The Story of My Life

[Splodj]

The only dustwrapper I have is for 'Secret Room' and, looking at the cave, it appears I am unlucky to have the last edition before the picture was extended to a wrap-around in 1950.

The first edition was in 1945 and mine is a fifth edition from 1949. So a new edition every year, which seems typical for Blyton books of this period.

[pete9012S]

I didn't know about the wraparound change Splodge - I must check my own edition now!

I have enjoyed reading another brief section from The Story Of My Life this morning.
In this chapter Enid talks of the age range she likes to write for.
She does mention writing for teenagers - the over twelve's - gasp!

(I could not remember where the quote about Enid not accepting critics over the age of twelve originally came from, can you??)




Why I Write So Many Books - longer excerpt:
https://www.docdroid.net/TwHU4nT/why-i- ... -books-pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chrissie777]

The cave has the original:

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... of+My+Life" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's the same version that I bought in Bourton-on-the-Water/Cotswolds in November 2008.

[Ice_Gemz]

Hi all, if anyone is still looking for a copy of The Story Of My Life, I am selling one on eBay:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481 ... olid=11111" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gemma

[Chrissie777]

We have to remember that The Story of My Life was written for young fans who, in their letters, had asked Enid Blyton about her schooldays, her pets, her garden, her writing, her favourite books, etc. In discussing these topics, Enid focusses on details which would be of interest to children and it's not surprising (for the sake of her child readers as well as her public image) that she doesn't talk about things like her difficult relationship with her mother or her acrimonious divorce from her first husband. As an autobiography aimed at children keen to know more about an author whose books they enjoy, The Story of My Life is well-written and engaging and is more detailed than many modern books about children's authors, e.g. the Mammoth "Telling Tales" series.

That's how I took it when I was a child.
The German translation "Enid Blyton erzaehlt aus ihrem Leben" by Erika Klopp Verlag is a lot shorter and has only a fraction of the photos, but it still tells a lot about EB's life as an author and how books are printed and distributed etc.

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... of+My+Life" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chrissie777]

Hmmm, some of them (where their surnames are mentioned at all) are pretty ordinary, like Mannering and Trent and Cunningham for the Adventure series, but on the other hand, did Enid ever let on where she got the name Kirrin from? That's quite an unusual one.

If Enid ever holidayed in or visited Conwy, North Wales, maybe she saw when she was there and was taken with the name. After all, it's next to a castle as well.

When I walked around on Tresco (Isles of Scilly), I discovered a self-catered cottage called Smuggler's Top.

[Katharine]

I'm hoping to visit the Isles of Scilly within the next few years, I shall see if I can track that cottage down.

[Chrissie777]

It's on our list for our next UK trip to Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. My husband was never there.
You can fly from Plymouth via helicopter to St. Anne, take a boat to Tresco from there. That's what I did in 1987.
On Tresco you'll find two small castles right on the beach and there's Tresco Abbey with the so-called walhalla which contains lots of figureheads from old sailing ships.
You can actually walk around the entire isle of Tresco within a few hours.
Bring your camera...it's stunningly beautiful on a sunny day.