From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

themadvix

There is indeed a Mallory Towers on the beeb - Niece is quite a fan, I think. And the lass with Down's syndrome who was on Strictly has a part in it at some point, I believe. Today's EB adaptations are definitely sanitised versions - far more PC and inclusive, fortunately!

Your dinner sounds tasty as always!

kayannie

GP. You mentioning making spotted 'Richard' brought back a memory.
Many years ago when the children were very young, we had a dog with rather a lot of spots. I was talking to him one day (the dog) & called him a spotted 'Richard'. Youngest child bent down, peered at his undercarriage, & said 'yes, he has got one'! 
Thanks for bringing back a happy memory!

I loved Enid Blyton, especially the famous five. As I was a tomboy, I saw myself as George & when I was given a puppy i called him Timmy.
KA x

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha - kiddos and their interpretations of what's said or seen!  That is a good memory kayannie.  I saw myself as George too, who wants to wear soppy, pretty dresses.  Although I don't have - and didn't have - the legs for shorts either! 🤣

I had to spell out Richard, my post was covered in exclamation marks otherwise 🙄even though I had tried to de-offensive-fy it ☹️

Greying X

redofromstart

I have to admit to having read a lot
of EB as a child, and I still own a copy of 'the Family at Red Roofs' which is a proper tear jerker but also a subtle influence on me that you need savings, that you shouldn't spend beyond your income and that sometimes you have to change your plans to survive. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Me too redo - although I can't recall that book 🤔  But I think she wrote so prolifically, that many of her stories would be lost to readers - particularly if you got 'into' a particular 'set; - famous5, secret7, the "Adventure" series, The wishing tree etc etc.  There's plenty of books right there!  But I came across a story in..... I think it was an anthology of her Christmas stories, that was very much based on no money, and the children doing chores for others in order to have food and token gifts (for their mother) for Christmas.  Actually very..... heavyweight subjects, and practical, 'can do' attitudes to them.  Sometimes the stories were a bit too 'and everyone lived happily ever after', but yes, underlying sadness, or 'hard times' (although everything is relative....), were a feature of the stories.  

I am delighted that a book conveyed that knowledge, understanding and (ultimately) life skills for you redo.  I think I will have to seek that book out - assuming of course it hasn't been swept from the shelves in favour of the author who seems to get as much space in chazzer shops as they do in bookshop shelves.........🙄

Greying X

badmemory

Many of those Enid Blyton & Agatha Christie books were getting a bit outdated when they were written. They tended to be life as it was for a certain class of people & that was not the likes of us (well me anyway)

themadvix

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81856553#Comment_81856553

Definitely true @badmemory, but I think the escapism they offered has timeless appeal - no, kids aren't allowed to do what they did then (and the books probably exaggerated this freedom still further/weren't representative of real life for all), but I think that's the point of fiction. While I understand the need for books like those by JW, that represent more what life is like now for some, I think there's too much grittiness and real life in them - they've never appealed to me because I want (and as a child also wanted) to escape in the books I read! (To a land of dragons, ponies or magic in some cases, but also quite happily to childhood adventuring in another age - I still enjoy Swallows and Amazons! Freedom, adventure and endless summers (with perfect weather, unless you've been evacuated and happen upon a wardrobe on a rainy day)!

Greying_Pilgrim

Erm, I have just tried to quote tmv, but wanted to highlight a part of it - I couldn't? I'm a luddite, what am I doing wrong? Sometimes you don't need to quote a whole post.

Anyhoo, tmv you are my twin! I still love S&A too! And all this talk of childhood books, the one book that I was given - and it was worn and battered when I was given it, and crumbling apart by the time I lost it/binned it/passed it on, was "I had 2 ponies" by Josephine Pullein Thompson. That was about a spoilt little rich kiddo, and how she sees the light. I never had horses, never went to private school, and never spent endless summers with a chaotic, but tight family, in their ramshackled big house. But I loved that book……..

I think there is still room for 'escapism', and whether that is set in space or in a rambling rectory where things go bump in the night, doesn't matter so much. It's the language (which can be dated, and you have to have an extra level of understanding to know that), or relationships, or themes covered that engage the reader, not so much whether the book reflects the readers current status. Kids are pretty perceptive at picking up on the baddie, or the unfairness or the sadness, whether the story was written in 1969 or 2019. Some themes are universal - it's only the costumes or the setting that regularly changes. I guess that is why W. Shakespeare remains read and acted out today. Treachery, deceit, humour, valour, bravery, love - all themes just as relevant today as in the 1500's.

Greying X

badmemory

We could never allow children these days the freedom I had as a child. In the summer holidays it was out after breakfast, call for friends and back for lunch & the same after lunch. This was at primary school too. Within a few years that freedom was restricted after my younger sister was accosted, not that I knew that at the time. My friend has grandchildren of both sexes & none are allowed any freedom to just be at all. It seems a shame but inevitable.

EssexHebridean

I positively INHALED anything by EB as a child, but particularly the Famous Five - and obviously yes, I was George too!