Inside Charlie's Chocolate Factory: The Complete Story of Willy Wonka, the Golden Ticket, and Roald Dahl's Most Famous Creation.

by Lucy Mangan

Celebrate the 50 years of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with this scrumdiddlyumptious book about the iconic novel and author!

Inside Charlie’s Chocolate Factory  explores the unique appeal and lasting cultural impact of Roald Dahl’s beloved classic. This non-fiction book looks at the development of the original story  and charaters, its social history, and the varying film and stage adaptations. With never-before-seen material from the archives, full-color photos and illustrations throughout, and quotes from Roald Dahl enthusiasts this gorgeously produced gift book is a great way for fans to celebrate Charlie, Wonka, and Roald Dahl!

Genres: Nonfiction, Adult, Classics, Childrens

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2014

About the author

Lucy Mangan (born 1974) is a British journalist and author. She is a columnist, features writer and TV critic for The Guardian. Her writing style is both feminist and humorous.

Mangan grew up in Catford, south east London, but both her parents were originally from Lancashire. She studied English at Cambridge University and trained to be a solicitor. After qualifying as a solicitor, she began to work instead in a bookshop and then, in 2003, found a work experience placement at The Guardian.

She continues to work at The Guardian writing a regular column and TV reviews plus occasional features. Her book My Family and other Disasters (2009) is a collection of her newspaper columns. She has also written books about her childhood and her wedding.

Mangan also has a regular column for Stylist magazine and has been a judge for the Booktrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

Reviews

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars here.

My favorite movie of all time is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory , the original version, starring Gene Wilder. (People who ask, "Which version," flummox me; as far as I'm concerned, there was never any reason to remake it in the first place!)

The book has always been a favorite of mine, too; in fact, Roald Dahl is one of those authors whose books were such an integral part of my childhood. (Interestingly, I've seen the movie so many times, and it's been a while since I read the book, so I sometimes forget which things were carried over into the film, and which things were created anew!)

Lucy Mangan's Inside Charlie's Chocolate Factory was written in 2014, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dahl's book. For fans of the story and the movie, this book is a treasure trove of trivia, memorabilia, and fascinating facts, about what led Dahl to write the book, his life at the time it was written, and the inspirations behind each of the movie adaptations. Some things I knew, and some things I was really surprised by.

Some things I found really interesting:

The name "Willy Wonka" was pulled nearly out of thin air—Dahl's brother used to make a kind of boomerang for him, which he called "Skilly Wonka," so when Dahl sat down to write the book, he remembered that, and decided to change two letters in the name, and the rest is history.

Broadway actor (and eventual Academy Award winner) Joel Grey was one of director Mel Stuart's first choices to play Wonka in the 1971 film, yet despite his proven ability to sing, dance, and act, he felt Grey "wasn't physically imposing enough" to be a surrogate father figure to the children. (They found out later that Fred Astaire had been interested in playing the part, but nothing came to fruition; perhaps the fact that Astaire was in his early 70s at the time convinced him not to pursue it.)

Although in my mind, and the mind of countless moviegoers through the years, Gene Wilder was truly the quintessential Willy Wonka, apparently Dahl disliked Wilder's portrayal. Apparently he wanted an actor like Peter Sellers, and he was unhappy that Wilder was completely wrong for the role, playing it for "subtle adult laughs." (Ironically, that's one of the things I love so much about his performance—the sly asides which became clearer with multiple viewings, and getting older.)

This book once again reminded me why I love Willy Wonka the character, and the movie, so much. Mangan did some terrific research and although the book doesn't quite follow a linear path—it jumps between the book and the movie adaptations from time to time—Mangan keeps your interest the whole way through. This is as much a story of Dahl as it is his characters and his creative process.<

You don't have to be the kind of person who knows the entire movie word for word, used a quote from the movie as his senior quote in college ("We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams"), and has a collection of character figurines in their office at work to enjoy this book. If you have fond memories of being read, or reading, Dahl's original book, or watching the movie, you'll enjoy this deliciously delightful trip into the world of pure imagination.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a behind-the-scenes peek at Dahl's best-known novel and the many adaptations of it.

The most satisfying parts are about the book. It took Dahl six drafts before he got it right. In the early drafts, Willy Wonka had a family and allowed ten children into the factory - including Elvira Entwhistle, Marvin Prune, and Bertie Upside. Dahl’s macabre sense of humour, hitherto confined to his short stories, is more pronounced with each draft. (‘No boy of mine is going to put in shop windows and sold as vanilla fudge! We’ve spent far too much on his education already!’)

Mangan suggests Wonka was an oblique portrait of Dahl himself - zany, mercurial, sly, and tender. It seems probable. In real life, Dahl insisted that the names of the great chocolate makers should be taught in schools alongside all the Kings and Queens. That idea, much like this book, is no bad thing.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't what I expected. I didn't need to see book covers from all over the world. That's not interesting.

The "behind-the-movie" stuff is what I came for. Here goes ....

So, Roald Dahl hated Gene Wilder's interpretation of Willy Wonka. Not a big surprise. And that the kiddie actors grew up and did other things. Everyone know that now.

I guess there weren't many child labor laws back then, since it says that Violet had to stay in the blueberry costume for 12 hours at a time and that she could only drink shakes during the shooting. That was pretty interesting.

I'm glad I read it, I just was underwhelmed, that's all.

[Suanne Laqueur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delicious read for anyone who grew up on the book and the movie. So much fun.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun, with comparisons of several different illustrated editions.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource to use in the classroom. Format and illustrations didn’t translate well onto Kindle, unfortunately, so probably will need to buy paper copy.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly researched, beautifully designed book that is clearly a labor of love. The author has color photos of original documents and artifacts, stills from movies, and more. There is a chapter on the four illustrators that shows the way each of them illustrated a particular moment or character in the book, side by side.

You get backstory on Dahl's life and family, the writing of the book, the adaptations, and (interestingly) the criticism of the book from early on. The author is respectful, I think, regarding the issue of racism, and does a clear job of breaking down Marxist and Freudian criticisms.

Primarily this celebrates the book, though. Clearly the favorite of the author, she tackles it from just about every direction and manages to still produce a clear and engaging narrative. It's a fun ride, if you choose to take it.

[KJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ode to all things Wonka - book, musical, play, movies, opera, CHOCOLATE! The author is clearly a fan, her style is playfully conversational, and her enthusiasm for this story and the way it has permeated popular culture is infectious.

Illustrations and color photographs are the strongest element; you'll find them on every two-page spread: a manuscript page written by Dahl on yellow legal paper in Ticonderoga pencil, a letter from Gene Wilder to Mel Stuart discussing his costume, pages from Tim Burton's watercolor sketchbooks, and more. The chapter I enjoyed most introduces four artists who illustrated different editions of the novel: Joseph Schindelman (original US ed), Faith Jacques (first UK pbk), Michael Foreman (second UK pbk), Quentin Blake (most recent). Side-by-side, illustrations from all four artists show Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket, Veruca Salt, the Oompa-Loompas, the Inventing Room, and more. Fascinating to see different interpretations lined up side-by-side.

My favorite permutation of the story is the Gene Wilder film. I still get goosebumps when I hear the introduction to Pure Imagination: Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three.

As to the original creator of this magical world, Roald Dahl's granddaughter includes an introduction that made me love him even more. Mold, as she called him, sometimes secretly wrote her name in the grass in weed killer, telling her the fairies had visited.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was published commemorating the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s story, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and fans of the book and movie(s) will love learning more about how the story was written, evolved, and was turned into various other formats (movies, plays, and even an opera). Glimpses behind movie scenes, into Roald Dahl’s life and family, and all kinds of fascinating minutia – including all of the different Wonka chocolates and candies that have been produced over the years – inform and delight. One particularly interesting detail is how much librarians lambasted it when it was first released! Many felt that it was immoral and one critic even went so far as to claim it was harmful to children. This lovely collection will whet readers’ appetites for a return to the original work, and encourage them to revisit the movies as well – perhaps with a delicious chocolate candy bar in hand!

[Zack Kattwinkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This book is written for all those who loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when they were young, and those who love it now. It's for anyone who wants to know a bit more about how it came to be, how it managed to permeate readers' worlds and the world at large, and how it has endured so happily for fifty years - and counting.” A brilliant exploration into the world of Roald Dahl, Willy Wonka, Charlie, and the chocolate factory, which confirmed some theories while also introducing and sharing plenty of completely new information. 🍫
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.
My only complaint about this book is that it was published in 2014, so there have been quite a few more developments since then: particularly the Broadway transfer of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical (starring Christian Borle and revised to include Pure Imagination, The Candy Man, and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket) and this upcoming Wonka movie with Timothee Chalomet. But hey, for a full-color nonfiction book borrowed from the public library, all compiled and explained by fellow self-proclaimed super-fan Lucy Mangan, it’s an amazing resource and source of insight into how this story has captivated the public consciousness (including a young Zack in his 2nd grade class) for decades. 🍬
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After some obligatory background information, the book spends a little bit of time on the backstory with a “behind the scenes look” into more ideas for Golden Ticket winners by Roald Dahl (originally there were ten), Dahl’s own experiences with chocolate as a boy (his boarding school used to receive samples from the Cadbury company, which they would then evaluate on comment cards and send back - essentially making them an early “focus group” and first setting Dahl up with the idea that there was someone trying new chocolate recipes (and delicately tinkering with them), why the 1971 movie has a different title, etc. and leads into a deep exploration of what makes each version different at its heart. In its description of each movie, I found this really helpful quote to keep in mind when preparing to “become Wonka”: “Wilder's Wonka is, as in the book, the embellishment and excitement round the edges - his batty, barmy, nutty, screwy, dippy, dotty, daffy, goofy, beany, buggy, wacky, loony nature dazzling and drawing our attention but, narratively speaking, remaining decoration.” As well as this great summary of why the 2005 movie included a childhood origin and reconciliation story for Johnny Depp’s Wonka: “Perhaps it is only someone who has experienced first-hand what family can and should mean who can be so ruthless when they write about those who fall short of producing the ideal for their offspring. […] The idea of a child (of whatever age) forgiving a bad parent, and the unthinkableness of a happy ending without it, is very modern and not one that has much to do with Roald's world view at all. It is idealistic and sentimental, and is more concerned with relieving adult anxieties (there is nothing we can do so bad that it cannot ultimately be undone) than entertaining child viewers/readers or slaking their thirst for natural justice.”
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There was also a chapter on candy in general and the effect that Wonka as a character and “universe” has had, including a great nod to another wonderful piece of modern culture: “As 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon would say, ‘I want to go to there.’” 🍭
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Eventually gets into a lot about how chocolate is made and why we like it so much and the place that Wonka and the other characters have come to inhabit in the general cultural consciousness. Includes a fun anecdote about how dahl’s childhood boarding school would receive boxes of new flavors of chocolate bars with comment cards that they would send back, and that made him daydream about the factories where scientists were all trying out new flavors and combinations - could have been the earliest inspiration for Charlie’s Chocolate Boy, which became Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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The final chapter about the critics’ responses reveals that, when first published, critics tried to pan it so that children (and their book-buying parents) would recalibrate themselves towards more serious, substantive works. They even referred several times to the book as the literary equivalent to the “junk food” that is so prevalent in the work itself: so glad they didn’t get the last say! 🪅

[Tony Laplume · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ultimately curious affair, indulgent on the part of the highly visible author and then a last-minute attempt to be scholarly by the end…Anyone wading through the results will be forced, as Mangan herself refuses, to consider what exactly Roald Dahl was trying to say, between his twin heroes Charlie and Wonka, how exactly either really gets what they want. And then if you do choose, consider how it is that all this business has created such a fuss over the years without quite reaching the same cultural touchstone as Alice, Dorothy, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Harry Potter…I grew up an avowed fan of Dahl, but more specifically Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, and its sequel, Great Glass Elevator, which I found indistinguishable from its predecessor (like Alice’s trips) but is scarcely apparent in Mangan’s impressions. The one time she picks sides in the adaptations (aside from emphases and enthusiasms the bulk of her readers could never share, as they never experienced the stage musical or opera), she prefers the original movie version to Tim Burton’s…I confess I have so far totally skipped over the 2023 Wonka, which happened years after this book was published…What would Mangan make of it? At the moment, I’m inclined to think the real point of the whole thing is of course Wonka himself, the shift Burton envisioned, and not the blank space of Charlie Bucket. Mangan gets lost in the details, her ardor for elements she believes are iconic and yet in the end mere details. You can stuff the book with a history of chocolate, if you like, but it’s Willy Wonka, and what he means to Dahl, and audiences, that most counts. Gene Wilder knew that, and set decorators figured that out, too…By any standard this is an incomplete story.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a bit strange—all over the place, scattered, and didn't really make for a coherent read. Lots of little illustrations ... it would have been perfect as one of those late 80s early 90s books with ever so many sidebars and such, but it just didn't hold together for me as a book.

That said, the author, while describing Dahl, managed to craft a terrific description of what makes a good storyteller—I actually stopped to highlight this, the first time in my life I have highlighted anything during a Kindle read. You can't quote lines to prove great storytelling, it doesn't work like that, whether Dahl or Trollope or Grisham (her suggestion, not mine). There's no easy definition:

"It's a matter of keeping up a certain pace while still allowing yourself time to realize all the possibilities along the way, so that the reader keeps turning the page but never feels short-changed and can finish the book with a sigh of satisfaction rather than exasperation."

And I think that's awfully close, except I don't think great storytelling should realize "all" the possibilities, just some of the best ones. Otherwise, she nailed the description.

Note: I have written a novel (not yet published), so now I will suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. In my subjective opinion, the stars suggest:

(5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = actually disappointing, and 1* = hated it. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I was hesitant to read this because of recent criticisms to Roald Dahl's character, but after reading this book for what seems the hundredth time, yet for the first time as a novel study with a class, I wanted to learn more about this wonderful chocolate factory. So when I saw that my library had it, I immediately took it out.

First of all, I just want to acknowledge all the research that went into this.
I particularly enjoyed seeing the character comparisons from each illustrator, how they were adapted on screen in the two films, and the wanna-be psych theorist in me appreciated the theories of criticism chapter. It pains me to read all the criticism surrounding the 1971 movie (especially from Dahl himself) because that movie will forever be magical to me. It's amazing just how big of a franchise one idea came to be.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was more interesting for the pictures than anything else. I didn't really learn anything new about the movie that I hadn't already learned in the book "Pure Imagination", but it was interesting to look through. A lot of it dealt with comparing the 1970's (Wonderful) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to the 2005's (Lame) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", mainly by showing side by side pictures of various scenes. Really interesting but it confirms my belief that "Charlie" was made to be a much different movie. Anyway, the book is interesting and talks a lot about Roald Dahl, including how to pronounce his name so contrary to what I said before I did learn a few things from the book. It's not the best book on the classic movie/book but it's worth a look.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a celebration of the phenomenon of Roald Dahl’s most famous book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The writing of the book is covered, the author is discussed and you get to see a lot of the cover art of the different book versions by various artists. The two movies are dissected. And of course there has to be a discussion made of all the candy produced under the Willy Wonka brand. Finally I was gob smacked to learn was there was an actual opera production of it. Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh7Gv... Very interesting!

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is basically a collection of a few essays having to do with everything Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We have the writing process, influence on screen and stage, a little bit on the history of chocolate, and even a Freudian critique slipped in there. If you liked any form of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, you will find something of interest in the book. Beware that the author is not impartial, and does not hide her opinions.

[Jeff Siperly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read of one of my favorite childhood stories. And one of my top-10 of all time favorite movies. The 1971 version. NOT the 2005. Loved all the covers!

Now I want to read “Pure Imagination” by Mel Stuart (Director of original film). The making of WW&tCF

[Jacqui Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

:

Synopsis: A chronicle taking us through Charlie and his chocolate factory from conception, through the book, movies, and even the stage shows. The book also discusses the cultural impact of Roald Dahl and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Likes: The on-set stories were special and it was very nostalgic to get to relive both the movies as well as the Wonka products from my childhood.

Dislikes: I did get bored with the illustration pieces but loved getting to look at the illustrations.

[Tree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and nostalgic to read, being the same age of the kids when the first film came out.

[William Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots and lots of pictures of everything Willy Wonka. Too much for me. I devolved Wonka overload by the time I finished skimming the book.

[ketan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book

[Rae]

The book. The movies. The plays. The candy. Delightful.

[Nikki Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much great behind the scenes information. Lots of pictures too!

[Pamela Eddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trip down memory lane--felt like a behind the scenes tour. Nice illustrations and pictures to set the context.

[Raiann · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you really liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it's interesting.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am firmly embedded in the Roald Dahl fan camp—in fact I blame Mr. D. for ruining my eyes when I was in fourth grade by making me stay up late reading his books in the dark so now I need glasses. So to me, Mangan’s fantastic book is like free meth to a tweaker, and I’m betting the same will be true for you. Eight well-organized chapters each deal with a discreet focus area. From writing about the book and its origins in a story called “Charlie’s Chocolate Boy” to covering the title’s effect on popular culture, Mangan proves to be astute, comprehensive, and completely readable. One chapter identifies candy bearing the Wonka brand; a significant portion of the book is devoted to the different incarnations of the story on stage and screen. It is an especially visual book, with much samplings of the art of the four main editions (Dahl himself was fondest of Quentin Blake’s art) and various photos of drafts, scribblings, and photos of Dahl at home and at work. The behind-the-scenes stories are fascinating, especially the nightmarishly personal situation that Dahl and his wife, the actress Patricia Neal, were in at the time he was writing the book. One even learns how to properly pronounce Roald—“…long stretched Roo, al like the end of mall, silent D” from Roald’s daughter, contributor Lucy Dahl. Mangan doesn’t fall prey to mere empty fan-dom about Dahl’s work, and the book ends with a hilarious and succinctly accurate rendering of various critics’ takes, including Marxists, who said that “the factory is the distilled essence of capitalism” and Freudians, who note that the book “…releases a child’s anxieties about bodily functions, physical injury, and death.” VERDICT Every time I pick this damn book up I have trouble putting it down. Insightful and well-written, it’s both a celebration and a review. And don’t forget that it’s the 50th anniversary of Charlie this year, y’all.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredibly cute! I found the notes and photos amusing.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

50 years? Can you believe it has been 50 years since Roald Dahl graced us with the magically wonderful Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? And 43 years since the first movie adaptation hit the screens? Where does the time go? Well, in this case, the time went to endearing this story to children across the ages.

Inside Charlie’s Chocolate Factory is an in-depth look at the book itself, the illustrators that have decorated various editions of the book’s pages, the movies and theatrical productions, and the immense effect the book has had on pop culture. I dare anyone to read this and not (a) run for a chocolate bar, and then (b) run for the book give it another re-read, and then (c) sprint for the DVD player and pop-in your copy of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!

I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in all things Charlie, Roald Dahl, and chocolate. Admittedly, I was brought to this culture/obsession via Gene Wilder and the visual fascination with the Oompa Loompas and the Chocolate Room. *gasp* I only recently read the actual book for the first time! So, even if you have not read the book but have obsessively watched the movie each time your TV remote flipped past it, you are sure to enjoy all the delicious details contained in this volume.

Ok … I’m off to dig out that chocolate bar from the depths of our cupboards …

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's all about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If you look at the pages of the book from the outside, you see there is a rainbow of colors, each one a different section in the book. There is an introduction from one of Roald's grandchildren about the wonderment of chocolate at his house. The book starts out with red: the background on writing Charlie and the Chocolate factory, then goes into orange: Charlie going to video and stage, next is yellow: focusing on the various illustrators of the books, and then blue: showing the effect on popular culture with various memorabilia including a LEGO Chocolate room and tiny dolls of Willy and Oompa Loompas. Purple follows focusing on chocolate, and how people tried to make Wonka bars and take chocolate to whole new levels, finally there is green: with the thoughts from critics and fans about the book. Throughout, there is illustrations from the book, movies, plays and fans creations. Very cool!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was SO looking forward to this book, as the original book and first film adaptation are favorites of mine. The first two-thirds of the book deliver the goods, with detailed narrative on how the book came to be written and published, including images of early drafts and the original manuscript. Once Mangan moves past the book's publication and into the film treatments, there is less substance. There is precious little new information about the Wolper/Stuart 1971 film that wasn't revealed in the DVD's bonus features years ago. Even worse, the books last few chapters are devoted to non-related content on candy and chocolate. A worthwhile read for fans of the book, provided you don't set your expectations too high.