Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
I loved Mr Twiddle stories so much when I was a kid, I use to have the tapes and used to listen to them over and over again. They were so fun, I knew them off by heart and laughed away because Mr Twiddle is such a silly man. My favorites included the one where he lost the dog he was suppose to be walking and instead walked an empty lead, the one where he smokes his pen and writes with his pipe and the one with the bonfire where he put all the fireworks into the bonfire and they chased everyone around.
I would so love to get these as actual books so I can relive my childhood days and read all the ones I didn't get round to listening to as a child.
Quick read through to remind me of back when the happiest moments of my childhood were when I was immersed in my large collection of Enid Blyton books. Ah the memories. xD There is no substance whatsoever to this book - just light-hearted repetitive froth. But good froth all the same. xD
What a character! Mr. Twiddle is such an adorable being. He has a heart of gold and is forever trying his best to be helpful, but he always seems to muddle things up. In reality this would be near impossible to live with, but for a book character I think it works and makes for such great tales.
Loved rereading this as an adult. A childhood favourite of mine growing up I used to spend hours and hours laughing at mr twiddles disasters he always got himself into. As an adult reading about him still made me laugh. Poor mr twiddle always getting everything wrong all the time.
Summers, reading the tales of suppandi, shikari shambu and Mr. Twiddle made my day when I was apparently 8 or 9 this also made me enter the universe of famous five and secret seven
I've read this book in Italian. Here is my review in Italian.
'Le disavventure di Mister Twiddle' è una raccolta di racconti scritti da Enid Blyton tra il 1938 e il 1941 su 'Sunny Stories', periodico per bambini creato e diretto della stessa Blyton. Si tratta del primo di tre raccolte dedicate al distratto vecchietto (le altre sono 'Don’t Be Silly, Mr Twiddle!' del 1949 e 'Well Really, Mr Twiddle' del 1953), ma le ultime due, a quanto posso verificare su internet, non sono mai state tradotte in italiano. Si tratta di racconti buffi, scritti con penna arguta e precisa, che inducono a far ridere tutti, non solo i bambini, e ricordano quanto sia bella un’ironia pulita basata sull’assurdo.
Nella lettura non posso non accostare la figura di Mr Twiddle ad un altro personaggio inglese noto per gli innumerevoli guai in cui rimane coinvolto: Mr Bean. Maldestro, smemorato, confusionario. Ma sempre animato dai migliori propositi. Con il risultato di guai sempre nuovi e imprevedibili!
Complessivamente si tratta di una raccolta divertente e simpatica. I racconti sono molto brevi (5 pagine) e scritti con dovizia di particolari. Ottimo come prime letture per i bambini (e per far divertire anche ai grandi).
The Mr Twiddle books appear to be out of print now which is such a pity. I loved these stories when I was a child and I’ve just read this book to my 5 year old. She loved the stories too and laughed out loud many times. They’re silly, but they’re meant to be. There is a few archaic phrases or words but didn’t stop my daughter enjoying the stories. I think they were first published during World War II and there’s one story where Mr Twiddle has to feel around in the dark because no one has drawn the curtains and he can’t put a light on (or light a candle) - that was the only situation that I had to try to explain. These funny stories are ideal for ages 5-6.
What a character! Mr. Twiddle is such an adorable being. He has a heart of gold and is forever trying his best to be helpful, but he always seems to muddle things up. In reality this would be near impossible to live with, but for a book character I think it works and makes for such great tales.
What a character! Mr. Twiddle is such an adorable being. He has a heart of gold and is forever trying his best to be helpful, but he always seems to muddle things up. In reality this would be near impossible to live with, but for a book character I think it works and makes for such great tales.
What a character! Mr. Twiddle is such an adorable being. He has a heart of gold and is forever trying his best to be helpful, but he always seems to muddle things up. In reality this would be near impossible to live with, but for a book character I think it works and makes for such great tales.
What a character! Mr. Twiddle is such an adorable being. He has a heart of gold and is forever trying his best to be helpful, but he always seems to muddle things up. In reality this would be near impossible to live with, but for a book character I think it works and makes for such great tales.