Comments on: The Novels of Elizabeth Enright: An Overview

By: D. Ruprecht

D. Ruprecht — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 18:56:28 +0000

I was introduced to Elizabeth Enright via a library discard sale in the late ’70s, when I was a little girl. I still have my copy of Spiderweb for Two, complete with dust jacket and library card pocket! In a world before internet, I had no idea this book was part of a series until I was an adult, at which point I promptly bought the rest and consequently devoured them. Like the Melendys, I also grew up in the country, riding bikes and climbing trees and exploring. Even now, I occasionally take one of Enright’s books off the shelf to re-read, and they still fill me with delight. Her description of the natural world through changing seasons never fails to evoke a bittersweet nostalgia, and her Christmas chapters in particular, are legendary. It’s nice to read this piece, and the comments, and know that there are others who feel the same!

By: Regina Brennan

Regina Brennan — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 22:10:26 +0000

I read somewhere on the internet that a biography of Elizabeth Enright was in process. I believe that the person working on it was named Andrea Greenwood, but I could be wrong about that. She had started a blog, but I couldn’t access it, and the only date I saw was I think 2004.

The devotion I had to Elizabeth Enright when I was a child of about 10 was epic. I still feel it on some level, as I found The Saturdays in my local public library at a difficult time in my childhood and after reading it (and then everything else Ms Enright wrote) I distinctly remember feeling that I had been brought back to life. I wish I could have told her that. It is apparently more than rumored that she ended her own life and I am so saddened by that.

I have been doing some research on my own, but “Andrea Greenwood” stated that she had found and developed papers, letters, photographs and other information, and had even interviewed people who knew Elizabeth Enright, in the process of writing her biography.

If anyone knows more about this biography or the woman who was writing it during the early 2000s, please contact me!

By: Kari Skouson

Kari Skouson — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:03:36 +0000

It’s good to find others who love Enright. She has been my all-time favorite children’s author for years, ever since my 3rd grade teacher read Gone-Away Lake aloud. (Since I’m old, this was in about 1966-67.) She had a gift for description that was flawless, and her characters were always children I could identify with.

I did want to point out one little problem, however. The Sea is All Around wasn’t set in Maine. Enright spent all her summers as a child on Nantucket Island, and while she gave it a new name, Pokenick Island, the setting is apparently very true to life of Nantucket.

Some misguided author who’s made a study of Enright has published professionally that the last three Melendy books were set in Wisconsin, like Thimble Summer. They’re not! When it only takes a few hours on a train to get to New York City, the setting is obviously upstate New York, like the Gone-Away books. (Lucy is from Albany.) I think this same critic also thinks the Gone-Away books take place in the Midwest. You wouldn’t find an upscale summer colony like Tarrigo Lake in the Midwest in the 1890s.

Sadly, I’m not sure how to get children today to read Enright. I’m about to retire from 36 years working in a school library. I have stocked my shelves with the Melendy and Gone-Away books, but the children at my school haven’t got much in common with the characters, and the books haven’t had much circulation.

If you are willing to work a little, I highly recommend finding Eleanor Cameron’s excellent article, “The Art of Elizabeth Enright.” It was published in two parts shortly after Enright’s death in the Horn Book Magazine, December 1969 and February 1970. A big public library ought to be able to help you find the articles through inter-library loan.

By: Leslie McLean

Leslie McLean — Wed, 22 May 2024 22:01:48 +0000

Elizabeth Enright is my favorite writer ever. Her writing is exquisite. My favorite scenes are Mona and Randy canning, Oliver and Mr. Titus fishing, Oliver and his luna moth, Rush and his tree house, Garnet locked in the library, Mab and the night-blooming cereus, and Randy and Oliver growing closer as they are the last kids at home. It saddens me greatly to learn that Elizabeth Enright took her own life, but the world as it was when she passed had become an ugly place.

By: Bruce Adams

Bruce Adams — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:46:20 +0000

Why were these wonderful stories never made into movies?

By: Anna Rose Johnson

Anna Rose Johnson — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 20:51:37 +0000

In reply to Sandi Parker. Thanks for your comment, Sandi! That's awesome that you have original hardcovers!

By: Sandi Parker

Sandi Parker — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 00:42:22 +0000

I just finished re-reading the Melendy series. I was introduced to “The Saturdays” by my wonderful elderly 6th grade teacher who read the book to our class, way back in 1969. Do teachers still read to their classes? I hope so. I treasure these books – I have original hardbacks of “The Saturdays” and “And then there were 5” – I have paperback of the other two and hope to one day get them in hardback – but the ones I’ve found are very expensive!!

By: Dom

Dom — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 05:11:25 +0000

I’m so pleased to see someone else who loves these books too! Looking forward to reading the one I missed!

By: Anna Rose Johnson

Anna Rose Johnson — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 19:49:33 +0000

In reply to Candace. They are indeed jewels, Candace! Thank you for reading :) I love old houses and Enright writes about them so vividly.

By: Candace

Candace — Sun, 30 Aug 2020 18:44:31 +0000

Enright’s books are jewels! I encouraged all my daughters to read them (most did) and it’s hard to pick a favorite. Back in the day, I always wanted to try petit fours and move to a huge house because of the Melendys.