Journal 39

What did you think of the latest Journal?
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nlgbbbblth
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Re: Journal 39

Post by nlgbbbblth »

just arrived today. Straight to the FFO article. Top stuff Tony. Increase is worth every penny!
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Lucky Star »

I've just finished reading Journal 39 from cover to cover and it really is an excellent addition to the Journal series. I usually read David Cook's wonderful FFO articles first and this one was no exception. A great analysis of the one of the best books of the series. John Lester's article on Five on Kirrin Island again was also very enjoyable. I dont remember ever being especially scared by the villains in this book but, as John points out, they were in fact among the very few Blyton baddies who were actually prepared to kill in order to achieve their ends. This puts them right up (or should that be down) there with the infamous Jo-Jo from The Island of Adventure for sheer badness.

Anita's article on Mr Pink Whistle was wonderfully written though my ire was aroused when she listed all the utterly pointless text changes in modern editions. I knew there had been changes but so many? As Anita pointed out these updates will themselves need updating in a few years time. You truly cannot beat the original texts. Rob Houghton turned his attention to the Mary Pollock books and delivered a fine analysis as always of The Children of Kidillin. I never actually realised how early on in Blyton's career that she wrote this book. It is a rather simple story and I always far preferred the superior The Adventurous Four but Rob does a great job in showing how this book actually paved the way for many of the later and more highly regarded Blyton novels.


The tribute to Grace Lodge was very endearing and the period article and colour illustrations really brought home what a wonderful artist this lady was. The articles on Blyton as an educator and the use of her books in a Tajikistan classroom were likewise very illuminating. The latter article in particular shows us how Blyton's work is still relevant today even in countries where we might perhaps not expect her work to be even known about. It was also nice to see our own Viv getting a favourable mention for all the hard work she does on Blyton promotion.


Imogen Smallwood's tribute to the late great Barbara Stoney was very moving. We really got a sense of just how wonderful a person she was and I am so glad that I got to say Hello to her at one of the EBS Days. I must say though that I found one sentance a bit jarring. Near the beginning of the article Imogen says that "it was to Barbara's lasting distress that Gillian kept hold of the copyright until her death". It sounds to me as though Imogen was rather severely critiscizing Gillian for this. I may be wrong but that is how it sounded to me and I had to read it several times to be sure of what I was seeing. Did anyone else find this sentance a bit odd or was it just me?

Whew, a bumper Journal has demanded a rather bumper post to disuss it. One last thing must be the wonderfully evocative aricle from the 1927 teachers world. What a vivid and unforgettable description of the Kent countryside. In all of this superbly produced, written and edited magazine this was a reminder that the whole thing is in tribute to the very finest writer of them all. Nobody but Enid Blyton could have written that particular piece. Many thanks Tony for another wonderful job. :D
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero

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Re: Journal 39

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Lucky Star wrote:Imogen Smallwood's tribute to the late great Barbara Stoney was very moving. We really got a sense of just how wonderful a person she was and I am so glad that I got to say Hello to her at one of the EBS Days. I must say though that I found one sentance a bit jarring. Near the beginning of the article Imogen says that "it was to Barbara's lasting distress that Gillian kept hold of the copyright until her death". It sounds to me as though Imogen was rather severely critiscizing Gillian for this.
I can confirm that this is something that distressed Barbara greatly. It is quite extraordinary that an author didn't own the copyright to her own work and I know that the publishers also found this amazing. I am very surprised that Gillian insisted on having the copyright to the book and even more surprised that she didn't do the decent thing and return the copyright to Barbara.

I am delighted that you you enjoyed the Journal, John, a magazine like the Journal would be nothing without the contributors and I think that they have done us proud with this issue. My grateful thanks go to them all for giving me such an easy job.
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Moonraker »

Tony Summerfield wrote:...a magazine like the Journal would be nothing without the contributors and I think that they have done us proud with this issue. My grateful thanks go to them all for giving me such an easy job.
That is exactly what I was thinking as I was reading the Journal. What a superior publication made so by the writing style and quality of the contributors. With Tony as editor, it can't really fail!
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Eddie Muir »

Hear! Hear! You've voiced my sentiments entirely, Nigel! :D
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Philip Mannering »

A great journal. I especially enjoyed John Lester's article on Five on Kirrin Island Again, but there were many more which were great. Anita's article on Mr. Pink-Whistle, Robert Houghton's article on The Children of Kidillin, Terry Gustafson's article on humour, David Cook's on 'Strange Bundle': all great to read.

I agree with Lucky Star that the villains in 'Kirrin Island Again' are not very frightening, at least to me. However, John Lester's great review about the book made me want to check that scene - and yes, they are threatened! (A scene that I didn't remember due to some reason.) A great review of a good book.

Anita mentions the many updates in the Pink-Whistle books. I was shocked at their number. So many! And they're so unnecessary. It seems that the editors just liked making changes to Blyton's works! Why is it necessary? I don't know what would happen if changes like this happened during Blyton's lifetime..... :roll:

All in all, a superb journal. I'm eagerly looking forward to Journal 40!
"A holiday — a mystery — an adventure — and a happy ending for dear old Barney!" said Roger. "What more could anyone want?"
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Ming
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Ming »

I have yet to receive the Journal (blame the postal service) but it sounds like a thumping good read and one well worth waiting for! :D
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Petermax »

Ming wrote:I have yet to receive the Journal (blame the postal service) but it sounds like a thumping good read and one well worth waiting for! :D
It certainly made a thumping great noise when it landed on my doormat, I thought it was a recently ordered head gasket for one of my Rovers! A complete surprise, as somehow I did not expect Journal 39 so soon. Like many others, I have no qualms about the price increase, I very much appreciate the hard work that goes into producing each edition.

For me the Journal provides an insight into the books and characters that I somehow by-passed during my childhood Blyton reading days. For example, I had never heard of The Five Find Outers, Mr Pink Whistle or the Mary Pollock books before joining the E.B.S. Thanks to the in depth articles from David Cook, Robert Houghton and Anita Bensoussane, I am now somewhat more enlightened, although I have yet to read a single volume, as I am currently working my way through a very long list of other re-reads.

As with previous Journals it is difficult to single out any one article for extra praise, but as a Famous Five fan I found John Lester's Five on Kirrin Island Again, The Five's Most Dangerous Adventure? to be of particular interest. Kirrin Island Again is probably the only Five book to contain an element of science fiction in Quentin's proposals for a clean renewable source of energy. John Lester brings Enid Blyton's far sightedness to our attention by quoting Quentin's vision of an energy source untouched by national or corporate greed, a sentiment that is very valid now but was probably quite radical for the 1950's.

In Enid Blyton the Educator we also see Enid's vision of the future in her From My Window Talk in which she correctly predicts the use of motion pictures as an educational aid. 1925 was still the silent era of cinema but talking pictures were just around the corner allowing yet another dimension. It is sobering to think of Enid back in 1925 writing about 2025, a year that is now not so very far away.

Last but not least, William Ferguson's Teaching English Using Enid Blyton Stories has inspired me to launch a rather fiendish plan to introduce Enid Blyton to the Japanese! I have a friend, an old schoolmate from the 1970's who teaches English at a High School in Kyoto. I may well send a copy of the article to him and see what happens. At the moment he uses Mr Bean videos as a teaching aid, I am sure that we can improve upon that! :lol:

Thank you once again Tony for a superb Journal, I eagerly await No 40.:D
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Ming »

Petermax, sending the article to your friend seems like a great idea. I'm pretty sure using the Society publications of Teacher's World and the Birns books will make amazing classroom reading. I regularly read them out to my little brother - he seems to enjoy the illustrations more, however, and tells his own stories using them!
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Moonraker »

Great idea, Petermax!

I was really fascinated in reading David Cook's article on The Mystery of the Strange Bundle. Most of us know about Enid's blooper with the white handkerchief, but it never occurred to me to wonder how the burglar knew that Fellows threw the bundle of clothes into the river! David didn't mention the handkerchief error, maybe he thought it was so well documented already!

Maybe it was an additional talent of Enid's, that she could make a few errors, but as we were so engrossed in the story, we wouldn't notice them!

I love this cover illustration, there is even a signpost pointing to the river! Note too, the tiny night-watchman and even smaller PC Goon!

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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I too enjoyed David Cook's analysis of The Mystery of the Strange Bundle and chuckled at his comment that "Fatty treats the others as if they're a seasoned forensic team."

It was fascinating to read, in Derek C. Shelton's article about his mother, that the young Grace Lodge "wanted to become an architect but had to settle for being an artist because 'architecture was not a suitable occupation for a young lady' in 'those days.' " Amazing, too, that she generally worked on her illustrating at night! I'm sorry her final years were so difficult. I wonder who "Eva" was, who was with her when she died?

Like Robert Houghton, I came to the "Mary Pollock" books (my editions had Enid Blyton's name on the cover) after having read all the major series, and was disappointed by them as a child. Yet as an adult, I agree with Robert that some of the stories are not bad at all and the period details are very interesting. As I've said before, I wonder whether it was the publishers' idea that Enid publish the books under a pseudonym? With paper being rationed during the war, perhaps the publishers didn't want to admit how much of their paper allowance they were using on one author!

Anita
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Moonraker »

I must say I have just re-read Kidillin and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a pity that it wasn't stretched out by a hundred or so more pages. It was all over far too soon!
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Rob Houghton »

Moonraker wrote:I must say I have just re-read Kidillin and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a pity that it wasn't stretched out by a hundred or so more pages. It was all over far too soon!
I agree, it could have been ten or fifteen chapters longer!...

...But just think how much longer my article would have been then...! :shock:

Anita: yes, interesting theory about the wartime quotas. Tony mentioned this idea in an email a few weeks ago and I was thinking it could be a possible explination: might touch on it in future instalments.


I have enjoyed the Journal so far: the Grace Lodge article being a particular favourite, as she is one of my top illustrators of Enid's books.

I also enjoyed David Cookes article, as always, as the Find Outers are my favourite series, and it's always interesting to read other people's views on books I personally enjoy myself. I've always considered 'Strange Bundle' to be one of the weakest books, but now I am encouraged to read it again.

Anita's article was interesting, particularly when she listed the changes in the various editions. It's a bit of an obsession of mine to compare the older editions with 'Dean' or other versions, and it's amazing how many changes (silly ones mostly! :roll: ) have been made over the years. Good work, Anita: but I wish you hadnt been able to find so many!!

I love the Enid Blyton written articles too: the 'From My windows' are always a favourite of mine.

Thanks to all the contributors, and of course to Tony. :D Another high-quality Journal, and well worth the price with all those extra pages!! :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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Lenoir
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Lenoir »

Enjoyable, informative and even moving. That’s Journal 39.

I always enjoy reading about my favourite books and Strange Bundle is one of them. It was the first FFO book I owned – an Armada paperback. It is one of the best for me. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the atmosphere conjured up, or the fact that they seem to be maturing, or maybe it’s just Auntie. I like the ending as well – the possible reconciliation between Goon and Fatty. And then in the next book Mr Goon tries to frame Buster...

The article on education was very interesting as well. Ingenious idea to use a book like Five Get Into Trouble like that.

A super Journal indeed. Thanks to everyone.
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Kate Mary
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Re: Journal 39

Post by Kate Mary »

Somewhat belated comments on the latest Journal. I returned from my hols yesterday and found Journal 39 lying on my door-mat. I concur with the opinions expressed above, it is a cracking edition. I particularly enjoyed the article on "The Children of Kidillin", one of the first Blyton adventure stories I ever read and Anita's article on Mr Pink-Whistle, but for me as a Kentishwoman, the cherry on the top was Enid's "From My Window". Many thanks to the editor.

Kate
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