Roald Dahl recounts his days as a child growing up in England--from his years as a prankster at boarding school to his envious position as a chocol...
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Feb 04, 2012
Jo
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(Deciding to re-read this book was inspired by the wonderful ladies at Gathering Books and their fantastic bimonthly meme‘Everything Dahl and Magical’. Which I absolutely adore. )
“When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty. I must tell you, therefore, that it was I and I alone who had the idea for the great and daring Mouse Plot. We all have our moments of brilliance and glory, and this was mine.”
I first read this glo More...
“When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty. I must tell you, therefore, that it was I and I alone who had the idea for the great and daring Mouse Plot. We all have our moments of brilliance and glory, and this was mine.”
I first read this glo More...
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Sep 29, 2007
Melissa
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My interest in reading this novel was stimulated a few weeks ago when I visited some friends, one of whom over the course of the evening dug up his collection of Roald Dahl books and proceeded to reintroduce us the magic we had near forgetten we had experienced as children in reading them.
I have always loved the sheer dottiness of the tales of Roald Dahl - the horrid nature of the some of his adult characters and the heroic nature of his young but strong willed main characters.
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I have always loved the sheer dottiness of the tales of Roald Dahl - the horrid nature of the some of his adult characters and the heroic nature of his young but strong willed main characters.
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Dec 17, 2009
Michelle
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This is my favorite autobiography. I was envious of Dahl when he told of the story of when Cadbury would send new candy to his boarding school for the children to test. I remember the candy he described, it sounded delicious, but today you can't find the candy because this was around the 40's. I don't know why I just went on a tangent about candy; I guess Roald Dahl has that effect on me.
Feb 13, 2009
Susan
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I'm not usually one for autobiographies, but this one rocked. Ronald Dahl was a fortunate child. Fortunate that he wasn't killed many times by events in his life and by the awesome adventures and memories he was privileged to have.
I will give you my favorite excerpt from this book.
"It won't take two seconds, " the doctor said. He spoke gently, and I was seduced by his voice. Like an ass, I opened my mouth.
The tiny blade flashed in the bright light and disappeared into More...
I will give you my favorite excerpt from this book.
"It won't take two seconds, " the doctor said. He spoke gently, and I was seduced by his voice. Like an ass, I opened my mouth.
The tiny blade flashed in the bright light and disappeared into More...
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Oct 30, 2008
Eleanor
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I think Roald Dahl is probably the best children's storyteller. When my third grade teacher read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" to our class I remember thinking, "This guy is really good." But as good as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is (or The Twits or The Witches or Matilda or pick your favorite), it is "Boy", his memoir or childhood written for children, that I read so many times that the copy I found in my basement last week is completely ri
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Jan 24, 2012
Allycks
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I've grown to appreciate and enjoy the literary talents of Roald Dahl over the last six months or so, having read through about half of his seemingly infinite literary output with the kids in that time. (What is half of infinity? And umm, while we're at it... What was it like before the universe started? These are the kind of questions we're grappling with in the Jones household these days. Good stuff!) Not that having children is even really neccessary for reading Dahl, any more than it is
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Oct 20, 2011
Ali
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I don't generally read children's or young adult books, but had to make an exception with this. I must have read many books in my childhood - as I read voraciously - some things don't change much. However the three books that have stayed with me longest and most vividly are: Beverly Nichols 'The Tree that Sat down' Nina Bawden's 'Carrie's War' and Roald Dahl's 'Danny the Champion of the world' The later I remember with such affection that although I was never necessarily a huge Dahl fan, I alway
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Oct 01, 2011
Patrice
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I don't think Roald Dahl could write a bad book if tried.
This is such a nice memoir filled with stories that made me laugh out loud when I read them. Dahl wrote an autobiography every bit as entertaining as some of his fiction. Dahl's childhood is peppered with loss, adventure, injury, and his early experience in English boarding schools.
He describes how one of his favorite teachers refused to actually teach the subject of math. Instead, the teacher would have the students More...
This is such a nice memoir filled with stories that made me laugh out loud when I read them. Dahl wrote an autobiography every bit as entertaining as some of his fiction. Dahl's childhood is peppered with loss, adventure, injury, and his early experience in English boarding schools.
He describes how one of his favorite teachers refused to actually teach the subject of math. Instead, the teacher would have the students More...
Jul 02, 2011
R.A.
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Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl, is a charming autobiography based on his life from Kindergarten to graduation from High School, along with a introductory chapter on his parents. Though we now know that we cannot take Roald Dahl's autobiographies as 100% truth, they are still fun to read and make his life seem like a magical world not unlike Charlie or Matilda.
One of the most prominent parts of Boy for me was his representation of his teachers. It really gives some insight into why m More...
One of the most prominent parts of Boy for me was his representation of his teachers. It really gives some insight into why m More...
Dec 13, 2010
Amy
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Everybody knows Roald Dahl, the author of Matilda, and of course Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But how well do you really know Roald Dahl? Did you know that he speaks Norwegian? And that he was an award winning photographer? Or that one time when he was nine his family was driving their brand new model-T ford and they got into an accident:
The front passengers all shot through the front windscreen and the back passengers all shot through the back windscreen. Glass flew in all direction More...
The front passengers all shot through the front windscreen and the back passengers all shot through the back windscreen. Glass flew in all direction More...
Jul 13, 2010
Julie
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Reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for the first time was almost a mystical experience. I was around Charlie's age and even though I knew the book was way out there in terms of reality I understood the disconnect Charlie felt towards adults and authority. I didn't read lots of Dahl's other works until I was in library school. As an older reader I was struck by how hideous and cruel the adult characters were and how hapless the lives of the kid characters were written. I don't think JK Row
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Jul 02, 2010
Rob
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"Youth is wasted on the young" -- that aphorism, cynical and close-minded but with a rueful grain of truth -- comes to mind often when I read Roald Dahl. I remember enjoying the general sense of mischief in Dahl's books when I was a kid, but reading them as an adult, I relish them in a way that only a grown-up can relish memories of childhood. He amplifies the mysteries, the injustices, and the discoveries. In doing so he elevates the human enterprise and enhances your appreciation
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May 08, 2010
Matt
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As a fan of Roald Dahl's children's books from when I myself was a young one, I was interested when my wife recommended me "Boy." Its a short and light read, as far as autobiographies go.
It is full of cute little stories about Dahl's childhood, mostly revolving around major pranks he managed to pull off as a kid. One lovely scene tells the story of Dahl and friends putting a dead mouse in a jar of sweets at a store run by an unfriendly old lady.
The part I found most More...
It is full of cute little stories about Dahl's childhood, mostly revolving around major pranks he managed to pull off as a kid. One lovely scene tells the story of Dahl and friends putting a dead mouse in a jar of sweets at a store run by an unfriendly old lady.
The part I found most More...
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Jan 24, 2010
Zhong
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Boy by Roald Dahl is a autobiography describing the author's life since birth till school. He explains his unpleasant experience in three schools. As we all know autobiographies are always unbelievably boring. But Roald Dahl's different, his is more on the humorous side. He starts off with a childhood story how him and his friends sneaked a rat into the candy jar of a popular store amongst children. The store owner, a witch-like lady was furious and caused trouble at school by forcing the teache
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Nov 23, 2011
Grant
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Without any doubt, Roald Dahl was one of the finest authors of the 20th century of any genre. His deliciously twisted stories that were spiced with dastardly characters tantalized and taunted many a young child, and the stories continued to entertain all age groups with his 'Tales Of The Unexpected' amongst my most favourite of adult novels.
In his childhood biography 'BOY', Dahl documents his birth in Llandaff, Wales in 1916. His parents were Norwegian,but had immigrated to the UK and fina More...
In his childhood biography 'BOY', Dahl documents his birth in Llandaff, Wales in 1916. His parents were Norwegian,but had immigrated to the UK and fina More...
Aug 24, 2011
Orla
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I loved this fun and lighthearted autobiography. In this book Roald Dahl applies his witty and wonderful humour to stories from his own childhood. Dahl easily jumps back into the mind of his young self and recalls in great detail his boyish views on people and incidents from his youth. A very honest (if not exaggerated) account of his childhood, he doesn't hold back when describing adults from his youth, comparing his school matron to a 'female ogre'. I can imagine children getting a kick out of
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May 02, 2011
Maya
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Have you ever wondered where Roald Dahl got inspiration from? Well heres the answer. This is a fun action packed autobiogrophy of Roald Dahl. Learn about his adventures as a child in different schools. And all with mean Principals. After you read this book you will look at Roald Dahl not only a great childrens author, but also an acclomplished man who has been through a lot. Once you start this book you can't put it down.
My favorite part in this book is when, one of the relatives has a boy More...
My favorite part in this book is when, one of the relatives has a boy More...
Jan 22, 2012
This is about roald dahl during his schooldays. His father was norwegian and they lived in wales. He went to a prep school in llandaff. During this time when he and other boys went to the sweet shop the shopowner was not very nice so they decided to play a trick on her. they put a dead mouse in the jar of gobbstoppers. The next day when they went by the shop the jar of gobbstoppers was broken on the floor and the shop was closed. When they arrived at the school the owner was there and she identi
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Jun 06, 2011
Ken
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Mit „Boy“ erzählt Kinderbuchautor Roald Dahl die Geschichte seiner eigenen Kindheit: von Süßwarenläden, bösen alten Frauen und toten Mäusen – Erlebnisse, die in den kommenden Jahren die Inspirationen für seine bekanntesten Bücher werden sollten.
Nach „Schande“ von J.M. Coetze, wollte ich mal etwas fröhliches, unbeschwertes lesen. Mit Roald Dahl kann man da eigentlich nichts falsch machen.
Wie in seinen Kinderbüchern geht es auch in seiner Autobiographie lustig und wild zu. Wobei Dah More...
Nach „Schande“ von J.M. Coetze, wollte ich mal etwas fröhliches, unbeschwertes lesen. Mit Roald Dahl kann man da eigentlich nichts falsch machen.
Wie in seinen Kinderbüchern geht es auch in seiner Autobiographie lustig und wild zu. Wobei Dah More...
Sep 13, 2010
Kay
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Vivid childhood memoir
Roald Dahl brings all his trademark powers of description to bear on this striking account of childhood memories, chronicling both the joyous and painful. Dahl, the child of Norwegian immigrants to Wales, begins by describing his one-armed father's unlikely journey to success and then his own early days of childhood and subsequent school years. There are many sparkling comic incidents, told with relish, but throughout an unmistakable theme is the cruelty of pu More...
Roald Dahl brings all his trademark powers of description to bear on this striking account of childhood memories, chronicling both the joyous and painful. Dahl, the child of Norwegian immigrants to Wales, begins by describing his one-armed father's unlikely journey to success and then his own early days of childhood and subsequent school years. There are many sparkling comic incidents, told with relish, but throughout an unmistakable theme is the cruelty of pu More...
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Jan 16, 2012
Ajay
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Boy by Roald Dahl is definitely one of Dahl's masterpieces. This book basically takes you through Roald Dahl's childhood, with interesting plots and solutions. Roald Dahl definitely writes about some of his actual life, but my personal feeling is that some of the events in this book are not real; they have just been added for the story rather than for writing about himself. I think this because some of the events were just too unreal.
Nevertheless, this book really went with the flow More...
Nevertheless, this book really went with the flow More...
Nov 03, 2010
Ellen
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Kisah Boy menceritakan kehidupan pribadi Roald Dahl dari masa kecilnya hingga dewasa. Sejak kecil Dahl memang sudah menjadi anak yang kreatif, memiliki banyak ide hebat. Kecerdasannya tidak diragukan. Ia cukup sukses dalam menjalani berbagai hal dalam hidupnya.
Dahl memiliki keluarga besar yang cukup bahagia. Terlihat bahwa hubungan antar saudara mereka sangat dekat. Liburan bersama setiap tahun menjadi tradisi yang selalu dijalankan dan tentunya menyisakan banyak kenangan. Dahl sangat More...
Dahl memiliki keluarga besar yang cukup bahagia. Terlihat bahwa hubungan antar saudara mereka sangat dekat. Liburan bersama setiap tahun menjadi tradisi yang selalu dijalankan dan tentunya menyisakan banyak kenangan. Dahl sangat More...
Oct 13, 2010
Adelinep
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Adeline Pecis 6/8 October 4, 2010
Book review
Boy
By Roald Dahl
Autobiography
Have you read some of Roald Dahl's books like Matilda, The Twits, and The witches? If you have you might be wondering what Roald Dahl's childhood was like. This book covers everything. When Roald Dahl's dad dies at a early age along with his sister, Roald Dahl and his huge family have to move to another home in England. Roald Dahl goes to a new scho More...
Sep 17, 2011
Teuntje
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Boy tales of childhood
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrations by: Quentin Blake
The book is about Roald Dahl's own childhood but it's not an autobiography, like Roald Dahl tells on the first page: 'An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it's usually full of all sorts of boring details, this is not an autobiography' the book describes his life from birth until leaving school, focusing on living conditions in Britain in the 1920s More...
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrations by: Quentin Blake
The book is about Roald Dahl's own childhood but it's not an autobiography, like Roald Dahl tells on the first page: 'An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it's usually full of all sorts of boring details, this is not an autobiography' the book describes his life from birth until leaving school, focusing on living conditions in Britain in the 1920s More...
Mar 03, 2011
Alan
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I began reading Boy: Tales of Childhood when it was assigned to me in Australia. This was the first time I would read an autobiography, and I did not know what to expect. Roald Dahl wrote a beautiful book though, in which I found myself hooked until the very end.
Boy talks about Dahl's childhood adventures, ranging from his troublesome school scenarios, and the time he placed a bug into the jar of lollies at the local sweet shop. He uses such excitement in his writing that you could alm More...
Boy talks about Dahl's childhood adventures, ranging from his troublesome school scenarios, and the time he placed a bug into the jar of lollies at the local sweet shop. He uses such excitement in his writing that you could alm More...
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Sep 20, 2011
Megan
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I have read this book countless times and decided to reread when I was cutting up a peach the other day and was thinking of James and the Giant Peach which led me Roald Dahl and his memoir, "Boy". This book has always been a favorite of mind and reading it again always brings back those nostalgic memories of my youth. This book follows Dahl's childhood memories and speaks not necessarily of his chronological life, but more of a series of vignettes of amusing tales. I must recommend thi
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Jan 08, 2009
Tori
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I really didn't know anything about Roald Dahl, other than that he was the author of The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sara picked up this book in Dubai and loved it, so I read it, too. and what a great story! Dahl is a very good describer - it's very easy to imagine what life was like for him. Most fascinating was the peek he gives of life in the early 1900's - we are really a bunch of sissies when it comes to hardship nowadays! can you imagine having your addenoids pulled
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Oct 31, 2011
Tristan
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This story by Roald Dahl is a true story of the author’s life. It is not an autobiography, it is a nonfiction entertainment story. It begins with young Roald going to his new school. Trouble begins when he finds a dead rat. He and his friends decide to prank the unfriendly Mrs. Pratchett . He talks about the canings he had received as a child. His first ride in an automobile, when he almost lost his nose. His times in English boarding schools. All the nice, evil, and strange people he met along
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Jun 01, 2009
Laura
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I can’t remember whether or not I had ever read this book as a child, but I am certainly pleased that I picked it up for a little quick lunchtime reading in my grownup life. Boy is the autobiography of children’s literature legend Roald Dahl. A simple and classic account of boyhood, Boy recounts Dahl’s early childhood in Wales, his family summer holidays in Norway, and his experiences in English boarding schools.
I think Boy is a great biography for children. Dahl keeps things int More...
I think Boy is a great biography for children. Dahl keeps things int More...
Dec 29, 2011
Justyna
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"Boy" is a brief autobiography of the famous storyteller Roald Dahl. Being that I am a huge fan of Dahl's works, I was excited to read this. He begins the book with a concise "early life history" sort of thing and then continues on mostly recounting his experiences throughout school, from the mean headmasters that beat him with canes to his athletic glory days. One thing I got from reading "Boy" is that Dahl lived a heck of an adventurous life, and he always had a c
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