Friday, July 28, 2006

THE BEST OF GIRL

Publishing News is getting geared up to the Christmas market and today the following appeared --

“For girls growing up in 1950s Britain, Girl was essential reading. Each week there’d be another gripping instalment of “Susan of St Bride’s: Nurse of the Year”; advice column “Mother Tells You How” would provide wise words on how to care for goldfish. The Best of Girl is a fascinating window on this hilariously wholesome bygone age.”

Okay, hands up all those “Medical” authors who were St Bride’s fans! My personal favourite was Belle of the Ballet – it was the unfulfilled ballet dancer in me, I imagine.

I wanted to stand on my "pointes". I wanted a pair of those bright red tap shoes (there’s a secret part of me that still does!), but while I was denied few things, dancing lessons was one of them. It could have been because I was the clumsiest thing on two legs in the entire world. Or maybe my mother was frightened, at a young age, by a man in tights...:)

I can’t quite understand why being “wholesome” should be considered hilarious. I do know that women of “a certain age”, myself among them, will want this wonderfully nostalgic volume in their Christmas stocking. Intelligent husbands will take note!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Liz, although I borrowed my aunt's annuals "Girl" wasn't among it.

Mags when I was about 10-12 were Misty (a spooky one for girls - that'd be, what, 1978) and Blue Jeans and Jackie.

As a med author I'm ashamed to say I don't know about Susan of St Bride's (though I'm sure Mags has mentioned it to me).

As for ballet - me, too. My dad said I couldn't have lessons because I was a fairy elephant. However, my youngest cherub has JUST started ballet and tap and the parents can actually sit and watch, which is fabulous. Nowadays it's black tap shoes but oh, the little pink dress and the ballet shells...

Liz Fielding said...

You are too young to have been a "Girl" addict, Kate!

My little cherub did ballet for years; the dh complained bitterly that it cost a mint just so that she could do a "spring roll". His nonsense word qvrfaystuck so fast that I can't even remember what the real one is!

Trish Wylie said...

I read Jackie too Kate!

And I did ballet as a kid... briefly... til puberty got in the way...

No visible signs of that kind of grace and poise now tho. Oh well...

Thinking of you on RITA night Liz!!!

Anne McAllister said...

CONGRATULATIONS on the RITA, Liz! Brilliant news! I am so happy for you.

Anonymous said...

Liz - CONGRATULATIONS!

My prediction was accurate, then? I *told* you the minute I read the book...

I'm really, really happy for you.

Natasha Oakley said...

Congratulations, Liz! We are so proud of you!!

BTW I was a 'Twinkle' girl. I won a skipping rope once for a picture they printed. Everything has been downhill since.

Liz Fielding said...

Thanks so much everyone. I'm still struggling to take in the news.

Natasha, my first "sale" was to Twinkle.

Susan Rix said...

Woohoo!! I just heard about your RITA award (on Brenda Coulter's blog). CONGRATULATIONS!!

Trish Wylie said...

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS LIZ!!!!!!

VERY well deserved! Am so so pleased for you!

FABULOUS!

Phillipa said...

Mega congrats Liz - I posted on the wrong thread.

My favourite mag was Twinkle and my daughter also read it when she was tiny. Mum used to buy me one to keep me amused while she spent hours getting her hair 'set' and I'd cut out the paper dolls and read Nurse Nancy.