Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's just so... weird.

That or The Witches. Must have read that four or five times in elementary school.

"the chokey!"

"....much too good for children..."

Funny how words and phrases end up in our family vocabulary.
I love Matilda. She's my hero.

I love them all. He was my escape as a kid. I can't pick a favourite.

I picked up a new copy of James and the Giant Peach and a hardback double copy of the Charlie/Chocolate books. I'm putting them into my substitute bag to read to elementary classes during yucky weather, or when they've been good and deserve a treat.

Ooh, it's all about the Twits.

Roald Dahl was an absolutely batty genius.

Has anyone read his adult short stories? There's some seriously weird stuff going on there too.

Tales of the Unexpected was made into a TV series in the UK about 20 years ago - seriously scary stuff.

beezle said:

Has anyone read his adult short stories? There's some seriously weird stuff going on there too.

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Since reading Dahl's short stories years ago, I now think of him whenever I see a frozen leg of lamb.

My favourite was always 'Fantastic Mr. Fox.'

Weirdly enough, I have never acctually read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I've never read him, but, I've always felt someone should buy him an 'N'.

I don't believe this.

My entire friggin life (okay, so actually only since I was able to read) I thought his name was Ronald. I swear. I never, ever realized it says Roald. Until just now, and when I picked up my copy of "Charlie..." to confirm it.

I am speechless. And a little mortified.

Picking a favorite is difficult, but I think that I reread "The Witches" more times than any of his other books. Something about being turned into a mouse (changing into something other than what we are) just sparked my imagination.

He is one of my inspirations for writing children/YA. Who says kids don't want things twisted and weird? They absolutely do!

Danny the champion of the world, i've read it a hundred times at least and will read it a hundred more.
One of the most amazing and beautiful tales ever crafter by the hand of a writer. Divine madness was his gift.

Apart from my wife's encouragement and the vision and hope that one day my little girl might just like something that i write (15 months old and my whole world evolves around her), his work is reason i believe in stories.

I am all about Fantastic Mr. Fox!

I love them all, too. I was always a fan of his - we share a birthday.

chaostitan said:

My entire friggin life (okay, so actually only since I was able to read) I thought his name was Ronald. I swear. I never, ever realized it says Roald.

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Roald is a Norwegian name, and Dahl's parents were Norwegians - which explains the lack of N.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory & James and the Giant Peach. I can't say how many times I read those books as a kid...but I think I wore out the covers from taking them out of the library so many times!

~Nancy

Sesselja said:

Roald is a Norwegian name, and Dahl's parents were Norwegians - which explains the lack of N.

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I guess my brain is just trained to see the N there.

He also grew up in Wales - there's now a Roald Dahl Place (or possibly Square) in Cardiff to commemorate him.

LOVE THE BFG and BOY! --great sense of humor.

For some reason, his books were never introduced to me when I was growing up. None of my teachers ever mentioned him. Last semester I took a comic lit class where we read Switch *****. It was my first reading of his, and I did enjoy it. It made me want to read more.

I read the BFG about a million times throughout my childhood, so I think that is my favourite, although I love all his other ones aswell. I recently bought a box set of all his books to give to my son. He's only 1 year old but I'm sure he'll love them as much as I did when he is able to read.

My favorite is a short story by Dahl.

Lamb to the Slaughter

One of the best I've ever read.

Lisa

Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Not even a question in my mind. That book is magic.