Posted on 09/15/2003 7:41:50 AM PDT by ThinkFreedom
"OK, I don't mind being compared to her, then" - Madonna
The firm which owns the rights to Enid Blyton's works is sending Madonna a consignment of books after the mega-star said she'd never heard of her.
While launching her first children's book, The English Roses, Madonna was asked if she wanted to be the next Enid Blyton.
The 45-year-old star looked blank and asked: "Who is that? Is she good?"
It was explained that Blyton was the author of children's favourites the Famous Five and Noddy tales, but this did not help the American.
She added: "OK, I don't mind being compared to her, then."
Madge's book has been published simultaneously in dozens of languages around the world.
Blyton has sold more than 400 million books worldwide and annual sales are still around seven million, 36 years after her death.
Madonna took her two children Rocco and Lourdes - and husband Guy Ritchie - to the launch bash, held yesterday at Kensington Roof Gardens in west London.
The singer looked every inch the demure literary lady in a short-sleeved knee-length white dress with green and blue floral print and matching shoes.
She popped on reading glasses as she nestled on a wrought iron garden swing, flanked by her children, and began reading from the book.
She told her audience of children: "I'm only going to read for as long as you can sit still."
She added: "I like little kids better than big people. They don't have any bad habits yet - at least not permanent ones."
She then read from the book, which is the first of five stories to be published before the end of 2004.
All are moral tales based loosely on the teachings of Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism which Madonna follows.
Blyton may be well known to generations of UK readers, but Tony Summerfield of the Enid Blyton Society said that her popularity is not matched in Madonna's native US.
He said: "I'm not at all surprised that she has not heard of her. Madonna is American and Enid Blyton is virtually unknown in the USA.
"She had one or two books published over there in the 50s but she is just not known over there.
"We have one or two Americans in the society but they are mostly ex-pats or people who spent time over here as children."
He added that Blyton has been widely translated and is eagerly devoured by German and Japanese children.
He said however, that Blyton's popularity is waning: "Most authors say they read her as children but bookshops which used to stock her entire works now only sell a few series."
Cough...cough....she should know.
Type O'DOH, DER, and a lot of DUH! and the liberals would scarf your book right up. It would be the #1 best seller.
Liberals need to read words they can relate to.
Looks like she's going for the elitist liberal litterati look there - you can tell, she almost looks her own age...
In a brief statement, another washed up 80's has-been singer responded "Quit stealing my lines or I'll cry!"
What next? A Jewish Harry Potter? Madonna must be truly envious of the author of the Potter series!
lol
Being an over 40 lady (eeeks) I need my reading glasses! I have glasses all over the house, in the car and in my purse...but I can never find them. I asked my daughter to help me look and she began laughing at me hysterically. Turns out I had 2 pair on top of my head. sigh.
Anyway...being that Madonna is over 40 she may very well need specs. I doubt she's doing it for need though...more like to appear studious. gag and a laugh.
That's a no brainer. Literally. bwahahaha.
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