Apologies if this has been discussed before, but we occasionally touch on what books were influences on EMBD and her writing.

I'd love to know what books she actually had access to as a child - OK, it appears that she must have read some Mrs Vaizey, some Charlotte Yonge, some Elsie books and at least the first of the Katy books because they're either quoted or there are incidents that appear to have their origins in them, like Emerence's tobogganing accident, the first sheets and pillowcases party, and the school clock fiasco. We can't know at what age she read them, of course, but I'd be surprised if she didn't come across at least some of them when she was a child. Ideas/ comments, anyone?

She definitely must have read "Liittle Women".

Yes - isn't Jo March supposed to have been part of the inspiration for Jo Bettany?

Sir Walter Scott.

She has Joey reading "Quentin Durward" in the very first chapter of "School at" and has (somewhat improbably, I feel) Jack Lambert having read "Peveril of the Peak" more than once.

Many of the Scots dialect words that EBD uses can be found in Scott.

Although her use of the language doesn't necessarily mean that she fIrst met the books when she was young, her idea that they were something young people would enjoy and voluntarily read suggests that she had read them when a child.

Interesting, Victoria - I must admit I'd overlooked Scott as a possible source of the Scottish words and expressions. I'd always thought more in terms of her possibly reading Neil Munro's 'Para Handy' stories, or perhaps A J Cronin as an adult, but of course, Scott was so very popular with her mother's and grandmother's generations.

I think there's a mention of Ruey reading some of Scott's books, as well. They were certainly very popular at one time.

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Um - that'll be my time! We read them avidly.

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I have Joey reading Dr Jem's well-loved copy of Waverley in Juliet... EBD seemed to have been a big Scott fan.

In Heather Leaves School, she mentions looking for her copy of Misunderstood in her redecorated bedroom (link to Gutenberg copy I organised after reading Heather). Misunderstood was first published in 1869, so definitely a book EBD would be able to read as a child.

If anybody else has pre-1923 books that they want turned into free ebooks, please PM me.