Re: Journal 50
Posted: 13 Mar 2013, 16:03
Being a fan of musicals, reading Journal 50 brought to my mind the words/phrases "Truly scrumptious" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". I think this Grace Lodge cover picture is my favourite of the fifty covers so far (even with the centrespread serving as a reminder of other gorgeous covers) and Tony's editorial, topped with the website banner, made me eager to get stuck in!
I had been looking forward to David Chambers' 'Where is Cuckoo Wood?' (accompanied by Enid's 'The Old House') and I was delighted to learn more about Enid Blyton as a young woman and see the pictures, especially the fairytale tower of Oakwood House. I enjoyed David's opening quotation from The Enid Blyton Book of Brownies as that book was a favourite of mine as a child. It's amusing to picture Enid, aged almost 27, sitting with her legs dangling down the sloping roof at the Attenboroughs' house at night, gazing at Cuckoo Wood. I wonder what the neighbours thought if they saw her?! And to think that she was still climbing trees at 29 - perhaps spied upon by Binkle and Flip! I hadn't known before that Cherry Tree Farm was the name of the farm next to Seckford Hall, where Enid stayed with the Hunts.
I enjoyed Stef's comparison of David Morton and Julian Kirrin and chuckled at her comment about those two boys being to blame for her expectation of high standards in men! I hope you meet your Dalian or Juvid one of these days, Stef!
Great to hear about Poppy's day at Seven Stories, and that she and Sue Webster were looked up to as experts by other visitors. Nice to see the photos too.
I had known next to nothing about illustrator Lilian Buchanan before, so William Connelly's article was a revelation. I borrowed quite a few Bobby Brewster books from the library as a youngster and loved the illustrations as well as the stories, but I had no idea there were as many as 30 titles! Like Julie, I'm impressed by the oil painting of the Kenley Ops room.
Looking at the cover of the Moral Problems book to which Enid Blyton contributed, it was fascinating to see her name appearing alongside the names of Bishops, Canons, Professors, etc. I was reminded not only of The Six Bad Boys but (because of the references to Scouts and the P.D.S.A.) The Children at Green Meadows. Su Rayton's (Shadow's) interesting personal reflections on The Story Book of Jesus seemed very apt, following on from the Moral Problems piece. I too coloured in the pictures in Mr. Pink-Whistle's Party in the mistaken belief that I was enhancing them!
Like Stef, I'm always thrilled to see the way Tony brings my contributions to life by the addition of suitable illustrations. At the top of my article, Edgar Hodges' Noddy looks terribly bland and blobby compared to the quirky, genuinely wooden-looking doll drawn by Beek. Shadow and Katharine may like to know that my family don't read my articles either. Ah well, at least that means our Journals won't become dog-eared from being passed round!
I'm glad Terry Gustafson highlighted the story 'The Two Cross Boys', about Tom and Willie, as I loved that tale as a youngster. It was also great to see Julie taking a look at the tales of John Hollins, detective - good little stories which tend to be overlooked.
Interesting that another Birns book has turned up (Play-Time), though the children in the cover illustrations look slightly stiff and dumpy.
A wonderful 50th Journal, and I look forward to seeing the 100th issue one of these days!
I had been looking forward to David Chambers' 'Where is Cuckoo Wood?' (accompanied by Enid's 'The Old House') and I was delighted to learn more about Enid Blyton as a young woman and see the pictures, especially the fairytale tower of Oakwood House. I enjoyed David's opening quotation from The Enid Blyton Book of Brownies as that book was a favourite of mine as a child. It's amusing to picture Enid, aged almost 27, sitting with her legs dangling down the sloping roof at the Attenboroughs' house at night, gazing at Cuckoo Wood. I wonder what the neighbours thought if they saw her?! And to think that she was still climbing trees at 29 - perhaps spied upon by Binkle and Flip! I hadn't known before that Cherry Tree Farm was the name of the farm next to Seckford Hall, where Enid stayed with the Hunts.
I enjoyed Stef's comparison of David Morton and Julian Kirrin and chuckled at her comment about those two boys being to blame for her expectation of high standards in men! I hope you meet your Dalian or Juvid one of these days, Stef!
Great to hear about Poppy's day at Seven Stories, and that she and Sue Webster were looked up to as experts by other visitors. Nice to see the photos too.
I had known next to nothing about illustrator Lilian Buchanan before, so William Connelly's article was a revelation. I borrowed quite a few Bobby Brewster books from the library as a youngster and loved the illustrations as well as the stories, but I had no idea there were as many as 30 titles! Like Julie, I'm impressed by the oil painting of the Kenley Ops room.
Looking at the cover of the Moral Problems book to which Enid Blyton contributed, it was fascinating to see her name appearing alongside the names of Bishops, Canons, Professors, etc. I was reminded not only of The Six Bad Boys but (because of the references to Scouts and the P.D.S.A.) The Children at Green Meadows. Su Rayton's (Shadow's) interesting personal reflections on The Story Book of Jesus seemed very apt, following on from the Moral Problems piece. I too coloured in the pictures in Mr. Pink-Whistle's Party in the mistaken belief that I was enhancing them!
Like Stef, I'm always thrilled to see the way Tony brings my contributions to life by the addition of suitable illustrations. At the top of my article, Edgar Hodges' Noddy looks terribly bland and blobby compared to the quirky, genuinely wooden-looking doll drawn by Beek. Shadow and Katharine may like to know that my family don't read my articles either. Ah well, at least that means our Journals won't become dog-eared from being passed round!
I'm glad Terry Gustafson highlighted the story 'The Two Cross Boys', about Tom and Willie, as I loved that tale as a youngster. It was also great to see Julie taking a look at the tales of John Hollins, detective - good little stories which tend to be overlooked.
Interesting that another Birns book has turned up (Play-Time), though the children in the cover illustrations look slightly stiff and dumpy.
A wonderful 50th Journal, and I look forward to seeing the 100th issue one of these days!