To keep my old Enid Blyton books?

[Kyrptonite]

I'm at my DMs and in the loft there is every Enid Blyton book published. I loved them when I was younger and want to keep them for DCs. I know there's the issue of racism and sexism in there but what would be better- keep them and show DCs the attitudes of the past and how much better things are now or buy new politically correct ones?

Most of the copies are ones published in the 50s/60s I think. They're quite dog eared and DP thinks I should charity shop the lot.

So, wise MNers what do I do? Keep or charity shop?

[JamNan]

Racist, sexist nasty crap would not cross my door step. Burn them!

[Jojobump1986]

Keep. Or send to me! I bought The Magic Faraway Tree series recently & I just can't get over the name changes. It never occurred to me as a child that they were anything but old-fashioned names. The new names are just wrong. Hmph!

[MaxPepsi]

Keep

I wish I had kept all mine. Some I have like the Wishing Chair and Faraway Tree.
I re bought the Mallory Towers and St Clare series. Not as good now they are 'politically correct'

[PetiteRaleuse]

Keep. I have lots of them but am missing loads because someone thought fit to throw them out :(

[scissy]

keep - some, like the Mallory towers/st clares books haven't changed, but they'll now cost you £6-7 each to rebuy due to inflation!

[valiumredhead]

I have kept all mine along with an edition of Tom Sawyer which is also a bit of an eye opener!

[Hobbitation]

Keep. I kept my Faraway Tree books and Amelia Jane and DD1 has enjoyed reading them. If things are a bit 'old fashioned' I say so and explain it.

[DeWe]

Keep them. I've discussed things with dc when I think it's necessary. The modern ones at times don't make sense when they're trying to be PC.

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

Keep! Or send them to me :o

[XiCi]

Definately keep
Wonderful stories. I wish I had all of mine to read with my dd. I believe they've re-wriiten a lot of them and they're just not the same. All this racist/sexist talk is just rubbish. Lol at them changing Fanny's name in the magic faraway tree to Franny

[INeedThatForkOff]

YANBU. It's all about context. The classics are full of sexism, homosexuality is largely non-existent and racism is rife. Because that was the way of the world.

GCSE English Lit candidates must be able to contextualise.

[EmpressMaud]

Keep. I kept mine, and bought some new versions too.

I did find some sexism, racism, I hadn't noticed myself as a child, and would often clarify or explain, as with other books from that era, and earlier.

[HazelnutinCaramel]

Keep them!

I read them avidly as a child and as an adult, I'm not remotely racist or sexist. Are you frightened your children will be brainwashed?!

In fact, I've bought the Famous Five box set for my kids, new.

[simonthedog]

Keep. I wish my mum had kept mine.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

God, keep them! I'm currently buying them all back for my dds. I wish is kept mine.

[Andro]

Keep them! I still have all mine and dc are reading them, thoroughly enjoying them and not in the least racist etc.

[stormforce10]

keep them. Wish mum had kept all of ours though it was a big collection It may be worth getting them valued too some of them area quite rare now and may be valuable

[SnowieBear]

Keep them and trust your children! DS (nearly 7) is currently absorbed with Secret Seven adventures and has decided to start his own Secret Seven club - it will have, quite logically, 14 members, 7 boys and 7 girls.

[PetiteRaleuse]

Malory Towers has been changed. The bit where Darrell bitch slaps Alicia in the pool for ducking Mary Lou has been amended, though I can't remember what to.

Tey might have dated, but they are still great stories.

[WillowFae]

Keep. I kept all of mine (including a complete set of Famous Five). DS (8) loves them - although he hasn't ventured into the 'girlie' world of St Claire's and Mallory Towers. DD (5) loves the Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair books. We are currently on the Amelia Jane books for her bedtime stories :)

And best of all, I get to re-read them :)

[NewYearNewNagoo]

I got given a load, tried reading them to DS but they are crap. Formaulaic lazy shite.

You can get senitmental about them but she did write some rubbish.

[SilverBaubles33]

Keep them.

'Burn them'? I hope that was tongue in cheek, what a sinister comment.

Plenty of racist, classist, sexist themes in many great works of literature. Personally, I'm bringing my children up with the intelligence and experience to recognise and contextualise as such.

They're also sweet tales with themes showing the worth of morality, backbone and character that I think are timeless.

Great reads and fascinating social history. Keep without hesitation, or send then to me to join my library of old, smelly, well-loved children's books I've rescued from torch-bearing PC rewriters of history over the years!

[Kyrptonite]

I'm keeping them. They already have loads of my old books such as gobbolino and my naughty little sister. I think I just want the excuse to re read them!

[WillowFae]

I agree NewYearNewNagoo - they ARE formulaic. But to see my 8 year old engrossed in another mystery adventure is brilliant (and that's not the extent of his literature either, he has also read and loves The Hobbit, and the first of the Lord of the Rings books). Okay, there is a certain amount of sentimentality there as I remember being exactly the same as him, but I can live with that :)