Roald Dahl

cassiopeia · 07-12-2002, 01:38 AM

Does anyone here like Roald Dahl's books? I think they are better than Harry Potter for children. The witches scared me when I was little. I love the BFG and Matilda. His autobiographical book Boy was very good too. The stories are so funny and disgusting, probably why I love them.

***IronParrot*** · 07-12-2002, 01:54 AM

Dahl is definitely one of the quintessential authors for any study of children's literature. When my brother was a year old or so, the first books I read to him were all by Dahl. And the thing is, as you grow old, his work doesn't; his whimsy is just as enjoyable now as ever.

Interesting that you mention Harry Potter, because as many scholars and critics have noted, Rowling's prose is very much like Dahl's, and she was probably strongly influenced by his work. And her work is also accessible to and enjoyable by all ages, in the same manner.

Reumandar · 07-12-2002, 12:29 PM

I like Roald Dahl

. He is a very Good and talented Author and I really like his books

***Khamûl*** · 07-12-2002, 11:00 PM

It's been years since I've read anything that he wrote, but I remember reading some of his books and really enjoying them. I loved "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach". In third grade, we read something else by him, but I can't remember what it was. He is one of the best children's authors out there.

Jadera · 07-26-2002, 02:05 PM

I read Matilda when I was probably eight or nine, and I absolutely adored it. It was wonderfully written, and the ending gave you warm and fuzzy feelings. (WAFF! lol) Definitely something I would read to my children.
I never read James and the Giant Peach, but the movie was cute. I like the grasshopper.

sun-star · 07-26-2002, 02:28 PM

I always felt like I should like him, but I just didn't.

Celandine · 08-06-2002, 02:09 PM

Roald Dahl is a really good author i like his books

BeardofPants · 08-06-2002, 05:00 PM

I liked the BFG (whizpopping!

), the Twits, and Boy.

Although they were all good, but those are the ones that stand out in my memory - although I remember being scared when I read the Witches as well!

Edit: Oh, Oh, I can't believe I forgot Georges Marvellous Medicine!! - It was among one of the first books I ever read, after Enid Blyton's secret seven.

Pippin'sGirl · 08-07-2002, 10:54 AM

I love Dahl! Has anyone ever read his Revolting Rymes? It's very funny! BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the chocolate factory/Great glass elevator are wonderful too!

cassiopeia · 08-07-2002, 11:43 PM

Did anyone see the movie of the witches? They ruined the ending!!!

BeardofPants · 08-08-2002, 03:52 AM

I've read the book AND seen the movie a couple of times, but since it wasn't my favourite book, I can't actually remember either ending. (My memory is TERRIBLE.

)

Lossei · 08-08-2002, 03:42 PM

I have read every single one of the books but the twits

cassiopeia · 08-09-2002, 02:53 AM

Here are the endings: (SPOILERS!):

Book:

Luke stays a mouse and him and his grandmother go and destroy all the witches in the world.

Movie:

Luke gets turned back to a boy by a 'good' witch and I think all the witches in the world automatically die.

Comic Book Guy · 08-10-2002, 09:26 PM

Roald Dahl has a great imagination, that's probably why we were encouraged to read his books when I was in primary school, our school teacher always read to us some of his books and then encouraged us to read his books individually. Boy did I do that, I must have read most of his books for children, Charile and the Chocolate factory and the sequal I think were my favourite Roald Dahl book.

I have read a little of his more grown-up stories, though I cannot remember them very well, the only one I can remember the Short Story about a man who picks up a pick-pocket or "Fingersmith" as he called himself along the road. The fingersmith was like a modern day Robin Hood.

cassiopeia · 08-11-2002, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Roald Dahl has a great imagination, that's probably why we were encouraged to read his books when I was in primary school, our school teacher always read to us some of his books and then encouraged us to read his books individually. Boy did I do that, I must have read most of his books for children, Charile and the Chocolate factory and the sequal I think were my favourite Roald Dahl book.

I have read a little of his more grown-up stories, though I cannot remember them very well, the only one I can remember the Short Story about a man who picks up a pick-pocket or "Fingersmith" as he called himself along the road. The fingersmith was like a modern day Robin Hood.

Thats how I got into his books as well! I had a great teacher who read them to us.
I think you are referring to The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. I really like the Henry Sugar story. Its about a rich guy who reads about a yogi who can see with his eyes closed and then copies the yogis training to able himself to see what is on the other side of cards (great for gambling!) There is another 'grown up" book called The Great Automatic Grammatiser (sp?) too.

GandalfTheWhite · 08-11-2002, 02:16 AM

personally my fav book by dahl was fantastic mr fox, ne one read it?

Comic Book Guy · 08-11-2002, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Thats how I got into his books as well! I had a great teacher who read them to us.
I think you are referring to The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. I really like the Henry Sugar story. Its about a rich guy who reads about a yogi who can see with his eyes closed and then copies the yogis training to able himself to see what is on the other side of cards (great for gambling!) There is another 'grown up" book called The Great Automatic Grammatiser (sp?) too.

Thank you for jogging my memory cassiopia.

07-12-2002, 01:38 AM	#1
cassiopeia Viggoholic Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 1,749	Roald Dahl Does anyone here like Roald Dahl's books? I think they are better than Harry Potter for children. The witches scared me when I was little. I love the BFG and Matilda. His autobiographical book Boy was very good too. The stories are so funny and disgusting, probably why I love them. __________________ Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.

07-12-2002, 01:54 AM	#2
*IronParrot* Fowl Administrator Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Calgary or Edmonton, Canada Posts: 53,420	Dahl is definitely one of the quintessential authors for any study of children's literature. When my brother was a year old or so, the first books I read to him were all by Dahl. And the thing is, as you grow old, his work doesn't; his whimsy is just as enjoyable now as ever. Interesting that you mention Harry Potter, because as many scholars and critics have noted, Rowling's prose is very much like Dahl's, and she was probably strongly influenced by his work. And her work is also accessible to and enjoyable by all ages, in the same manner. __________________ All of IronParrot's posts are guaranteed to be 100% intelligent and/or sarcastic, comprising no genetically modified content and tested on no cute furry little animals unless the SPCA is looking elsewhere. If you observe a failure to uphold this warranty, please contact a forum administrator immediately to receive a full refund on your Entmoot registration. Blog: Nick's Café Canadien

07-12-2002, 12:29 PM	#3
Reumandar Elven Warrior Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The Land of Fire and Ice ('Tis a country You will never guess it) Posts: 103	I like Roald Dahl. He is a very Good and talented Author and I really like his books __________________ If envy were an illness the whole world would be sick (old Danish proverb) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Then Thorondor bore up Glorfindel's body out of the abyss, and they buried him in a mound of stones beside the pass; and a green turf came there, and yellow flowers bloomed upon it amid the barrenness of stone, until the world was changed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh Potter you Rotter, Oh what have you done Your killing off the students, you think it's good fun

07-12-2002, 11:00 PM	#4
*Khamûl* Slacker Warrior Admin Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,759	It's been years since I've read anything that he wrote, but I remember reading some of his books and really enjoying them. I loved "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach". In third grade, we read something else by him, but I can't remember what it was. He is one of the best children's authors out there. __________________ "If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you." Gandalf to Pippin Psalm 107:31

07-26-2002, 02:05 PM	#5
Jadera Elven Warrior Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Somewhere out there Posts: 205	I read Matilda when I was probably eight or nine, and I absolutely adored it. It was wonderfully written, and the ending gave you warm and fuzzy feelings. (WAFF! lol) Definitely something I would read to my children. I never read James and the Giant Peach, but the movie was cute. I like the grasshopper. __________________ Whaaaaaaaaaat?? ~Chivalry isn't dead, it just transferred to women~

07-26-2002, 02:28 PM	#6
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	I always felt like I should like him, but I just didn't. __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

08-06-2002, 02:09 PM	#7
Celandine Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 168	Roald Dahl is a really good author i like his books

08-06-2002, 05:00 PM	#8
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	I liked the BFG (whizpopping! ), the Twits, and Boy. Although they were all good, but those are the ones that stand out in my memory - although I remember being scared when I read the Witches as well! Edit: Oh, Oh, I can't believe I forgot Georges Marvellous Medicine!! - It was among one of the first books I ever read, after Enid Blyton's secret seven. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords Last edited by BeardofPants : 08-06-2002 at 05:05 PM.

08-07-2002, 10:54 AM	#9
Pippin'sGirl Sapling Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Born in the USA! Posts: 9	I love Dahl! Has anyone ever read his Revolting Rymes? It's very funny! BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the chocolate factory/Great glass elevator are wonderful too!

08-07-2002, 11:43 PM	#10
cassiopeia Viggoholic Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 1,749	Did anyone see the movie of the witches? They ruined the ending!!! __________________ Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.

08-08-2002, 03:52 AM	#11
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	I've read the book AND seen the movie a couple of times, but since it wasn't my favourite book, I can't actually remember either ending. (My memory is TERRIBLE. ) __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

08-08-2002, 03:42 PM	#12
Lossei Hobbit Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: A lone hill in the field of Cormallen (ok, ok, Minnesota) Posts: 21	I have read every single one of the books but the twits

08-10-2002, 09:26 PM	#14
Comic Book Guy Best Ex-Administrator ever Join Date: May 2001 Location: Ireland Posts: 60,547	Roald Dahl has a great imagination, that's probably why we were encouraged to read his books when I was in primary school, our school teacher always read to us some of his books and then encouraged us to read his books individually. Boy did I do that, I must have read most of his books for children, Charile and the Chocolate factory and the sequal I think were my favourite Roald Dahl book. I have read a little of his more grown-up stories, though I cannot remember them very well, the only one I can remember the Short Story about a man who picks up a pick-pocket or "Fingersmith" as he called himself along the road. The fingersmith was like a modern day Robin Hood.

08-11-2002, 02:16 AM	#16
GandalfTheWhite Elven Warrior Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 297	personally my fav book by dahl was fantastic mr fox, ne one read it? __________________ "Behold, I am not Gandalf the Grey, whom you betrayed. I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death. You have no colour now, and I cast you from the order and from the Council." -Gandalf The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say. "He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom." -Gandalf "A thing is about to happen which has not happened since the Elder Days: the Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong." -Gandalf