| December 23, 2006 – fler says: In The Enchanted Wood there are two girls called Bessie and Fannie and one boy called Joe, though his name is spelt as JO which I thought was only the girl's way of spelling it! I mean it's a bit confusing really! |
| February 16, 2007 – Jenna Mckeown says: They've actually changed the names completely, I'm gutted!! It's now Joe, Beth, Frannie and their cousin 'Rick'. I mean come on, it was the 30s, no-one was called Rick!!! Also, in The Enchanted Wood, it's now 'Dame Snap' who yells loudly. I don't see why all this should be changed, it's made me extremely grumpy!! |
| February 17, 2007 – John Howes says: You have the PC brigade to thank for that, Jenna. Frannie and Rick, formerly known as Fanny and Dick, were given their new names because their old ones are now more commonly used as slang words for genitalia (and buttocks, if you're American). "Bessie" was replaced by "Beth" because "Bessie" (or "Bess") is believed by some to be a stereotypical name for black women (usually impoverished, overweight prostitutes from Harlem, New York) and therefore carries racist overtones. "Dame Slap" is now "Dame Snap", and punishes misbehaviour by yelling at the culprits rather than slapping them, because we can't allow corporal punishment in children's books any more - it would be much too traumatic for the little dears, or maybe it will lead impressionable adult readers to believe that child abuse is acceptable. I'm not sure why Jo's name had to be changed to Joe, but my best guess is that it's more common these days for "Jo" to be a nickname for girls' names such as "Joanna" and "Josephine", and we don't want any readers getting ideas that Jo(e) is a transvestite. |
| March 6, 2007 – jane stanley says: I read all three books the other day. Fortunately, original versions. I don't think I could handle Jenna, Frannie and Rick. What's next, satellite face? Presumably the PCs haven't yet made the connection with bare buttocks. This series has to be the most imaginative EB ever wrote and now it's being marginalized by idiots. |
| March 7, 2007 – John Howes says: Just for the record, jane stanley, the Faraway Tree children's altered names are Joe, Frannie and Rick (and Beth), not Jenna, Frannie and Rick. Jenna was one of the people who had previously made a comment about this. By the way, isn't it somewhat ironic that the word "mispelt" in the topic heading is itself misspelt? |
| March 18, 2007 – jane stanley says: John and Jenna -- Sorry about the Jo/e faux pas, it's my age. |
| March 29, 2007 – Paul says: Can anyone explain the story behind this - and is there any chance of the original versions resurfacing any time soon? Dame Slap/Snap is just sad - it was the '40s and smacking children was accepted - ultimately, we can't judge people from a bygone era by standards of our own times. History (and it is history that we are talking about) always has a context. |
| April 1, 2007 – Margaret Colley says: As I'm intending to replace my disintegrated copies, I'd like to know which, if any, current publishers have stuck with the original characters' names. Or must I hunt around for prehistoric copies? And (just scanning up the posts), the word 'irony' is defined as the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. For example "Isn't it wonderful that there is always a pedant out there to correct peoples' misspellings and grammar?" |
| April 2, 2007 – Jeni says: Heh! Heh! Wow - what a lot of nitpicking over a 'couple of names' in books! I agree with the gist of the above posts - it's absolutely ridiculous to change the original names of characters, just because today the names mean something else! The author didn't have anything 'obscene' in mind when the original characters were created and named. John Howes 2/17/07's post is both HILARIOUS and appropos! Way to go, John! Your post made me laugh (Seeing me laugh by myself made my menagerie of pets (my 8 finches, 1 dog and 2 cats) look at me funny, wondering why "Mom" is laughing to herself!) On a more serious note however, I'm a professional artist and if anybody dares take it upon him/herself to pick up a paintbrush and 'change' anything on one of my paintings without my knowledge, somebody is looking for broken fingers! (I wouldn't seriously do that, but the thought of it is sorely tempting!) |
| April 18, 2007 – John Howes says: To Margaret Colley: most of the time, and especially when using the internet, I suppress my pedantic urges and don't point out spelling or grammatical errors (assuming I notice them in the first place); in this case, it was the fact that the incorrectly-spelled word was the word "misspelt" that I couldn't resist mentioning. (Oops, I guess I'm being pedantic again. ) And thanks, Jeni - I'm glad you enjoyed my earlier message. |
| June 14, 2007 – Charn says: I think its a crying shame that an albeit small part of our history has been replaced with a more politically correct alternative. I read the original version to my children. I grew up hearing about Jo, Bessie, Fanny, Dick and Connie - I wouldn't have it any other way. Luckily my 80's versions of the books are still in good condition. Margaret Colley - why don't you try eBay for newer (original) versions of the books? :) |
| January 3, 2009 – Maria says: Golly gosh, have they changed the names? How silly! I mean, no kid is going to think twice about Fanny or Dick (I didn't!) and even if they do, they'll just have a good giggle (as I did later on when I was older and wiser :-). I loved the Faraway Tree series. All the different Lands at the top of the tree, fabulous! And all the different characters who lived in the Tree! Just what kids love to read about. Blyton's a genius! |
| January 14, 2009 – Sophie says: One thing that really annoys me, name changing! They don't need to change the name, I think that people understand that the names were from a different era, when those names were acceptable so it's understandable why the names were spelt like that in the first place. I need to do some spring cleaning, hey fatty? |
| March 6, 2009 – sophie says: I think that having the names how they are suppose to be, fits you into the time category more, and you realise that they are meant to be fitted into a time period that had names like that - not modern names. |
| January 13, 2010 – Michelle says: I think it would be nice to have a more updated version, although I can't really see the need to replace the names, my 4 year old seems quite happy and content with all the names, lands etc. But he will end up going to school and offending someone!!! with how queer!! and how happy and gay he is feeling!! I did consider editing it as I read the story but in actual fact I haven't and he is beside himself with excitement waiting for the next chapter. If this is what we have I will read it anyway and I am enjoying it too and look forward to doing all again next year when my 3 year old has a little more imagination ;-). |
| August 8, 2010 – Christina T. says: I don't recall reading these books as a child but as an adult I am outraged that this is happening. What next? To Kill a Mockingbird uses the "N" word 48 times. Are they going to rewrite this book too? |
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Bets says: Probably not, To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some alterations! |
| August 14, 2010 – TheLadyDiablo says: I looked at the PC version of the Famous Five in the 90's and it's the same. All whiny and PC. They have no right to do this to our beloved author's books! I really resented the change in "Five Go to Billycock Hill" when George's original "He was so British" was PC'd to "He was so honest" and Dick's "Traitors deserve to die" was removed. Egad, it was a different era! |
| August 19, 2010 – Padré says: I'm surprised that the PC brigade haven't changed Fatty's name, on the grounds that this may make kids think it's all right to call overweight people names! |
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Fatty says: I have a feeling that in one version, he was renamed Freddie! |
| August 20, 2010 – Spitfire says: Freddie??? Ugh, what sort of name is that for a budding detective? I know Fatty didn't particularly like being called Fatty but I think he would have thrown a fit at being called 'Freddie'!! |
| August 24, 2010 – Maxine says: Enid Blyton is great. I do like Dame Slap though- she is funny, and fierce. The Faraway Tree is a marvellous book, but the Malory Towers' series is the best of what Enid Blyton had written. Did Enid Blyton purposely do the names; Fanny and Dick? They are so alike, I can't help thinking she did it purposely, but it might have actually been a name in the olden days. |
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Bets says: Fanny and Dick were both common names when the Famous Five books were written. |
| September 25, 2010 – Sam says: Spitfire, Fatty did!!!! actually, in the Mystery of the Secret Room, he signs "Freddie", in the letter he is forced to write to the Find Outers to alert them to the fact that he was captured. Of course, there was another letter in invisible ink on the same page!!! |
| September 26, 2010 – jemma says: Hi this probably sounds really dumb but what are PC versions? By the way I agree I think its ridiculus to change the names whats the point. And the point about Dame Slap - Dame Snap. I mean you read hundreds of books set in the past with slapping why change Enid Blyton's version! |
| September 27, 2010 – rogoz says: Hi Jemma - briefly there are two schools of thought - those who wish to see all Blyton's work as original text. They maintain 'classics' should not need any changes. The other [ the Politically Correct publishing ] school says text must be relevant to today's kids, many of whom can't even read properly and at least need to understand without further explanation. The publishers replace outdated words and cull practices such as physical punishment. Editing takes time and money so they don't do it for nothing, although I must say sometimes the end result looks a bit hacked if you think Blyton is 'fine literature'. |
| September 29, 2010 – Yared says: Though wouldn't children these days be confused with such names as 'DIck' 'Fanny' and 'Dame Slap'? |
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Fatty says: I think children have more savvy than we credit them for. |
| September 30, 2010 – rogoz says: Anne McNeil, publishing director of Hodder Children's Books, discussed the latest changes back in July 2010. I sort-of paraphrased her forgetting I had the article already on my PC [the other PC! ]. |
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Fatty says: The link you provided didn't work, rogoz. I've searched The Guardian and found this article. I take it that that is the one to which you refer, rogoz. |
| September 30, 2010 – rogoz says: I must have cut and pasted slightly wrong. Yes - that is the Guardian link. Re poor readers - the Times reported August 4, 2009 that "A quarter of boys and 15 per cent of girls left primary school this year unable to read and write properly, government figures show today". |
| April 29, 2011 – Darcy says: I agree they should not change the names. In Malory Towers first term Darell slaps Gwendoline in the swimming pool but then they change it to "scolds" and it's really annoying! Even if there are some racist names in Blyton books it doesn`t matter because it was what they said back then! And I dont see why they need to remove the word "gay" it doesn`t always mean men stuff it can also mean happy! I really dislike the people that changed Blyton's books. |
| June 14, 2011 – Shakira says: I dislike the politically correct changes made to Enid Blyton books. For heavens sake, a child will not be damaged forever if a reference to a slap is made! I especially hate the changes made to the Faraway Tree books. Joe, Frannie, Beth and Rick! In some ways, Frannie is worse than Fanny! What about 'Goodnight Mister Tom'? That is considered a children's classic, but the main character is called 'Willie'. Do they change it? No! I am against changing the authors text. |
| June 29, 2011 – cara says: I'm 17 now and read Enid Blyton books obsessively when I was younger. Most were second hand so had the original names and I did not see anything wrong with them. When reading books now with characters named Dick or Fanny I can't see any problem, because I was so used to those names. I think that changing the names just increases the meaning that those words have now. |
| December 29, 2011 – Miranda says: I hope Enid's ghost haunts all the people responsible for this editing! Our Enid would never have accepted such desecration of her beloved works. |
| March 22, 2013 – david heaton says: I cannot believe that I saw a CD of the Fareaway Tree with reference to Dame Tickle Come on I loved Dame Slap when I was a kid and a good slap did no one any harm. |
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Bets says: I've not heard that one before -- that is such a shame! |
| March 23, 2013 – colette says: Dame Tickle? Did someone think of that through 'slap and tickle'.? I'm surprised that was allowed as it suggests a teacher is tickling children. |
| July 12, 2013 – KC says: This makes me so sad. I grew up on these books over 20 years ago. I understand the reasonings behind these changes and acknowledge that the nostalgia that I have make me feel strongly towards this. However, as a teacher (and hopefully maybe one day a parent) there are so many other things I think are/can be lost with all of this revision. I see so many ripe opportunities and teachable moments through the very authentic means of read aloud times in the original, in tact versions of the book. -the outdated phrases, slang and names offer another means to help young children get a better grasp of and make connections with history, change and sense of time that they are already experiencing ("before things were like that, now things are like this", "before you used to sleep in a crib, now you sleep in your big boy bed", "before your sister used to babble, now she says actual words", "before you used to cry when you wanted something, now you're older and it is more appropriate and desirable for you to use your words to talk") and even how some changes that are now occurring have been good and helpful -terms that were once common place and are now considered offensive (queer, gay, Fannie, Dick) give PARENTS the opportunity to discuss these things with kids long before they get to the playground and learn them in inappropriate ways from their peers -the whole deal with Dame Slap is an excellent opportunity to talk about hitting/violence and even possibly a good lead in about physical touch in general (the appropriateness of physical violence in your home, amongst siblings, amongst peers, the appropriates of any sort of physical touch amongst siblings, peers, and adults towards them). As a teacher, I know parents feel differently about these things and if I were a parent I'D want to be the one to address these things and set the standard for my kids before some teacher taught/introduced something I'd have to reteach/backtrack on. And how fun was it to read (or watch) a story from another land/time/era (even if make believe) with new terms, phrases and concepts? Did no one else enjoy learning a new word or way of saying something from long ago or just getting a glimpse of understanding into life before it was only what we knew? Did we really struggle and get tripped up on Winnie the "Pooh"? Wasn't it helpful reading Mother Goose Rhymes and learning about synonymns and words that aren't used as often but and expand vocabulary (nimble, quick, porridge, curds, whey, pied, peck). I wonder if in this world with so many more things to know than when we were growing up we sell children short in keeping up by trying to make things too simple at times in their lives when they are ripe for beginning to understand and catch on to the fact that the world is rapidly changing and knowledge is expanding. Yes, there's something to be said for relevance but I think when we skip straight to revision because "times have changed" we can really miss out on the ways these changes and outdates can be so advantageous to parents/adults in helping children navigate these much murkier waters of growing up and relating to a much different way of life than the one we encountered. Sorry this is so long. I can understand why people would want to change some things. Thankfully libraries abound with a lot of the newer, more modern books but I'm one of those people who will be on the hunt for the originals because I think some of these hurdles political correctness is pushing us towards unnecessarily bypass the sweet gift of the exercise that can enable adults wanting to help children successfully grow up and adapt to a world that's developing so quickly right before our eyes and is vastly different than the one we were used to. |
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Fatty says: Thank you for your most interesting comment - a view that is shared my many. There have been many such discussions on the Enid Blyton Society Forums. If only publishers could think like this. An explanatory note could be printed at the start of the book explaining differences in meaning. Imagine if Jane Eyre or Oliver Twist were updated to relate to today's values and attitudes.... |
| July 15, 2013 – Jeni says: And I totally agree with KC. All these so called "changes" have not done much good for the betterment of mankind. In my opinion people were so much happier, when life was so much simpler back then. Today everything and every one - is forced to be politically correct, or risk a huge backlash. |
| August 21, 2013 – john mazlin says: It's about time EB non vandalised editions made a comeback, and that means from Noddy up. It's getting harder and more expensive to source genuine editions - I notice some "Enid Blyton" books are not even written by EB. But just use the trademark. Most children naturally attempt to enter any genuine EB world as fully as they can, and the genius of Blyton is in helping them, and well chosen names are part of that help. Perhaps those that try to modify and improveworks of art are those that could not enter these worlds either as a child or adult. |
| August 25, 2013 – Jinx says: Hi all! enjoying the forum posts and been lurking around a while! :D I just got back from a flea market today in rural France and of all things found the set of Malory Towers in English!! They come from the late 70s and early 80s and I also remember reading all the ones published in the 50s and 60s when they were given to me by MUCH older cousins and aunts back in the day! I can`t seem to spot any differences between these two lots (the originals and the 70s and very early 80s versions), did all these PC changes start happening them as well (and I`m just blind and missed them) or only in the late 90s 2000s? |
| November 5, 2013 – Tinky says: Hello, y'all! I am feeling pleased, because I have managed to purchase an old copy of one of the EB mystery series. (A fifties one). For not a bad price. A longing for the unedited versions seems to push the price up, not surprisingly. Take courage! |
| January 5, 2014 – Janet says: I have just bought a revised version of Malory Towers book and I intend to take it back. I did not realised it was a revised version and was horrified to find some words like 'trustable' for trustworthy and 'dormie' for dorm. This is worse than dumbing down. These words are not in any dictionary I can find. |
| February 10, 2014 – Ella Pepper says: Why couldn't they just leave the names? I mean only sensible people read these books! I'm 11 and Aunt Fanny is in the Famous Five, but I don't go telling my friends 'Hey look! Her name is Fanny! ' Only real, genuine people read these books! They don't need to change there names because of slang these days, but anyways about not using real words, Enid, the amazing Enid, used her imagination, which is not a crime at all! It makes the books fun and exiting! -Ella Pepper :) |
| April 16, 2014 – Saucepan's Mother says: I'm nearly 13, and read the majority of Enid Blyton's work when I was five or six, and read most of them in their original texts, and didn't think twice about names until I got a brand new faraway tree omnibus from WHSmith's with the revised names, and was confused about the name changes until my mum explained that the publishers had changed them. Later on, looking at both editions, I had a giggle, as all nine-year-olds are wont to do, but I doubt that I have been lastingly harmed by the word "slap" in a kids book, or dick and fanny as names, as I knew that most words had become rude since the author wrote them , though the PC brigade still keep trying to change them, I doubt most homosexual people would be offended by the word gay in a completely different context, or parents be offended by their children knowing that corporal punishment used to be acceptable. |
| April 30, 2014 – John says: As a child I loved Enid Bylton's books. I am 64 years old and fanny and dick were used as slang by kids back when I was young with exactly the same meaning as today. Nobody that I knew would give these names in a book a second thought, they were simply names. We went to school with kid's named Dick, although the name Fanny was from an older generation. I believe most kids understand that words can have multiple meanings. |
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Fatty says: Not forgetting Wee Willie Winkie! |
| May 5, 2014 – Paul says: The shillings and sixpences and ha'pennies and half-crowns have all been changed to decimal currency. It's ridiculous. Kids will ask if they don't understand something in a book, and then you can explain to them about 'old money', so they actually learn something about the past. Also, I presume kids reading books set in America get their heads around dollars and cents so why can''t they be allowed to read about old English money? |
| January 11, 2015 – Evie M says: What is a half'-crown? |
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Daisy says: Half a crown was the old British currency, before the money system was decimalized. It was two shillings and sixpence. One shilling is now 5 new pence and six pence was half on a shilling, so it is now a bit easier for you to work out what that is in todays currency. |
| January 12, 2015 – Evie M says: I really can't be bothered to work that out, I hate maths. English is much better. Not very surprising since I love reading. MATHS GIVES ME A HEADACHE. |
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Daisy says: Simple really, Evie. I've done the work for you. One shilling is 5 pence so two shillings will be 10pence. Half of 5pence is 2 and a half, so the total in new money is 12 and a half new pence. Half a crown bought you a Blyton paperback when I was your age. What will 12 and a half new pence buy you these days!!! |
| January 12, 2015 – Evie M says: Oh thank you :) :) 12 and a half pence won't buy much today, would it :) |
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Fatty says: This is why it is absurd to keep updating the books. Half a crown was a lot of money when I was 12! |
| January 12, 2015 – Evie M says: To be honest, I had never really noticed the money updates before. But I agree, all other changes are ridiculous. I read somewhere that it is so 'modern kids' will get into reading EB! That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my whole dumb life! I'm a 12 year old 'modern kid' and I love EB! I far prefer her books to modern books! I think they should be kept the way they are!!!!!! |
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Daisy says: So do I, Evie. |
| January 14, 2015 – Paul says: As Daisy and Fatty have mentioned, Evie, inflation over the years has drastically weakened the purchasing power of small amounts of money. Even in the U. S. , 50 dollars today has the equivalent purchasing power of 20 dollars in 1983. Of course, the Blyton bowdlerisers often don't take inflation into account when updating the money. |
| January 15, 2015 – Evie M says: Don't get mad at me but I can see why the 'rude' names were changed. I don't have a problem with that, either. I do not find rude words funny so I can read an original Blyton and not start giggling, but trust me if I gave a copy of an original Blyton to one of my school friends they would probably laugh their head off. Publishers probably realise that most kids are sensible but there will be those who will just laugh and/or find it really rude and they probably want to avoid that. Words such as queer, though, should not be changed that is how people spoke in those days! any other updates are unacceptable! Jo changed to Joe is also ridiculous. LEAVE EB BOOKS ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| January 27, 2015 – Farwa says: What's wrong with the name "Fannie"? |
| January 28, 2015 – Evie M says: Umm, I'd better not answer that, kids go on this website. |
| September 12, 2015 – Phoebe says: I'm sure there are many, many people out there today whose names really are Bessie, Fanny and Dick. Should we insist they all change their names, lest they offend someone inadvertently? In fact, I also know someone whose name is Gay. How thoughtless of her not to change her name to Happy. |
| September 13, 2015 – Evie M says: It's not that it offends people it's just that now words have other meanings so to be called Fanny or Dick just seems really rude to loads of people and to me it's just like they're called a rude word. And is Gay an actual name!? Not because it's offensive I just didn't know it could be used as a first name. |
| September 13, 2015 – Phoebe says: I think Gay used to be quite a common girl's name back when it's usual meaning was happy, a bit like the name Joy. When I read the Faraway Tree books I was probably about six or seven and to be honest I had no idea about the slang meanings of the names and I think the same would be true of many children. It just seems so ridiculous that they've changed all these names when there are still plenty of people out there who really are called those names! I'm particularly annoyed about Bessie becoming Beth as it feels like they're just trying to modernise that name. I know somebody said Bessie has racist connotations in the USA but that can't be the reason they changed Bessie's name - very few people in the UK must have heard of that! |
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Buster says: I agree, Phoebe. Changing certain names isn't really necessary at all. We must remember that many of these books by Blyton were written over 70 years ago. |
| September 14, 2015 – Evie M says: Yes I'm from UK and haven't heard it but I think it was right to change Dick and Fanny. |
| September 17, 2015 – Tom.C.G says: How come? What's so rude about having the name Dick or Fanny? My cousin is called Dick. |
| December 28, 2015 – Paul Austin says: As mentioned elsewhere, the real reason Bessie was changed was not racism, but rather that Bessie has fallen out of usage as a nickname for Elizabeth. Most Elizabeths today would be Beth or Liz. Bets is another nickname for Elizabeth that has fallen out of usage since Enid's era. |
| January 11, 2016 – Tom.C.G says: So where's the problem in having the name Dick or Fanny or whatever?? Some of you have said most kids would think they're offensive or rude names but I'm fourteen and have 'never' heard of anything rude about them names. I even asked some kids in my class and they were astonished to think they were rude names. So can someone tell me how they're rude please. |
| June 14, 2016 – Lyn says: I do think changing the names is ridiculous at this point. I'm twelve myself and I never heard of the other definitions of the names Dick or Fanny. However when I brought a Famous Five book to school one of my friends had a laugh over the name Dick but I doubt that they'll be bothered about the names once they're reading the story, EB's books are too good to pass up on reading just because they have some outdated names that mean silly things now. I also think that they shouldn't change some of the more older words that aren't used so much anymore because the words gave me a larger vocabulary which by the way helped me a ton in school. I don't think that reading about someone getting slapped would ever make a kid think child abuse is accepted. |
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Buster says: I agree with you, a lovely posting. |
| April 29, 2017 – Paul says: Removing Blyton characters smoking pipes, cigars and cigarettes is silly as there is no need to hide that almost everyone smoked in Blyton's day. What's next, adding a bunch of PETA-esque animal rights activists protesting Mr Galliano's Circus? |
| April 28, 2018 – Vibha says: Yes also in the St Clare's series, Carlotta slapping Mirabel had been changed to Carlotta stepping on her toe. CARLOTTA STEPS ON HER TOE. Oh that's so violent! Really? And in Claudine at St Clare's at the end somebody's VEST is found on Mirabel's head, not someone's BLOUSE. And what's up with changing the currency with modern ones? I'd like to know more about shillings and ha'pennies, but now I can't because it's changed to pounds. They were written in the times where names like Fanny and Dick were popular names, changing it to Frannie and Rick just loses the originality. Please, it was written in the 40's. Maybe no one has those names now, but they did in the 40's. I'd like to read the original editions of Enid Blyton books but I suppose they've all been changed to suit the'modern' readers. If they change it back we can get the essence of her books back. |
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Fatty says: Couldn't agree more. |
| April 29, 2018 – Paul Austin says: So, they think that girls don't wear blouses anymore? |
| April 29, 2018 – Paul Austin says: I wonder if they've fixed the plot hole about that governess of Gwen's! Gwen's nearly twenty and at school for ten months of the year, so why in the name of the dead gods of Krypton is the governess still employed by the Laceys? |
| May 30, 2018 – PresuminEd says: We had bashed-up, possibly first editions of Blyton when I was a kid, obviously with all the original references. I have to admit that Dame Slap terrified me and the enduring memory still freaks me out a bit. We used to run around the house shouting: "Damn Slap! Damn Slap! " at each other, the low-grade cursing designed to make her even more scary ;) And even in the 70s we laughed at the names Fanny and Dick. Despite all this, I think - as in the case of Huck Finn - the originals should be published - but maybe with explanatory forewords citing the historical context. |
| May 31, 2018 – Karen Cobb says: I'm in the process of checking my newly bought Kindle versions of St Clare's against my old paperbacks. I am NOT prepared to accept the pointless revisions, so I'm editing them in Calibre. I'll be reading these version for the next 30 or so years, so it's worthwhile. The most pointless revision I've found so far: Tessie put Blackie the cat into the cupboard to scare Miss Kennedy. This has now been changed to Sooty. Because obviously no-one calls their black cat Blackie anymore, right. |
| November 12, 2018 – Joanna says: Whats wrong with the name Dick? I have an Uncle Dick I wouldn't call him Uncle Rick just to sound more polite. |
| November 15, 2018 – Joanna says: Paul have you heard about "old retainers"? they are much loved elderly servants (usually nannies or governesess) who are too old to work so the family keeps them on and looks after them. Plus poor Miss Winter had to put up with madam and her hissy fits. The Lacey's owed her big time. |
| May 15, 2019 – Paul says: People in the past don't know they are living in the past. They think they are living in the present. And they cannot see into the future. That is why decisions must be assessed on what they would have known. Not what we know 80 years into the future. |
| June 5, 2019 – Henry Wadworth says: Let me know what you're drinking, Paul, and I will try some. |
| August 28, 2019 – Tom M says: A famous author (George Orwell) once said "He who controls the past, controls the future; and he who controls the present, controls the past." However, there is no boogeyman who is in complete control of the present. Therefore, there has to be some way we concerned fans could digitally preserve the original texts. That's the least we could do for Blyton, right? |
| September 11, 2019 – Hammy says: I agree, Tom. I do what Karen (May 31, 2018 ) did, "undo" the changes the publishers make. I have many EB books, so when I am aware of any changes, I'd strike out the printed words with a pencil and write the original words on top (like George in Famous Five #2 wearing jeans, one of the posts in this forum said that it was supposed to be a skirt). Also, I've read many posts here asking for advice in getting copies of EB books with original wording. So I think the original text won't "die out", so to speak. |
| April 29, 2020 – Roxanne Noronha says: When I heard about this and realized that a few books which I actually own too have been revised and edited etc. My blood was boiling. How how how do people think they have the right to change an author's original text???? It completely ruins the whole point of knowing what it was like in the olden days and going back in time. Changing names and words and phrases; what next?! I've read almost every Enid Blyton book since I was 5 years old and can confirm that little children don't even have certain ideas in their heads which would lead to them becoming racist just because they read certain texts that showed what it was like in the 40s and so on. It's mostly the damn adults who want to just stir up drama. It is just plain wrong to edit her books and should be illegal in my opinion! It is so hard and expensive to buy her original non edited books, especially here in India and it really enrages me when I hear pseudo intellectuals talking about how racist and sexist she was. They should realize that she wrote books from different perspectives than all of us and not everyone has the same bloody opinions. |
| May 1, 2020 – June Johns says: What would Enid *do* if she could come back to life now and see the editing of her stories? |
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Buster says: She may agree, as she would certainly not like to offend anyone with words that are now out of date. |
| June 13, 2020 – June Johns says: Enid would want to cause the least harm and offence to children that she could so I think Buster is right. |
| December 20, 2020 – June Johns says: Some of the edits were done when Enid was alive (King to Queen, London Airport to Heathrow Airport) so I don't think she would have objected to changing her stories to make them readily accessible to later generations of children. |
| November 2, 2021 – Jeannie says: I was wandering around a beautiful book shop this afternoon searching for something to read to my children. They are 5 and 7. I spotted “The Faraway Tree” and picked it up, immediately full of nostalgia from my youth. I was surprised and not surprised that the names had been changed to fit our now ‘uniform’ society. I’m still really looking forward to reading it to them. I am sure they will both love and enjoy the stories regardless of the name changes, especially as they know no different. I must say, even as a child my brother and I would always giggle at the names Fanny and Dick because even in the 90’s they were taboo words in our home. |
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Daisy says: I hope you enjoy reading the book and the lovely memories it may bring back. |
| November 18, 2022 – Nicholas May says: I recently found my old books and sat for a few minutes to read the first chapter of The Magic Faraway Tree. I really enjoyed it. It filled me with fond memories of spending time with my mother learning to read. I decided to buy a new copy of the book and I am extremely upset that the characters have been changed. The original names are in context for the time. The language and character roles reflected the generation and time. I will return the new version and dig out the original version I have from 1971. I'm a teacher and hate the idea of manipulating the text to fit modern times. Teachers should take the opportunity to discuss the differences in society and the changes in culture. Please reprint an original version for those who value it. |
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Daisy says: I don't think the publishers would now print the 'once' original text, Nicholas. Times change and so does text, and these days wording has to be PC. I agree that Enid's books were written when times were much different from today, and if you want to buy Enid's original text then many second hand books can be found on Ebay and antique book shops. |
| November 24, 2022 – Nigel says: I couldn't agree with you more, Nicholas. However, as Daisy says, it is highly doubtful that a modern edition would come out with Dame Slap et al. It is odd as Tom Brown's Schooldays still retains beatings and bullying. |
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Fatty says: It's a wonder I am still referred to as Fatty! |
| February 19, 2023 – Paul Secker says: My little girl is now 3 and I found this post when trying to find out if the Faraway tree series are still too young for her to have read at bedtime. I loved these stories as a child and want to share this love as my children love books. Fortunately I had heard about the changes before purchasing, so with time to spare I now have now bought all the books from eBay (published in the early seventies as were those I read(I am an older dad)). I hope my children love them as I did. Should I consider something in the books old fashioned it will enable discussion and learning after reading. Not sure if the Famous Five will be as easily available in good condition from the same time but I am sure a book should not have the author’s literature changed to suit the day, so I will endeavour to find them if the Faraway tree books are enjoyed. |
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Daisy says: Hope you enjoy reading them to your children. Many of the original text can be found on Ebay and the books are also available when searching in antique book shops. |
| February 25, 2023 – Barbara Cox says: The golliwogs thing has not made a huge impact on me because I haven't read new editions of the books since those changes have been made. I know people have found the portrayal of golliwogs racially insensitive and I'm not best placed to comment on that, but I do think other changes made to Blyton have been very much a disservice to the stories. In the first Malory Towers book, for example, Darrell Rivers originally 'slaps' the manipulative and cruel Gwendoline quite hard; in the recent reissues this is amended to 'scolding' her. Darrell is probably Blyton's most nuanced heroine and to have her temper tantrums toned down like this feels disappointing - to have a protagonist with a flaw who makes mistakes and apologises is so much more powerful than a protagonist whose 'failings' were never that serious to begin with. Currency change can sometimes make it easier for modern readers to identify, but then inflation needs to apply as well - and it's such an undermining of young readers to imagine they won't understand that money has been different at different times in history. Dame Slap was scary and - despite the fantastical surroundings - real. Dame Snap is not. She is a sanitised version of a bad guy, and young readers are very prepared for very evil bad guys. They don't need their villains made nicer. 'Spiffing' has been out of fashion for many decades, and yet many decades of readers have still understood this phrase (and others) from the context. There is a difference between 'I use this word regularly in ordinary conversation' and 'I understand what this is from the context' and we need to appreciate that even child readers can distinguish between these two things, rather than presume they're stupid. As for the character name changes, one that annoyed me most was a book (I think the Adventurous Four) where two girls called Mary and Jill (nice, timeless names) were updated to Zoe and Pippa. Which were outdated at the time of the updating; to me they felt like names of people in about their 20s, not 10-12! That one infuriated me, it was so pointless and made the books date more than if it'd been left alone. |
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Fatty says: Couldn't agree more, Barbara. |
Enid Blyton
The Official
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Keith Robinson