Journal 57

What did you think of the latest Journal?
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Courtenay
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Courtenay »

It does look exciting! :D I love the cover - although I couldn't see anything about Galliano's Circus in the contents list. Definitely looking forward to this one, especially learning about Enid's garden and cherry cake, John's collection, Robert's further Desert Island Blytons and Julie's article on The Boy Next Door!
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Poppy »

I wasn't expecting a new issue so soon, so this came as quite a happy surprise to me! :D Can't wait - it looks fantastic so far, as usual! (I love the choice of front cover!)
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John Pickup
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Re: Journal 57

Post by John Pickup »

It doesn't seem long since the last journal, but I'm looking forward to this one. I'm quite interested in Tony's editorial page in this one.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Rob Houghton »

John Pickup wrote:I'm quite interested in Tony's editorial page in this one.
Intriguing! Do you know something we don't know? :?
'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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Daisy
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Daisy »

Just received my Journal.... it looks like the usual feast of a variety of good things. Will go and put the kettle on and have a closer look. :)
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

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Re: Journal 57

Post by Courtenay »

Mine's just come too. 8)
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Jack400 »

So has mine :)
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Poppy »

My Journal has just come, too! Looks like a great one and I can't wait to start reading it. I will renew my subscription as soon as possible, too.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Rob Houghton »

Mine arrived today - with a terrific thud on the doormat! :-) It looks great - and I love the cover! :-)

I really loved the editorial - a nice change of direction - but disappointed, though sadly not surprised, to hear that The Secret Mountain is no longer to be published. A sad sign of the times, and a book that actually roughly follows the plot of 'King Soloman's Mines', which as far as I know hasn't been banned from publication. It's particularly poignant because, discounting The Secret Island, which is my favourite 'Secret' book, but never seems a part of the rest of the series to me, 'Mountain' is by far the strongest book, with a great plot and atmosphere. I first read it about 15 years ago, and it's been a favourite ever since. I look forward to reading Anita's article about it.

8)

I was pleased to see that Tony has used a picture of Anita to illustrate Enid's recipe for cherry cake. ;-)
'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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Daisy
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Daisy »

Enjoying this very much..... yes I agree Rob - a 'different' editorial and the style is a pleasure to read.
Anita's article on the Secret Mountain is as interesting as her contributions always are - and yes, Anita ... the misprint is a misprint... my 1947 hardback version has 'beard' as you suspected it should be.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Robert's desert island choices and his early introduction to acting. I really must read the Galliano books again as it is a while since I did.
The Moral Problems article is very interesting too... I wonder if we all agree with it? I'll comment further when more people have had a chance to read it.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest later... but it is very tempting to lay aside anything else I had lined up for today.... :)
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Kate Mary »

My weekend is planned, relaxing with a glass of something refreshing and the latest Journal. I have only read Tony's editorial so far. What a shame that The Secret Mountain is now considered unpublishable, it is a favourite of mine and I still have my old Armada copy. What will fall foul of the PC brigade next I wonder. The River of Adventure?
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith

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Courtenay
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Courtenay »

Kate Mary wrote:What a shame that The Secret Mountain is now considered unpublishable, it is a favourite of mine and I still have my old Armada copy. What will fall foul of the PC brigade next I wonder. The River of Adventure?
I'm surprised The Mountain of Adventure is still considered publishable! :shock: I haven't seen the newest editions of it, but I suppose all the racial references and stereotypes have been edited beyond recognition. That one is the only Enid Blyton book I've ever read that has actually made me uncomfortable - for me, unlike most of what Enid is regularly accused of, that one DOES legitimately cross the line into racism - and yet, I still have no problem accepting it as a product of its times.

I haven't read The Secret Mountain, so I can't compare, but I wonder what made the publishers decide it was beyond saving, instead of attempting to rewrite the parts they considered controversial?
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Rob Houghton »

Courtenay wrote:I haven't read The Secret Mountain, so I can't compare, but I wonder what made the publishers decide it was beyond saving, instead of attempting to rewrite the parts they considered controversial?
As Anita says in her Journal article, The Secret Mountain was Enid's first book to be set in a foreign country (Africa). To my mind, it's a sweeping and dramatic tale, unlike anything she had written up to that date - much more like a book from the later Adventure series. I'm guessing the publishers want it forgotten, and wouldn't rewrite it because it deals with tribes in Africa, pagan superstitions and gods, stereotypical tribal rituals etc, including sacrificing people to sun gods. It's a lot like dozens of Indiana Jones movies, or 'Romancing the Stone' or 'King Solomon's Mines' or scenes in films like King Kong etc, and yet obviously the publishers would never have produced any of these films for fear of offending some little known African tribe! :shock: . It's very much 'boys adventure' stuff - and I love it. Such a pity it's not going to be published any more...but at least that means my spare first edition copy (without DW), modern Award edition from 2006, and two paperback versions, will all be shortly going up in price! ;-)
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 10 Jul 2015, 18:45, edited 2 times in total.
'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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Eddie Muir
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Re: Journal 57

Post by Eddie Muir »

Mine has arrived too and it looks as good as ever. I look forward to reading it this evening. Thank you, Tony. :D
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John Pickup
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Re: Journal 57

Post by John Pickup »

My journal has arrived with my renewal form which I shall deal with very soon.
I find it ridiculous that Hodder won't be issuing The Secret Mountain when they relaunch the rest of the series next year. What a pity they didn't listen to Tony.
There seems to be plenty for everyone in this journal, I'm looking forward to reading it over the next few days and thanks to Tony for putting it all together.
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