Famous Five Books

[amethyst]

I loved to read the Famous Five adventures
Julian,Dick, Anne.Georgina their cousin although she was known as George and her dog Timmy


Anyone else used to read these books?

[Heather74]

Re: Famous Five Books

Yes I did Collected all 21 some new but most from carboot sales, Infact I read them so much I wore out a few copies, also loved the Secret Seven, Five find outers,the adventure series,Malory Towers, and St Claires.

My first Enid Blyton books were The Magic Faraway tree,The wishing chair and the fantastic Mr. Meddle
Hours of fun especially in bed after lights out reading by torch light with plans of sneaking down for midnight feasts

[Kiop]

Re: Famous Five Books

I had all 21 books as well and like HUggie I think I wore quite a few of them out. I always remember my favourite one was number 9 but for the life of me I can't remember the title of it.

I also had Mr Meddle books and Mr (somebody I can't remember the name of) - but he was a fat jolly fellow. Bugging me now what his name was...ARRGH!

Was it Mr Twiddle?

Oh yeah, had the Secret 7's too but I always found them inferior to Famous 5.

[Heather74]

Re: Famous Five Books

I had all 21 books as well and like HUggie I think I wore quite a few of them out. I always remember my favourite one was number 9 but for the life of me I can't remember the title of it.

I also had Mr Meddle books and Mr (somebody I can't remember the name of) - but he was a fat jolly fellow. Bugging me now what his name was...ARRGH!

Was it Mr Twiddle?

Oh yeah, had the Secret 7's too but I always found them inferior to Famous 5.

Dont be Silly Mr. Twiddle think there was also Hello Mr Twiddle, Mr. Twiidle in trouble again and Well Really Mr. Twiddle.

[Kiop]

Re: Famous Five Books

Yeah, that's the dude Huggie - think I had all of those.

[amethyst]

Re: Famous Five Books

In school we had the hard cover famous five books.I bought the soft covers from WH Smiths I agree wore them out too.

[Kiop]

Re: Famous Five Books

Just discovered that number 9 was 'Five Fall into Adventure', after reading the plot it has all come flooding back to me.

Anybody else watch the Famous Five TV series made by TVS, shown in the 70's?

[Heather74]

Re: Famous Five Books

Yep watched the series too, also owned it on video, but for me a tv series can never live up to the book and the pictures your own imagination draws up. You somehow tend to get caught up in a book.
Although i did enjoy the series I also felt slightly disappointed

[HG]

Re: Famous Five Books

I've got all 21 books, with the 1970's tv series covers. I collected them again after losing them all after my nephew borrowed them and my brother in law chucked them out.

I've also got the Purnell annuals that were published in the late 70s - early 80's.

I used to watch the TVS series too and have one episode on video.

I used to read the Secret Seven too.

[kazboot]

Re: Famous Five Books

I remember having Five On A Treasure Island and one about a ghost train I think. Does anyone remember that one?

[HG]

Re: Famous Five Books

That would be Five Go Off To Camp, Kaz

[kazboot]

Re: Famous Five Books

Cheers Mike, that sounds right.
I seem to remember it was quite a scaryish story.

[Heather74]

Re: Famous Five Books

I loved all 21 books, but the one I suppose the one that caught my Imagination the most and the one I was most envious of as a child was Five go off in a caravan, as if my parents would have ever entertained the idea of letting us go off in horse drawn caravans, lucky sods!!

[HG]

Re: Famous Five Books

Cheers Mike, that sounds right.
I seem to remember it was quite a scaryish story.

Yep the spook trains that ran in the night

I think my favourite was Five Go On A Hike Together, as I've got older though I can't help but find the name of the escaped prisoner hilarious... Dirty Dick

[mazzer]

Re: Famous Five Books

I read all of the Famous Five books over and over. Did you know they are on sale now with the original Eileen Soper illustrations in them -Smiths, Waterstones etc - as well as in more "modern" covers.

Geek fact - in the very first book, Julian Dick and Anne's mum is referred to as "Mrs Barnard". In a later book - ("Five on Finniston Farm" I believe, though I could be wrong), Julian introduces the group by saying "we're the Kirrins".

I devoured tons of Enid Blyton as a child - Five, Secret Seven, the Mystery stories (with Fatty, Lawrence, Pip, Little Bets, another girl and Buster the dog, enemies of PC Goon), the Adventure series (Mountain of Adventure, River of Adventure etc), St Clares, Mallory Towers, etc etc.

One recurring theme I never liked though was the dubious moral that poorer kids shouldn't suck up to rich kids, who will tolerate them kindly but don't really want them around. This was never more blatant than in The Put 'Em Rights, a one-off tale about a group of do-gooding kids who went round trying to interfere with and sort out the lives of people who didn't really want to be helped. You could always tell who the "undesirable" kids were because they said "Garn!" a lot. See also Six Bad Boys.