book), so if Enid Blyton was thinking of Tresavean or a similar Cornish mine there's no reason why the rock couldn't be granite.

[Courtenay]

Oh, well, there we go - I was mainly guessing about the rocks, since sandstone and limestone are formed in a similar way. But if copper can be found in granite, then why change it?

I don't think it says anywhere in the book that the Isle of Gloom is in Cornwall, but since most copper in Britain is found in Wales and Cornwall, it would make sense. I think there is some indication that it's in the far south-west of Britain - I'll have to take another look at my own copy of Island.

In any case, we know the story definitely isn't set in Wales, or Enid would have had all the characters saying "look you, whateffer, to gootness!" (Which, of course, she saved for a later book.)

[Moonraker]

Oh, copper was certainly mined in Cornwall!

Copper Mining
When people think about mining in Cornwall they normally think of tin, but when mining was at its peak here it was copper that was being mined. In the eighteenth century copper mining was of much greater importance than tin; by the early nineteenth century Cornwall was the greatest producer of copper in the world. By 1740 deep mining of copper was underway, made possible by the invention of increasingly sophisticated pumping equipment to remove some of the water from underground. The effect of copper mining on Cornwall was huge. Demand for the metal was high, prices were good and copper reserves were large. There was little competition from elsewhere in the country. At its peak the copper mining industry employed up to 30% of the county's male workforce and came to involve not just the mining and refining of ore, but also smelting.

http://www.cornwallheritagetrust.org/pa ... lution.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anita Bensoussane]

The editors did accept that copper could be mined on the Isle of Gloom, but they seemed to think that the rock couldn't be granite.

[walter raleigh]

I picked up a couple of books over the weekend. First I got nice vintage copies of these two books including dustwrappers:



I also got a lovely copy of this edition of the Animal Book, again with dustwrapper:



And last but not least I finally got a copy of "Five On Finniston Farm" - a first edition no less, complete with a very good dust jacket.



It was about £30 for the lot so I'm pretty pleased with that.

[John Pickup]

I should think you are pleased, Walter. That's a very good haul. Finniston Farm is one of my least-liked FF books mostly because of Junior whom I cannot stand.

[Poppy]

Those all look great, Walter! All fantastic stories - not to mention the gorgeous artwork on the dust wrappers.

[walter raleigh]

Yes "Finniston Farm" (or 'FOFF' for short...) has gone down in my estimation too, over the years, but it was the only one I didn't have a really nice copy of. I've got the complete set now, all in very good condition, and all with nice bright dustwrappers. They look lovely lined up in my Blyton bookcase!

[Eddie Muir]

Well done, Walter. A great haul at a great price!

[Rob Houghton]

Fantastic price Walter! I have both Secret Seven Fireworks and The Animal Book with DWs but I'm jealous of the Missing Prince and Finniston Farm, as my copies only have photocopied dust wrappers. A great haul! I am amazed you spent only £30 for four books and one of them a first edition!!

[Francis]

What a great selection, Walter - just shows what you can find if you look around. All the books look
in excellent condition.

[Courtenay]

Those are fantastic, Walter! Where did you find them, if you don't mind me asking?

[Rob Houghton]

What a great selection, Walter - just shows what you can find if you look around. All the books look
in excellent condition.

I'm not totally sure, but I think the images Walter has posted are from the cave, just to show the books he bought?

[Anita Bensoussane]

I love deer, so I particularly like the look of that cover for The Animal Book.