Boy - Tales of Childhood. Review on Boy: Tales of Childhood - Roald Dahl

“Boy” by Roald Dahl

As autobiographies go, Roald Dahl’s “Boy” is one of the best examples. As well as being very amusing, Dahl’s

account of his childhood is very moving and interesting. In addition to detailed descriptions of a number of incidents, the author relates, in depth, the difficulties and traumas of being sent away to prep school, and later, secondary school from an early age. The popularity of “Boy’’ can probably be attributed to the fact that the author talks about feelings and experiences that many readers can readily identify with.

“Boy” opens with Roald Dahl’s one-armed father, Harald Dahl, running away with his brother to France. Uncle Oscar went to La Rochelle, and Harald Dahl set up a shipbroking business with a Mr Aednesan in Cardiff. He had married and had a daughter and a son, but his wife tragically died after giving birth to the boy. Harald Dahl looked for a stepmother, and then met and married Sofie Hesselburg, who bore him five children, Roald Dahl and his four sisters.

The rest of the book explains in great detail about Roald Dahl’s eventful, amusing, interesting and sometimes gruesome childhood. Roald Dahl’s first school was Llandaff Cathedral School. Over there, Roald Dahl and his four friends liked to devour the sweetshop (which they would if they had more than 20p). But they hated the filthy, smelly owner, Mrs Pratchett. They played a prank for fun on her (which included a dead mouse and a Gobstopper jar) and Mrs Pratchett got her revenge in a rather painful way, so Roald Dahl went to St Peter’s.

After a great deal of amusing and horrible events, the soon-to-be author went to a great finishing school, Repton. ’’Boy” is a great book to enjoy … “Boy” goes from when Harald Dahl was fourteen to when Roald Dahl was starting his job. The book “Boy” shows us that truth is stronger than fiction. There are moments to make you laugh and moments to scare you. My favourite incident was when Roald Dahl put Goat’s Tobacco in his half-sister’s fiance’s pipe, because it is comedic and courageous.

I have enjoyed “Boy” a lot. The childhood fun, games and horrors are really enjoyable. “Boy” is definitely as exciting as one of Roald Dahl’s other books. The style of writing is simple and yet exciting as could be, which is the trademark of the late Mr. Roald Dahl.

“Boy” is packed with fun, humourous, adventurous and stomach-churning events. From drunken doctors to sweetshops to a horrible Matron to warming toilet seats to applying for jobs, Roald Dahl has covered every topic with his wonderful memory. “Boy” is one of the best books I have ever read. Try to get a copy and read it if you have not already done so. You won’t be disappointed.