I just watched a documentary on his life, works and family (why do they only show cool documentaries at 11.30pm surely the general populace might actually be interested?)

Anyway what with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory being remade and all, do you think this will introduce his works to a new generation. I can only think this would be a good thing.

Anyway they played readings of some of his works, and i think it may be time to reread his books as i haven't in like 15 years and they were some of my childhood favourites.

I didn't realize the new generation wasn't being introduced to his works. I thought Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach (at least) were staples in children's lit.


While I love Dahl's children's books, I also highly enjoy his adult works. Some of his stuff is just plain creepy.

Oh my, there are children who aren't read Roald Dahl?

Every family I know with children has at least some of his books...

some kids are introduced to roald dahl even without realizing it.
either by seeing the movie versions of his books (charlie and che chocolate factory, matilda, the witches, james and the giant peach) or by indirect references from other movies.

still i must admit i wish his books were as popular now as they were when i was a kid, but i must say it isn't really so. there are new editions of their books, with fancy colours and a scribbled font to invite the young audience, but i somhow think they don't really "get" the feel of roald dahl as much

anywho, i agree with gina on his short stories being really creepy and really, really good.
i just love the man. and after reading "boy" and "going solo" i even felt as if he was a dear friend of mine. i wish it were a feeling i could share for all my favourite authors.


aanyway, the reason i dug this up again is that i was looking for a thread where to post the following question: i'm suggesting to a nineteen year old to get her hands on roald dahl. she's one of those kids who never got around reading any of his books and now i want her to make up for it. i want her to read the kids stuff as much as the adult stuff.
does anyone have a suggested reading order?

did he also write 'danny, champion of the world'? i'm not sure, but i remember reading it in grade 7. i rather enjoyed it.

yeah Sins, that's one of his (never read that one though)

I'm reading Zoe Charlie And The Great Glass Elevator right now! She loved the first book and can't wait for the new movie

i adored roald dahl when i was a kid. my third grade teacher used to read his books to us when after lunch for story time. it was awesome...and i think that's the only reason i liked going to school at the time. we did this huge mural of james and the giant peach, with all of the characters and hung it up in the hallway... good times. i read charlie and the chocolate factory so much when i was little, i tried to re-read it a while ago and the book kept falling apart

i also had no idea his books aren't as popular anymore. that's crazy. just crazy.

ok, until Hall. comes back to say otherwise, I think y'all are over reacting to what was said. You turned a movie introducing the books to a new generation into kids not reading him anymore! The books are still in print and being read guys! Yeesh!

what? over reacting? us??
never...

oh yeah, missed this for a long while, and yup GMZoe is right sorry meant more reintroduce.

Movies like Witches and Matilda came out when i was a child and i remeber that it meant his books were repopularised (ie. they were very 'in' and 'cool' with the kids) i was just wondering and hoping if the new movie would do the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by GMZoe:
ok, until Hall. comes back to say otherwise, I think y'all are over reacting to what was said. You turned a movie introducing the books to a new generation into kids not reading him anymore! The books are still in print and being read guys! Yeesh!

mmmph, if footmod doesn't even pay attention while reading posts then he's the only one to blame

and *kicks everyone* no one gave me any suggestion!!!

ouch! *rubs backside*

well i would suggest starting with The Twits or the BFG then go onto the autobiographical stuff. man i really need to reread quite a few of the books!

Roald Dahl's stuff is super. He seems to be best remembered as a children's writer now, but he did a lot of other stuff (he wrote a James Bond movie for example). His short stories are absolutely superb, and I'd recommend those to anyone.

Anyone remember Tales of the Unexpected? (Not sure if that TV show ever went outside of the UK)

The ones I remember most fondly from when I was a kiddy are: The Twits, The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

the bfg, that's right. i remembered dahl wrote that, and in 'danny', danny's dad told him stories of the bfg, i remember that. i was wondering how i remembered from all those years ago, lol.

*bump for later*

I always wanted to get hold of one of Dahl's books it should be called the friar of Nibbleswicke or something similar, the main character should have a speach problem turning words backwards- god, dog...I read most of his books so far and they are wonderful, although The Great Glass Elevator annoyed me at the end for some reason...

i loved roald dahl when i was wee. he understood that kids have a dark and twisted kind of sense of humour, too.. (or was that only me?)
i liked the twits and danny the champion of the world, and those short illustrated rhyme thingas, especially. erm, you know like this- his words and quentin blake's supoib pictures just went together so well. poetry, baby!

I also loved Dahl's stuff when I was younger...still do, really. Oddly, the work of his that's been sticking in my mind the most of late is "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More." Hm. (Anna gave me her copy of that one, IIRC. I can't remember if I gave her my copies of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" for them, but either way she probably has them now. Along with her own copies.)

quote:

Originally posted by fluffyllama's BIG BROTHER:
(Anna gave me her copy of that one, IIRC. I can't remember if I gave her my copies of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" for them, but either way she probably has them now. Along with her own copies.)

yes yes and yes.
my copy of charlie and the chocolate factory is falling apart now tho... ch. 6-10 is falling out.
this copy still has the old joseph schidelman illustrations too; can't quite bring myself to love quentin blake's.

i can't remember now tho, why didn't i like henry sugar?

i remember i got it as a RIF book. ..