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Roald Dahl's Autobiography #1

Boy: Schönes und Schreckliches aus meiner Kinderzeit

roald dahl

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Slight signs of wear!

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1984
Series
Roald Dahl/s Autobiography

This edition

Format
200 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 1986 by Rowohlt
ISBN
9783499156939
ASIN
3499156938
Language
German
Characters More characters
  • Roald Dahl

    Roald Dahl

    Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, spy, and fighter pilot. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian immigrant parents, and he served in the Royal Ai...

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About the author

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roald dahl

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Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.

Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.

His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.

He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 97 votes)
5 stars
35(36%)
4 stars
28(29%)
3 stars
34(35%)
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97 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
shaaaaan
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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Although I didn't enjoy it as much as the first time I read it (there are authors such that the less you know about their lives, the more you enjoy their work, especially the autobiographical one), it still seems to me a delicious read.

And it shows why Dahl was so successful in writing children's literature: he remembered very well how the world and adults look when you are a child.

And he tells it accordingly, making you feel as if you are on an incredible adventure.

Roald Dahl's works have a unique charm that can capture the hearts of readers of all ages. His vivid descriptions and imaginative stories transport us to a world full of magic and wonder.

Whether it's the BFG or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, each of his books is a delight to read.

Even if you've read them before, you can always discover something new and exciting on each reread.

So, if you haven't read any of Dahl's books yet, I highly recommend that you give them a try. You won't be disappointed!
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YanardRognuh
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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A lot of adventures and quite a few frights awaited a boy in a British public school during the 1920s and 1930s.

It was astonishing that Dahl would so vividly and directly describe the brutality of his headmaster. This man, Geoffrey Fisher, later became the Archbishop of Canterbury and crowned Queen Elizabeth II. The quote was rather melancholy: “It was all this, I think, that made me begin to have doubts about religion and even about God. If this person, I kept telling myself, was one of God’s chosen salesmen on earth, then there must be something very wrong about the whole business” (146).

However, much of the story is filled with joy and humor. The episodes that inspired scenes from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were immediately recognizable. I adored his account of summer visits to his mother’s extended family in Norway - the delicious food, the unique traditions, the breathtaking scenery, and even the prank played on his sister’s fiancee. His enthusiasm at the end for his first adult job in East Africa was contagious. You truly get a sense of the thirst for adventure, activity, and new experiences that the young Dahl carried with him from childhood into adulthood. Moreover, the book definitely gives you an understanding of his close-knit family and his deep love for his mother, and hers for him.

It is a highly readable coming-of-age story, complete with photographs and snippets from his letters home that enhance the narrative and convey a wonderful sense of the time and place.
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Titanous
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I truly relished listening to the audio version with Dan Stevens as the narrator!

His narration brought the story to life in the most captivating way. It was an absolute delight to have his voice guiding me through the pages.

Now, I have a much better understanding of where he derived all those crazy and wonderful ideas for his books.

It's as if I've been granted a peek into his creative mind.

As for the 2019 Popsugar Challenge, this book fulfilled the requirement of being a book that I saw someone reading on TV or in a movie. In this case, it was from the charming film "You've Got Mail".

It was interesting to then seek out and experience the book for myself.

The connection between the on-screen portrayal and the actual book added an extra layer of enjoyment to the whole experience.

I'm so glad I took on this challenge and discovered this amazing book with the help of Dan Stevens' narration.

It's definitely a reading experience I'll cherish.
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KanaRian
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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Today, after an hour of rather sleepy studying, I found myself hovering around the school library. As I was browsing the shelves, my eyes landed on a Roald Dahl book. Without hesitation, I grabbed it. After reading just a few paragraphs, I thought, "That's it!" The librarian was observing me with a big, funny smile on her face. So, I had no other option but to walk towards her, trying to look like a real senior preparing for the university entrance test, while secretly hoping she wouldn't notice that almost every book I picked up in the school library was a children's book. Sigh.

I know this isn't a proper review. But really, what's the point of writing one? To be honest, I'm kind of attached to "Boy". You can sense the sincerity in every single phrase. (I'm actually reading a Persian translation, but trust me, it's just as great.) As I was reading the last few pages, I seriously considered it a crime not to give it a fifth star. It was truly AMAZING.

I can't wait to explore more of Roald Dahl's works and see what other wonderful stories he has to offer.
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serexday
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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This (These) books surprised me like not many have ever before.

#theguywiththebookreview presents Boy And Going Solo by Roald Dahl.

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Rukodaime
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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As Dalton characteristically mentions in the preface of the book (1984), he did not write an autobiography, but a fictional story composed of memories that he retrieved from his subconscious. These memories begin at the age of 6 and end at the age of 20, in 1936.

The reader will laugh, be moved, and be amazed by the author's terrible adventures, which start with the death of his father at only 57 years old, continue with the imposition of strict educational methods in British schools and colleges, and, at the same time, the constructive relationship of Dalton with his mother and his eventful intuition are impressive.

The title of the book comes from the way he completed his numerous letters to his mother (he did not write his name, but the word 'Boy').

One of the most original books of Dalton, where a large part of the European culture of the 1920s and 1930s is reflected.

Rating: 4.3/5 or 8.6/10.
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Cosmicblaze454
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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**Roald Dahl's Childhood: A World of Magic and Mayhem**

Roald Dahl's childhood was a tapestry of experiences that would later inspire his remarkable body of work. To commemorate the centenary of his birth, BBC Radio 4 presents a full dramatization of his childhood tales. These stories, sometimes magical and sometimes grotesque, are as true as they are captivating.


Dahl himself said, "An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life. It is usually full of all sorts of boring details. This is not an autobiography." And indeed, his childhood was anything but boring. It was filled with excitement, wonder, terror, and great sadness.


We learn of his experiences at cruel boarding schools, where he endured the harsh treatment of teachers and the bullying of classmates. But there were also moments of joy, such as his daring Great Mouse Plot and his time as a chocolate taster. The local sweetshop was a source of both pleasure and pain, as he struggled to resist the temptation of its delicious treats.


Patrick Malahide provides the voice of Dahl in a colourful adaptation by Lucy Catherine. Directed by Helen Perry, this BBC Cymru/Wales production brings Dahl's childhood to life in a way that is both engaging and entertaining. It is a must-listen for fans of Dahl's work and anyone interested in the power of the imagination.


From BBC Radio 4 - Drama:
To celebrate the centenary year of Roald Dahl's birth, a full dramatization of tales from his own childhood. Sometimes magical, sometimes grotesque but always true, Dahl's boyhood stories are as remarkable as the acclaimed fiction he would go on to write as an adult.
"An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life. It is usually full of all sorts of boring details. This is not an autobiography."
The story of Roald Dahl's childhood is filled with excitement and wonder but also terror and great sadness. We learn of his experiences at cruel boarding schools, his daring Great Mouse Plot, the dangers of Boazers, the pleasure/pain of the local sweetshop and his time as a chocolate taster. Just some of the marvellous, extraordinary events that no doubt went on to inspire his best-selling books.
Patrick Malahide provides the voice of Dahl in a colourful adaptation by Lucy Catherine.
Dramatised by Lucy Catherine
Directed by Helen Perry
A BBC Cymru/Wales Production.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07hwhgc
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TailsGuy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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Boy is the autobiographical novel of one of the greatest children's writers of all time. To discover the genesis of Roald Dahl's genius and of many of his most successful characters, this is a must-read.


Roald Dahl, who lived from 1916 to 1990, had a very eventful life. Born in Llandaff, a small town in Wales, to Norwegian parents, he lost his father at a young age. However, he was fortunate to grow up with a brave and very practical mother who took care of her large extended family (in addition to the four biological children, there were two daughters inherited from her husband's previous marriage, and among them was the decrepit stepsister). She educated him in the best way, exposing him to fantastic life experiences, such as surely the summer vacations in Norway, but also ensuring that he received an excellent education in an English school, as desired by her husband before he died.


And it will be precisely the school - with its extremely strict teaching methods, corporal punishments, bullying classmates, and ridiculous uniforms - that will provide first-rate material for some of the unforgettable characters in his novels. The terrible Supervisor of his school cannot but immediately recall the perfidious headmistress Trunchbull of Matilda, just as the anecdote of the chocolate bars given by the Cadbury company to the students to be tasters will be the inspiration for writing his most famous book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.


In our hands, we have a diary-like book that makes us smile, albeit with small hints of melancholy in the saddest episodes that marked his growth. It is written with the lively and original style that has always characterized his works and enriched with numerous period photos, beautiful illustrations by the great Quentin Blake, and many cuttings of the letters written to his mother (for me, perhaps the most intimate aspect of this autobiography). Highly recommended!

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