Revisiting the Chalet School

[callmemadam]

It must be years since I picked up a Chalet School book. Then, looking for something unchallenging to read, I started The School at the Chalet. Next thing I know, I’ve started a big re-read and am on the fifth book already. I’m hypercritical of these books, with their inconsistencies (even on the same page!), their bad French and German and potty

Comments

[poliphilo]

Sixty-two! The mind reels....

[callmemadam]

Yup, the first book was published in 1925 and the last, posthumously, in 1970. There have been countless reprints in hardback and paperback. Girls Gone By have recently reprinted the whole lot and prices for those copies are often higher than for the old hardbacks. EBD didn't know when to stop and the last ones aren't good. She wrote quite a few other books as well. Not quite Enid Blyton but must be close.

[huskyteer]

I'm obliged to point out that there are nearly 100 Biggles books. (An American friend recently informed me that there was no such person as WE Johns and the books were written by numerous ghostwriters, like the Hardy Boys series. I set him straight.)

[poliphilo]

'Strewth! Have you read them all?

[huskyteer]

Please write the prospectus!!

[callmemadam]

Hee! I'll think on.

[feather_ghyll]

The snippet of the prospectus made me giggle. It is ironic given the much vaunted link with the various sanatoriums and that they're meant to be careful of the girs' health that so many end up in peril. Although, in fairness, some of that is down to the length of the series, I'm sure many other school story authors would have been guilty of it if they'd written anything approaching as long a series. I envy you your full collection, I'm still a few short, and I mainly have Armada paperbacks.

[callmemadam]

That's the kind of icon I should have for these posts!
I'm sure you're right and EBD had to keep thinking up some new adventure for each book to keep readers interested.
I was lucky enough to buy most of the books when you could still pick them up at boot sales and in charity shops. I think the most I've paid for one is £10.00 at a book fair.