Antonia Forest fans please come and talk to me so I can tell you my superb AF related thing

[FrannyandZooey]

I got this for Christmas and am having such a good time reading it.

It contains loads of trivia which I didn't know, including the fact that Wade Minster (where Nicola sung her solo in End of Term) was based on Chichester Cathedral. Where I also sang a solo as a child.

I am unwarrantedly happy to discover this and know absolutely no-one in RL who would know wtf I am talking about, so am sending this out into cyberspace instead in the hope that someone will say

ooooOOOOOOOooooh

Tamzin - my sister & I used to play 'Tamzin & Rissa' when we shared a room - I was always Tamzin.

God, I am so buying this book. I rebought the school stories a few years ago during a really tough personal time when dh was first being macerated by the system (i.e. the NHS) and some good friends of mine thought it'd be jolly to start up an affair a month after she'd married his best friend. Fun times. The school books were just what I needed to take my mind of all this stuff.

Subsequently bought the 'in between' books which I'd also never read, with the weird exception of The Ready Made Family, which I couldn't relate to at all at 15.

Loved Giles. (Although not Rowan calling him Gilly - yuk). Loved Patrick even though he was clearly an arse.

And deeply in awe of F&Z for being "the Nicola" - well done you!

I was Tamzin too - my friend Kim was Rissa! We had to pretend that one very quiet small fat brown pony was both Cascade and Siani - a triumph of imagination!

My dd always wants her hair in two plais when she goes riding so that she can be like Tamzin.

bramblebooks - I looked at what I assume is your brother's site & ordered The Nightbird by Monica Edwards, which I've been looking for for ages! It arrived today, so I may not be around much for the rest of the day!
Thabnk you for the (non)link

Franny - my copy arrived yesterday and I had read it by seven o'clock. It was great, I absolutely loved it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

franny, reading about you singing in Wade Minster made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up
how cool

I have such a long list of books to buy now thanks to you

am also impressed that you sang solo in Chichester Cathedral. were you a chorister?

oh and DS's middle name is Marlow, chosen by DH from The HEart of Darkness, but also quite a good homage to Antonia Forrest as it turns out

Just ordered the Marlows & their Maker and the Monica Edwards Romney Marsh Companion - I think I may have got the last copy of the latter, as it's just disappeared from the site!

oh GOD have just noticed the mentions of Tamsin and Rissa

fab!

Oh sorry I let this thread slide off my watch list

constance i am very glad you liked it

MrsJC no just one of the few children who could just about sing at a not very musically talented school we held our Christmas concert there one year

Is it too late to ask for explanations? Sounds like Antonia Forest's books are really loved and I can't believe I've never heard of them. Could someone bear to explain:

What books there are
Which ones are for children and what age
Which are for adults
Where do you get them?

I've just looked at my library online and they've only got Autumn Term, one book!

THANK YOU SOMEONE.

Probably explains better than I could

Ohhhhh - only just seen this.

Very odd that something that was such a huge part of my childhood (used to day dream daily that I was a Marlow and Rowan was my big sister) suddenly being discussed here!.

Don't know anyone in RL who would appreciate that I have posted on the same thread as someone who sang at wade minster!

And having read thread in full I have to stand up for Ginty - Sandwiched between Ann and twins cannot have been easy and she was beautiful at a time when beauty was considered to be showy.

Attic Term grows on you, it is subtle and ended up my favourite.

RustyBear thank you so much. It is all a little clearer now. I've reserved Autumn Term and look forward to a new world to discover.

Marlows & their Maker and the Monica Edwards Romney Marsh Companion arrived today!
Now trying to decide which one to read first.....

I've just re read the first Tamzin and Rissa when I was feeling really ill over Christmas. I love Lawrence the ship wrecked sailor - I don't know why I always have. And isn't Cascade the most lovely pony. Its very interesting that Diccon want 'more salt boy' all the time - its all so laid back - now some worried woman would be having fainting fits about it. Black Hunting Whip has to be an all time fav and I love all the punchbowl series.

OMG there are other people out there like me...Hysterically excited. I didn't know there were more Forest books (I found one lurking in a very old bookshelf at school and nicked it it was like I'd found the crown jewels.) I'm definately a Nick person, Lawrie is just self centred and faintly irritating but very believable. I'm thrilled there are titles to explain the unusualness of Golden Girl getting a step family (pretty racy in those days I would have thought).

Um (says in a quiet voice) Are there any Chalet School Girls out there?

This has so cheered me up and I think I might have to spend some dosh but must go and rummage through bookshelves to see what I already have. Thank you SOOOO much for this link oh wonderful person who sang in the Minster.

Have to say husband does give me some funny looks when I'm secretly reading old pony books and school stories in bed at night. Sometimes its just hot soup for the mind.

Flyingmum, thank goodness someone has mentioned THE CHALET SCHOOL. Weren't they fantastic books? Quite educational too - a great setting and a super cast. They just went on and on didn't they? Really wonderful.

Also, LOL at your DH giving you funny looks at you reading old pony books!

I am a Chalet fan too and remember getting completely overexcited when I first found other people online who knew and cared about the Maynards & Bettanys!

Flyingmum - which pony books?

oh this has popped up again, fab

I am a big Attic Term fan as well - agree it is subtle but powerful

Which pony books. Where do I start.

Well Ruby Ferguson and the Jill series is always a favourite although they are falling to bits so husband has to put up with pages scattered all over him . Then there are the Pullein-Thompson sisters (Josephine, Christina and Diana) all of those were good - I particularly like the series by Josephine (I think) starting with 6 Ponies (I think). There was a major in it. OK memory getting a bit rusty maybe time for a re read (poor hubby . . .)

Chalet School - the only German I know comes from reading these. How they ever got teachers to teach in three fluent languages I never know - be fun to try to do it now!!! Aparrantly Elinor M Brent Dyer did try to run her own school on these lines but it crashed and burnt (real girls not being quite Mary Louish enough I fear!) The Bettany Press do reprints and stuff and there are huge write ups on each book and critical analysis of characters. There is a Chalet School society you can join. I was going to then stopped thinking it might be a bit, well, (hushed tone) weird, but now I know there are others out there I might (can't be worse than train spotting can it????). OK new question: Which Chalet School location would be the best one, ie, which era and place, to have gone to?

Did anyone else make their parents take them to the Tyrol for their holiday when they were young or was it just me?

I've not read Attic Term. I must get myself together and get a list. After all husband said I need a hobby (woman with a hobby - HA HA Ha).

By the way I also read a lot of contemporary childrens fiction. I'm reading a brilliant book set during 1660s about Puritans. Anyone interested I'll give you the title and author.

Jill rocks

she was one of my favourite heroines ever because of her self-aware first-person narration

Flyingmum, in answer to your question, definitely the Tyrol, all those lakes and mountains and the opportunity to learn the languages.