Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Rob Houghton »

Julie2owlsdene wrote:I think with the swimsuit, it's a case of taking the P.
I agree - and I don't like that - because its false. The Five never dressed like that, so its a cheap laugh. :-(
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

pete9012S wrote:
A grandmother was left embarrassed after she bought her granddaughter an expletive-ridden Enid Blyton book.

Julie Rider, 61, wanted to buy one of the classic children's titles for six-year-old Erin but accidentally picked up an R-rated spoof intended for adults.

She only realised her mistake after Erin had read several chapters and told her mother Louise Molloy she 'didn't really understand the book'.

Mrs Molloy, from St Austell, Cornwall, looked inside and found references to sex, alcohol and online dating. One of the chapters was titled: 'Five b****r something up again'.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... -book.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It's a bit sad that a grandmother would buy a book for her granddaughter without bothering to open it and take a proper look at it first.

On the other hand, we're constantly told that Enid Blyton's signature denotes a "brand" which can be trusted! Clearly, that's no longer the case. The same goes for the Ladybird logo on Ladybird books.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Rob Houghton
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Rob Houghton »

That's a good point Anita - in fact both are good points - an adult should have looked into these books before buying one for their grandchild - but as you say 'Enid Blyton' is a brand name that people have trusted since the early 1940's at least. The main problem with these 'adult' Famous Five books is that there's no other name on the cover, and so most people who aren't 'genned up' would presume they really were written by Enid Blyton.

I mean - how many people who aren't big fans as we are even know there were only 21 'real' Famous Five books written by Enid Blyton? Probably most of the population would struggle to say there were 21. So it can't be wondered at that people see 'Enid Blyton' on the cover and presume she's the writer. After all, if we bought a book that said 'Agatha Christie' or 'JK Rowling' or 'Beatrix Potter' we would assume the content was written by them.

I think it proves that the publishers are just using Enid's name to sell second-rate books and are hoping no one twigs until money has exchanged hands.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Lenoir
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Lenoir »

They shouldn't put Enid Blyton's name on the cover of those books. They are not Blytons and can easily lead to mistakes like the one described.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Courtenay »

Just as we've all been saying all along. :roll: :x :evil:
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Wolfgang »

Maybe they'll learn for later editions. It took the the "Wishing Chair" continuation books several editions until they showed the real author.

Just wondering, maybe we'll see a book "Five show how to destroy a brand's reputation"
Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Courtenay »

Wolfgang wrote: Just wondering, maybe we'll see a book "Five show how to destroy a brand's reputation"
Now there's a thought. :twisted: :wink:
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Stephen »

I had no intention of reading these at all. But a friend - who has bought me genuine Blytons in the past - got me a few for Christmas. I tried reading Brexit Island with an open mind, but couldn't get into it at all. It might have worked as a one-off short joke, but it does feel disingenuous that people have taken the time to write a whole series of books, belittling happy childhood memories. Sadly, there's enough pig-ignorance about Enid Blyton's brilliance among the general population these days without this.

On the other hand, she got me the Mr Men spoof 'Mr Mid-Life Crisis and Friends' for my birthday, and I thought it was hilarious! It didn't feel like it was belittling the Mr Men; rather telling a funny story with familiar styles of drawing and writing from childhood. It might seem strange that one should work and not the other, but there it is. I guess I'm naturally more cautious when it comes to modern people talking about Enid Blyton.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Daisy »

I had a look at one in a shop and thought the first page or so were so boring I wouldn't want to plough through the whole thing even if I had been given it! I wish people who have been misled would write to the publishers and complain bitterly.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

I guess as long as they're selling and making the publishers money, they won't care who is misled, Daisy. It's all about money and profit these days!

8)
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Eddie Muir »

Sadly this is true, Julie. Quantity rather than quality. :cry:
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Rob Houghton
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Rob Houghton »

Wolfgang wrote:Maybe they'll learn for later editions. It took the the "Wishing Chair" continuation books several editions until they showed the real author.
More continuation books I've never heard of! Are these German? I didn't realise The Wishing Chair had any continuation books! :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

There are six titles in the series (it's known as The New Adventures of the Wishing-Chair) and they came out in 2009. The author is Narinder Dhami. I looked at a couple of them in a bookshop and I wasn't impressed. The books are very short and they're about two children called Jack and Jessica:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... shingchair" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Rob Houghton
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Rob Houghton »

Ah yes - thanks Anita! I think I have seen them, but took very little notice of them. Sounds like I didn't miss much! ;-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Katharine
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Katharine »

Yesterday while out shopping, my husband went off with my daughter to get a few bits by themselves. Before he went he mentioned 'Five Forget Mother's Day' and was I interested in it - so I told him! :wink:

Fortunately this morning I received some chocolates and scented candles - either the bookshop didn't stock it, or he realised it would probably be money wasted. :D

I know I haven't read the book, but I've thumbed through one or two of the others, and read enough comments here to decide that I wouldn't enjoy any of the books in the series. It's such a shame, as I think there could be the potential for a humorous book based on the Famous Five. I don't think I'd ever enjoy the Gluten Free one as the title makes me think it would be in bad taste, but certainly the one about Mother's Day might be funny. Even the Brexit one could have potential if it focused on George trying to decided whether her island could join the EU on its own or whether it should remain in the UK. (Not sure exactly what the book really is about not having read it).

I've read several of the adult Ladybird ones, and thought that on the whole they were pretty funny. I hadn't heard about the Mr. Men ones, I'll keep an eye out for those.
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