Remembered Books

[alidoc]

Sometimes one comes unexpectedly upon a book that you had thought lost for ever. I moved schools when I was 9 and therefore missed out on the ending of what was a very exciting story that was being read to us in class. Years later when staying in a holiday cottage I idly picked up a book and started to skim through it. Memories flooded back and I read through to the denouement. The title of this wonderful novel " The Secret Island" by Enid Blyton. I am an avid adult reader and cut my teeth on Enid Blyton, I never understood why librarians went through a phase of banning her books.

[crisgal]

I went through something similar with 'the three little brownies" my older brother used to read me a bit every night. I finally found a copy last year and game it him for his fiftieth birthday! He has read thousands of books but says that is a favorite out of them all!

[bednobs]

it could be because to today's sensibilities the stories seem really odd, characters are big stereotypes; shifty "gypsies" completely brainless policemen, kids whose parents let them wander round the countryside at night mixing with loads of strangers and ciminals and so on

[ludwig]

// shifty "gypsies" completely brainless policemen, kids whose parents let them wander round the countryside at night mixing with loads of strangers and ciminals and so on //

They don't seem odd to me. They all still seem pretty relevant.

[tenrec]

I lost a Beatrix Potter book when I was about 9. When I was about 55 my uncle sent it to me - I had left it at his house and it was only uncovered when he moved house. I had written my name & address in the front all those years ago!

[cassa333]

My most favourate book of all time was The Crysalids by John Wyndam and I first read it when I was at school.

For years I tried to find a copy but never could. After 35 years someone suggested Amazon and I now have a permanent copy on my Kindle.

[alidoc]

I have 2 editions of the 3 Golliwogs and admit that their names in the first edition are totally unacceptable today, if I was reading the story aloud I would have to use pseudonyms and wouldn't be able to give it to a child to read on their own. Jennings's and Nancy Blackett's expletives are however timeless.

[boxtops]

I remember that, alidoc, and strangely, I found Blyton's "The Family at Green meadows" in a box last month when I was sorting out some stored items - so I read it again. I still enjoyed it. Heavy emphasis on the good work done by the Scouts, and the RSPCA mobile vans. Good stuff.

[China Doll]

I got lent the camomile lawn recently, I'd actually started watching it on telly years ago but never seen the end... when I started rading the book it all became very familiar, sadly it turns out I hate pretty much every single character in it and really disliked the book by the time it was finished.