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?

[trixymalixy]

Keep, or send to me!!

[thebody]

Fatty was the five find outers, DaisyBets Larry and Pip!! And Fatty and Buster the dog.

Just saying!!

[Kyrptonite]

Characters have been taken out of the new ones such as the golly wog toy in Amelia Jane, the racist language has been taken out and Fanny has name changed to Franny.

I think there's more changes but I put down the 2 updated books after a few pages. I will stick with the old ones!

[Kytti]

Keep keep keep! My dd loves the old Faraway Tree ones, but I recoiled in horror at poor Fanny & Dick being re-named. I mean, it's not like the children see it. lol

[Ruebarb]

I have recently moved house and found all my Enid Blyton collection - they now have a bookcase of their own and I am re-reading them all. Had some incomplete sets and have been round the second hand book dealers to complete sets. I always buy the original versions not the PC ones. Who remembers Red dragon and Armada books!!

[GrowSomeCress]

Keep, they are amazing

[numbum]

Keep! I've kept mine. I've got Mr Galliano, Magic Faraway Tree, The Wishing Chair (DD liked the new version of these where the 'girl' from the old books was now an older woman!) and lots of Secret Seven, Famous Five.

[goldenlula]

I have my old EB books in my parent's loft. I will get them out for dd to read when she is old enough.

[ArseBandit]

Keep them!! I recently started reading The Magic Faraway Tree and Amelia Jane Again to my three kids and they love them!! Amelia Jane Again was the first "chapter" book I read when I was about 6 :) My mother used to read The Magic Faraway tree to my brother, sister and I and we would fall about laughing every time she said Dick and Fanny...so she started saying, " the...boys and...the girls" instead, because otherwise we wouldn't stop laughing hahaha!! I do hate how everything is made so politically correct these days. Put the cotton wool away, people lol!

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

Keep!!!! I loved Enid Blyton when I was a kid and have bought DS a fair few of hers (well for me really but I can pretend they are for him).

Def keep :)

[Scholes34]

I kept all mine, hoping the DCs would enjoy them, but we read different books instead - Clarice Bean, The Worst Witch, etc - so my books are now stuck in the shed.

If you do want to build up a collection of any old books, I'd suggest Ladybird books. Certainly in junior school they were a good source of information for homework. The nature and history books are great, though How it works: the Computer was a little dated and People at Work: The Miner, can now be consigned to the history section.

[Flobbadobs]

Keep! Me and DH have both kept ours so we've doubled up on some I think, we moved a few months ago so we still have some boxes of books to go through. When we do them I'll start a thread on here with a list of doubles. That way I'll know they're going to a good home!
I do know that I'll have a couple of St Clares books as I bought DD myself the new box set last week!

[hamdangle]

Keep!

I would check it first though. My mum bought an old Enid Blyton annual from Oxfam and it had a 'Three Gollies' story in it. The gollies' names are unrepeatable here - think the worst racist term. And also the stories mostly revolved around the fact that they all looked the same!!! What was even worse was the fact that the pictures aren't of toys but young black boys!!! We put it straight in the bin.

I also remember a lot of smacking.

Having said that, I loved Enid blyton and read everything I could get my hands on growing up although I hated the irritating characters like Mr PInkwhistle (was she having a joke with that name?) and Mr Meddle. I also remember being annoyed that the feisty female characters that I loved would always get beaten down like Darryl in Mallory Towers, the naughtiest girl in school and naughty Amelia Jane.

[atthewelles]

I was staying at my mother's at the weekend and there was a copy of The Naughtiest Girl in the School in my old bedroom which I took down and read. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane but certainly the book doesn't stand up to adult scrutiny - Every child's pocket money being pooled and doled out according to the judgment of two of the older kids???? Can you imagine what parents would have to say about that in RL?
I remember as a child being horrified by Elizabeth's naughty behaviour. This time my sympathies were entirely with her.

[Purple2012]

Keep! I have got all of her books in my parents loft. I don't think kids will grow up racist and sexist from reading them - I didn't.

[SneakyNinja]

keep them!

[atthewelles]

Even if you don't want your DC to read some of the more racist or class conscious ones, you might enjoy having a re-read of them yourself sometime.
There a times when a bit of nostalgia and remembering how simple life used to be can be great therapy.

[PessaryPam]

Keep, they are a window on a simpler and more Anglo-centric time.

[orangina]

I have all of mine and have been reading them with dd.... it has been useful, because we do play "spot the obvious sexism" (not difficult admittedly...), but I consider it educational for the kids..... (Of course girls can come up with good ideas darling.... and no, there is no reason why Anne has to say in the tent all day and only come out to make hot choclate for the brave boys when they return from their adventurous outing.....).

[Lovecat]

Keep!

I have my mother's copy of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories and I was horrified to discover that it contains the N word (went right over my head as a kid!) but am keeping the original (she and her sister have coloured in the b/w illustrations and written their names in it) and have bought an updated version for DD to read.

I still have my original Malory Towers books from the 70's that I think are the original text - I remember my brother getting bored as a teenager and deciding to read them - it was he who pointed out to me that EB was obsessed with spankings!

[TheBigJessie]

I had The Boy Next Door with The Treasure Hunters!

As you were, people.

[Ghostsgowoooh]

I've kept all of mine, however dd1 isn't interested in them apart from the faraway tree ones. I do sit with a cup of tea and a pack of chocolate biscuits and reread all my famous fives and st Clare books if I'm in need of comfort.

[Olgathebrickshed]

Keep. My DD is currently reading all my old Enid Byton school stories. She hasn't yet turned racist or sexist so far as I am aware.

[loopyluna]

I loved the Three Golliwogs stories (and can remember the names!) I don't think I could bring myself to let my DC read them now though!

All the adventure ones and school ones are great though and my DDs enjoy my 1970s versions as well as a few new editions that I've added to replace missing copies.