Absolutely charming are the stories about Dahl's family and his early school days. As he himself states, it's not truly an autobiography, but rather the fragmented memories that he recalls. One can clearly observe how those memories have influenced his books. Moreover, it becomes evident how his intelligent, tightly-knit, and fantastical family served as a source of inspiration for him. The book is also complete with illustrations and snippets of his letters home. These elements add an extra layer of authenticity and charm to the narrative, allowing the reader to truly immerse themselves in Dahl's world and understand the experiences that shaped him as a writer.

This book holds a truly special place within my heart.

Roald Dahl is not only my favorite children's author but also one of my all-time favorite authors in general.

This book, which is the first volume of his autobiography, is crafted in the same enchanting manner as his fictional works.

The memories and tales presented in this book are incredibly vivid, evoking a sense of nostalgia in me.

Even though I was born more than eighty years after the author and in a place very different from England.

I firmly believe that we all possess a few books that we cherish on a profoundly personal level, perhaps for no obvious specific reason.

This book is precisely one of those for me. It holds immense sentimental value and it fills my heart with warmth whenever I open it and turn its pages.

It is like a precious treasure that I can always return to, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face and a glow to my soul.

This was truly one of those eye-opening experiences for me as a child. I devoured the book "Boy" countless times, and to this day, back home, I still possess the well-worn edition from 1986. The very concept of an autobiography was so novel and radical at that time when all my reading was centered around make-believe and fiction. The fact that it "really happened" and wasn't fabricated was astonishing. It was like a magical book that opened up an entirely different world, allowing me to catch a glimpse of a life I would never experience.

His reminiscences of childhood and school life are brutally honest, vivid, and often horrifying. In particular, his account of the unexpected removal of his adenoids has remained etched in my memory since the very first time I read it. This is perhaps because I too had my adenoids removed as a child, and the graphic description completely freaked me out. Tales of life at boarding school, with its fagging, the cane, chocolate and tuck boxes, a memorable car trip, and a general air of menace, exposed a truly distinct way of life.

Reading it now, I'm struck by how concise and limited it seems. It just appeared so much more extensive and significant when I was a child (much like headmasters, I suppose). Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. It's also fascinating to pick out those hints of future Dahl stories and characters. This is truly a remarkable book for kids to read and discover, especially as we move further away from the era it depicts.

Dahl states near the beginning that everything is true, but in reality, it doesn't matter one way or the other. It's all part of the story-telling magic. It's well worth reading, regardless of your age. Now, let's move on to his later years...

April 2020

I've just completed reading this with my 7-year-old, initially after dinner and then at bedtime. It's his first encounter with an autobiography, and he seemed to relish it and desires to read more (though I suspect "Going Solo" might not hold his attention at this stage). It's great for exploration and discovery, as we learned a great deal about Norway and how poorly children have been treated (he seemed particularly intrigued by that aspect).

I don't know how Roald Dahl managed to achieve it! He crafted a childhood memoir from the early 20th century that is suitable for children to read.

Dahl might have grown up in a privileged environment, but that doesn't imply he didn't experience hardships. "Boy" is predominantly filled with the harrowing tales of pain that he had to endure during his younger years - beatings, unexpected operations, loss, and homesickness. However, in some way, he has made it seem light and almost fictional. If I were to read this as a child, I probably would have found certain parts of it amusing, lacking the understanding that I possess as an adult that these events were real and painful. Don't misunderstand me, there are also some beautiful memories of family, and, of course, various kinds of sweets (anyone for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?!)

Many of the stories truly showcase the sources from which he derived ideas for his later publications: terrifying headmasters, Oslo, his grandmother, lolly shops, and so on. As I was reading, I really relished having snippets flash through my memory of his books and wonder if that was the inspiration. I am now extremely curious about his time abroad and his stint as a pilot. I might have to pick up the second installment, "Going Solo," to discover more.

Roald Dahl's adolescence was a period filled with a wide range of experiences.

He often recalled the events and stories that he went through during this time. Many of these experiences made the reader glad to have grown up in a different era, with the benefits of technology and medical advances.

Dahl's life was anything but ordinary. He endured the loss of a sibling and his father, which must have been extremely difficult. He also attended boarding school, which was a new and challenging environment for him.

After leaving school, Dahl worked for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. This gave him the opportunity to travel and experience different cultures. Later, he fought in The Great War, which was a life-changing event.

It is clear that Dahl's experiences had a significant impact on his storytelling. His ability to bring his characters and stories to life was likely influenced by the people he met, the places he visited, and the events he witnessed.

Overall, Roald Dahl's adolescence was a formative period in his life that shaped him into the writer he would become.

This is a truly enchanting, captivating and humorous portrayal of an extremely charming, endearing and entirely adventurous childhood penned by a remarkable author. The account is filled with vivid details and heartwarming anecdotes that transport the reader back to a time of innocence and wonder. It is a delightful read that leaves one with a smile on their face and a warm feeling in their heart.

A full review will be forthcoming, delving deeper into the many wonderful aspects of this charming childhood memoir. Stay tuned to discover more about this remarkable work.

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I just reread this book after having read it numerous times during my childhood.

It was every bit as captivating as it had been before. As I was rereading, I became aware of so many influences that I had unconsciously carried with me throughout the remainder of my childhood and perhaps even into adulthood.

There were places and ideas that, as a child, I had romanticized. The thought of going to Norway, swimming in the fjords, and filling a pipe with goat's tobacco with my group of siblings - it was like heaven.

The way Roald Dahl tells a story, with such good humor and simplicity, makes even the experience of getting canned seem like the most wonderful adventure in the world!

Rereading a book that you read as a child is such a delightful experience, and it's truly heartwarming to find that it still has the power to make you smile in all the same places.

It's a reminder of the joy and wonder that books can bring, and how they can stay with us throughout our lives.

Kowais Ronald Dahl

Ronald Dahl is a renowned author. His works have captured the imaginations of readers around the world. From his unique and creative stories to his vivid characters, Dahl has left a lasting impact on the literary world. His books are not only entertaining but also often carry important messages and life lessons. Many of his works have been adapted into movies and other forms of media, further expanding their reach and popularity. Whether you're a child or an adult, there's something in Dahl's writing that can appeal to you. His ability to create magical worlds and tell engaging stories is truly remarkable.

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This is definitely one of the best books of the year. I read it in one go.

I love Dahl's sense of humor (he writes as if Dahl has bitten Bunin of the "Damned Days" period a little).

And I also learned some unpleasant details about how boys were educated in private English schools, and what liquorice candies are actually made of, and how the idea of the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" came to Dahl's mind.

The book is

This is the first instalment of Dahl’s autobiography. It is written with his customary wit, style, and accessibility. ‘Boy’ offers an entertaining look into Dahl's early years and upbringing. Here, some events are included that surely had an impact and gave him ideas for some of his later novels.

A minor quibble: in the edition I was reading, many of the facsimiles of excerpts from letters, reports, etc. from Dahl’s childhood were rather hard to read because of the small size of the writing. Perhaps they would have been better if they were slightly larger copies of the originals.

Definitely, it is well worth a read for all fans of Roald Dahl. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of this beloved author, and helps to shed light on the experiences that shaped his unique perspective and creative genius.

It’s a 10/10.

Books like this truly have the power to transport you back in time and remind you of the very reason why you initially fell in love with reading.

I firmly believe that YA and Children’s literature is among the best written genres out there.

Their simplicity, yet profoundness, makes them always worth going back to every now and again.

They offer a unique perspective and a world of imagination that can be both entertaining and enlightening.

For this particular book, I highly recommend the audiobook version.

Even if listening to audiobooks isn’t usually your thing, I encourage you to give it a try.

The narrators often bring the story to life in a whole new way, adding an extra layer of depth and emotion.

It can be a wonderful experience to have the story unfold in your ears as you go about your daily activities.

So, don’t hesitate to pick up this book, whether in print or as an audiobook, and let it take you on a magical journey.

This is a truly charming collection of stories from Roald Dahl's childhood. I adored his books during my childhood years. My absolute favorites were Danny the Champion of the World, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was an absolute delight to listen to some of the true tales from this great storyteller.

One of my most beloved stories was about the free candy bars he received while at boarding school. Cadbury's would send over boxes of test chocolates, and the boys would sample the new flavors and write their reviews. Dahl described how seriously the boys took it, "nibbling each chocolate with the air of connoisseurs, giving our marks and making our comments. 'Too subtle for the common palate,' was one note that I remember writing down."

Dahl emphasized that this experience was crucial as he realized that large chocolate companies had inventing rooms. He vividly imagined what it would be like to work there and create new flavors. "I have no doubt at all that, thirty-five years later, when I was looking for a plot for my second book for children, I remembered those little cardboard boxes and the newly-invented chocolates inside them, and I began to write a book called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Another sweet story was when Dahl became homesick at school and decided to fake appendicitis to return home for a few days. He knew the symptoms as his older sister had recently had it, and he put on a remarkable show for the nurse, yelping and moaning in pain. However, his act was exposed when he got home and his regular doctor instantly knew he was faking. The doctor made him promise never to do it again.

I listened to this on audio, narrated by the talented actor Dan Stevens. He did a marvelous job of performing the different characters. I particularly enjoyed the screechy voice he created for the mean woman who ran the local candy shop, Mrs. Pratchett. Roald and his friends despised Mrs. Pratchett so much that one day he hatched a plot to scare her: he put a dead mouse in one of the candy jars. Unfortunately, the mean Mrs. P figured out who was responsible and had them whipped by the school's headmaster.

Even though I listened to this book, I also had a print copy to flip through. I highly recommend taking a peek at the pages as it contains some lovely photos, notes, and drawings. This book is highly recommended for all Dahl fans.

Favorite Quote:
[After leaving school, Dahl was hired by the Shell Company and traveled to foreign countries]
"I began to realize how simple life could be if one had a regular routine to follow with fixed hours and a fixed salary and very little original thinking to do. The life of a writer is absolute hell compared with the life of a businessman. The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and if he doesn't go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him. If he is a writer of fiction he lives in a world of fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not. Two hours of writing fiction leaves this particular writer absolutely drained. For those two hours he has been miles away, he has been somewhere else, in a different place with totally different people, and the effort of swimming back into normal surroundings is very great. It is almost a shock. The writer walks out of his workroom in a daze. He wants a drink. He needs it. It happens to be a fact that nearly every writer of fiction in the world drinks more whisky than is good for him. He does it to give himself faith, hope and courage. A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it."