ENID BLYTON

The word prolific barely does justice to Enid Blyton, who wrote over 600 books in 40 years, among them the Famous Five and Secret Seven series. The author of this concise biography is Blyton’s agent, and he admits that, regrettably, Blyton’s many personal diaries were destroyed, so intimate snapshots of Blyton’s mind are missing from this production. The choice of Tracey Lloyd, a British female, as narrator makes it appear that Blyton is telling her own story. That in itself is confusing and made more so by the frequent use of quotes from Blyton’s letters and stories. Lloyd has a high-pitched voice and draws out some words, but overall this is pleasant listening about an inspiring writer. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]