Home› Books

The Jennings series-Anthony Buckeridge

Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,306
Forum Member
✭✭
in Books #1
Was anyone else a fan of the adventures of boarding school pupil, Jennings and his friend, Darbishire?

I've just obtained and am reading According to Jennings again, after 35 years. In the middle of the book is a bit in which he and Darbishire-both only ten-years-old- hitchhike several miles into town, and it is seen as no big deal. That certainly dates the books!

The books are also dated in lots of other ways, but I find that gives them their charm, along with their gentleness and humour.

Comments

  • ironjadeironjade Posts: 10,010
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #2
    I loved them even though it was like SF compared to my schooldays.
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,306
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #3
    ironjade wrote: »
    I loved them even though it was like SF compared to my schooldays.

    They could have served as inspiration for the more down-to-earth aspects of Harry Potter. They certainly made boarding school look like an innocent, fun and gentle place. Whether that was the actual experience for most who went there was another matter, but the stories as they are are fun to read as escapism if not strict realism.
  • bspacebspace Posts: 14,303
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #4
    I remember reading them avidly

    Now I can't remember a single thing about them apart from that they where set in a boarding school

    Just William and Swallow's and Amazons I find much more memorable
  • seasiderseasider Posts: 805
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #5
    I too was a big fan but can't remember too much apart from two teachers, one was a blustery old fool and the other a kindly gent.

    I was probably more of a Billy Bunter fan
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,795
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    A read the titles that were published in Armada paperbacks in the 60's like this one:

    http://dalecooper57.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/wpid-73394.jpg
  • Pepperoni ManPepperoni Man Posts: 7,798
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #7
    Yep - I'm a big fan and read the whole series every few years. I never went to boarding school but when I was a kid i wanted to because i wanted my school to be like Linbury Court
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #8
    archie204 wrote: »
    I too was a big fan but can't remember too much apart from two teachers, one was a blustery old fool and the other a kindly gent.

    I was probably more of a Billy Bunter fan

    The first one was Mr Wilkins (old Wilkie) and the second Mr Carter.

    I must have read all of them when I was a kid.
  • JumbobonesJumbobones Posts: 1,814
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #9
    It was ok though because the cricketer RJ Findlater picked them up
  • MikeJWMikeJW Posts: 3,948
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #10
    Yes, I loved these! Along with various other school-type books (Just William, Billy Bunter, Molesworth etc). But also haven't read any of them for 30 years+. Time to check Amazon, I think...
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,306
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #11
    Jumbobones wrote: »
    It was ok though because the cricketer RJ Findlater picked them up

    But nowadays, no one would automatically be assuming a child would be safe hitchhiking just because it was a celebrity giving them a lift though, which shows how times have changed.
  • JumbobonesJumbobones Posts: 1,814
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #12
    Could have been a lot worse depending on which celebrity happened to be kerb crawling that day!

    I listen to Jennings audiobooks every night, but there's only about five of them :cry:
  • Swanandduck2Swanandduck2 Posts: 5,502
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #13
    I read them as a child but can't remember anything about them. I don't think they were a favourite of mine, but I was the kind of child who always had to be reading something so I think they did when there were no Enid Blytons, Noel Streatfeilds or William books available.
  • Walter NeffWalter Neff Posts: 9,169
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #14
    Yes, I remember reading them, along with Billy Bunter, although the Just William books were my favourites. I can remember Jennings on the wireless back in 1948, when I was eleven years old.
  • LuverlyAJLuverlyAJ Posts: 673
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #15
    Phoenix Lazarus wrote: »
    Was anyone else a fan of the adventures of boarding school pupil, Jennings and his friend, Darbishire?

    I've just obtained and am reading According to Jennings again, after 35 years. In the middle of the book is a bit in which he and Darbishire-both only ten-years-old- hitchhike several miles into town, and it is seen as no big deal. That certainly dates the books!

    The books are also dated in lots of other ways, but I find that gives them their charm, along with their gentleness and humour.

    I recall that clearly although it is many years since I read the books.

    I live near a very well known public boarding school and the pupils are wandering around and hitching lifts. It may be the confidence that comes with a well connected and wealthy family.

    I think I will revisit and read them all again, I wonder how many there are in total.
  • LuverlyAJLuverlyAJ Posts: 673
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #16
    bspace wrote: »
    I remember reading them avidly

    Now I can't remember a single thing about them apart from that they where set in a boarding school

    Just William and Swallow's and Amazons I find much more memorable

    Do you think? I disliked just William as being silly and swallows and amazons lacked fun.

    Jennings had me truly laughing aloud, innocent humour that made me chuckle until I had tears in my eyes.
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,795
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #17
    LuverlyAJ wrote: »
    I recall that clearly although it is many years since I read the books.

    I live near a very well known public boarding school and the pupils are wandering around and hitching lifts. It may be the confidence that comes with a well connected and wealthy family.

    I think I will revisit and read them all again, I wonder how many there are in total.

    25:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennings_(novels)

    I never knew Buckeridge was still writing them into the 1990's.
  • Havelock VetinariHavelock Vetinari Posts: 13,874
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #18
    I remember reading them all when I was in hospital. I quite liked them, I read the Just William series as well. I have fond memories of them but can't recall any story lines or characters bar the main two.
  • spiney2spiney2 Posts: 27,058
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #19
    yes. much enjoyed at the time. good gimmicks. nerdy derbyshire always moaning "my father always says ........."

    it was a prep school but that wasnt emphasised. just as kids in enid blyton are all upper middle class, even the "gypsies" like snubby .......
  • misha06misha06 Posts: 3,378
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #20
    Like others, I enjoyed them at the time.

    Mum used to take me to the library once a fortnight, and I would scamper in for, firstly for the Asterix books and then the Jennings books.

    Was a blow if there was none of either.
Sign In or Register to comment.