Another Antonia Forest thread

[tvaerialmagpiebin]

We haven't had one in a while.

I have just won "Attic Term" on ebay and almost got "Marlows and the Traitor" from a dealer but it turned out their website was out of date and it had sold in December. Boo hiss.

I tried to find the thread from a while back about "Nicola Merrick" the radio producer but I think it must have been in Chat because it has gone. I am re-reading all the AF books I have, in order, and it is surprising how things slip into place now. Can't believe I got "Ready-made family" for 25p in a charity shop 10 years ago and that launched me on such a fantastic discovery.

Now I have to convince my local library to get out the copy of "Run away Home" that they claim to have in the HQ store, and I will be very happy..

Also amazon marketplace

I am hoping that when GGBP get to the end of the list, they start at the beginning again .

Falconer's Lure was the first one they reprinted, so I bought it but then didn't buy Traitor as I'd read it already - the reprint of that goes for silly money on ebay now!

I eventually tracked down an affordable copy of it in German, but it misses out a few chapters of Robert Anquetil out at sea.

(My A-level german is very rusty, but it's quite an easy book to read especially if you half-remember it in English anyway.)

Am hoping GGBP reprint the school stories too - my copy of Cricket Term is just a collection of loose pages, and End of Term is not much better!

When I couldn't wait for the reprints to come out, I ended up buying the 1970s paperback versions of Peter's Room, Ready Made Family & Thuggery Affair from ebayers in Australia & New Zealand for about £10 each - don't think they were published out there though, maybe they emigrated with their owners?

Hi Miso
Good on you reading in German!

I would actually like to SEE a copy of MATT- I don't think it actually exists. I saw one on a dealer's website a few weeks ago for £100 and when I rang up about it (just in case of unexpected birthday windfall!) it had been sold two months before anyway....

I did email GGBP a while back about another print run but they said they weren't planning it. Boo.

Hmmm... maybe GGBP should get lots of emails asking for MATT to be reprinted.

Though tbf, having reprinted once, there probably isn't enough demand for another whole new print run

I wonder if the early reprints had smaller runs as they didn't realise how much demand there would be?

Judging by the prices they go for, there is plenty of demand. I may email them again just for the craic..

Oooh, this thread has really got me going now.....in the last couple of weeks I've acquired 'Peter's Room' and 'Falconer's Lure' - now on the trail of 'Run Away Home' and 'The Ready-Made Family'. Have already more or less given up hopes of MATT, as barely anyone seems to have set eyes on this semi-mythical title! I too might email GGB, just to let them know there's a demand out there.

I suspect the only hope otherwise is to have one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments of wandering into an obscure charity-shop somewhere and stumbling across a copy....it can happen, I guess. After all, I found 'End of Term' and 'Attic Term' both for 10p, within the last 2 years...

RMF on ebay for £27 at the mo, Mrs Dickens......

Well done on your recent acquisitions.
I am on the hunt for RAH now, like you I have pretty much given up on MATT.

Was at a charity day today with a brilliant "fill a bag of books for 50p" stall but sadly no Marlows lurking there.....

Still reading this thread which I've only just spotted - coupleofkooks, I love your username, I played that song all the time to both my babies.

Puffin Books were sold in Australia and NZ as well, I think, a lot of them have all the prices on the back.

Wow, I own The Marlows and the Traitor. It's ex library (as are a lot of my kids' books) as Leeds where I come from used to do big library sales, so I don't suppose it's worth £100, but when I do my Antonia Forest reread, that one will have to be read at home so I don't lose it on the tube, and kept away from babies/possible accidents. I have the 4 school books, 3 Puffin and one ex-library hardback, and 4 of the others.

elkie, don't bet on it not being worth £100. If it is hardback it might be worth more! It amazes me how much all the books go for. I suppose there were so few editions, so there are not many copies about. I wonder how many MATT in the original print run?

I have ex-library MATT, Peter's Room, Falconer's Lure and RMF.

Thanks to my mother who made it her mission years ago to bag quality books that were shamefully being sold off by the local libraries.

Though actually Peter's Room and Falconer's Lure are in storage until I can go through all the boxes of books packed during our move here in... only 2005!

Between us all we must have several full sets. We could make a fortune (but I will never sell mine...)

MATT is probably my least favourite - although I do like Nicola's relationship with Robert Anquetil and I have a sneaking admiration for Foley.
As a child it was quite refreshing to find a villen who wasn't Enid Blyton style out and out bad.

Regarding book finds, I found End of Term, Autumn Term and Attic Term for about 10p each (several years ago) but the others cost me DH more.

villain

Just posting this - lots pf AF books available!

A copy of MATT is on Ebay:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1604 84782940&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123
£6.20 at the moment.... with 9 days to go!

Sorry - here is the link

Thanks Rosie - wow! It's at £32 now

lankyalto - I have a copy of MATT, I will lend it to you if you want. CAT me.

Just passing on the love CoupleofKoors

CoupleofKooks, sorry

I have a lot of typos on this thread, it is because AF threads make me over excited and I type too fast.

Ooh I won MATT on ebay!
I read it in a sitting last night, I really loved it. It is a great spy story as well as a Marlow story.

I had expected not to be all that bothered by it, but I enjoyed it a lot, lots of suspense and some insights into Peter's and Nicola's characters.

And I liked Robbie too. An AF Spook!

So glad it was you who won it...and for not too ridiculous a price! Do you have the complete works now?

I love Robbie.

Nicola will marry him in later life.

Possibly.