Mildenhall Treasure [Hardcover]

Roald Dahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 1999

The true story of a Suffolk ploughman, Gordon Butcher, who uncovered the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. It was Roman silver of unparalleled beauty and value and, not appreciating what he had discovered, Butcher was savagely cheated out of the fortune that should have been his.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Buried one foot below the surface of a field called Thistley Green in the English town of Mildenhall, a most fantastic Roman treasure lay for centuries until a ploughman came along in the 1940s and accidentally dug it up. What followed was the worst kind of tragedy, because it involves human greed and abuse of a good man's innocence. Gordon Butcher, discoverer of this treasure, was entitled by British law to the full amount of its market value. Butcher was not aware of this law; however, another ploughman named Ford did know about it, and managed to bamboozle Butcher out of the fortune.

This remarkable story was written in 1946 by a young Roald Dahl, who went on to write such beloved classics as James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dahl's inimitable style blazes through even in his early career. The true story, republished with stunning art by Ralph Steadman, is as riveting as if it had happened today, with heartbreaking notes of unbearable unfairness and sincere naiveté. Each page, thickly covered with rich, dark splashes of paint, sketchy faces, and bits of collage, has a wild and ominous tenor, reflected in the ferocious weather that fateful day when the hapless farmer found--and lost--the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-This story was originally published as a magazine article in the late '40s and again as part of the collection The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More (Knopf, 1977). A simple, honest plowman in wartime England uncovers a king's ransom in Roman silver in a field. By law, it must revert to the Crown, but a crafty colleague tricks the man out of the treasure, which would have brought him millions of pounds had he turned it in immediately. The colleague, in the meantime, keeps the silver and only gives it up when he is caught red-handed by a visiting scholar. It is a wonderful story, told in direct, high-impact sentences with the confiding, sure voice of a storyteller. Steadman's artwork, which is done primarily in dark colors, is fairly prosaic and cold at the beginning, though the colors warm and the compositions become more focused as the tale progresses. The tone and temper of the illustrations match with the narrative, even though some of the pictures are a page behind it. However, while the compositions have a nice balance to them, some of the work is so abstract or dark that it is difficult to imagine why it was put together with a story primarily marketed to children. There is no perfect marriage of art and text here. Buy Henry Sugar for Dahl fans who may never have heard of The Mildenhall Treasure and leave Steadman for the galleries and adult art books.
Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 78 pages
• Publisher: Jonathan Cape (August 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0224060171
• ISBN-13: 978-0224060172
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was born in Llandaff, South Wales, and went to Repton School in England. His parents were Norwegian, so holidays were spent in Norway. As he explains in Boy, he turned down the idea of university in favor of a job that would take him to"a wonderful faraway place. In 1933 he joined the Shell Company, which sent him to Mombasa in East Africa. When World War II began in 1939 he became a fighter pilot and in 1942 was made assistant air attaché in Washington, where he started to write short stories. His first major success as a writer for children was in 1964. Thereafter his children's books brought him increasing popularity, and when he died children mourned the world over, particularly in Britain where he had lived for many years.The BFG is dedicated to the memory of Roald Dahls eldest daughter, Olivia, who died from measles when she was seven - the same age at which his sister had died (fron appendicitis) over forty years before. Quentin Blake, the first Children's Laureate of the United Kingdom, has illustrated most of Roald Dahl's children's books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roald Dahl met and interviewed the finder of the treasure, December 23, 2001

By 

K. Corn "reviewer" (midwest, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Mildenhall Treasure (Hardcover)

One might argue that this book about the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles is itself a rare find. Roald Dahl was able to interview Gordon Butcher, the man who originally found the Roman silver on his land, no small feat since Butcher had become suspicious of writers and journalists after being cheated out of a fortune that should have been his. The account, mostly in Butcher's own words, of the discovery is absolutely entrancing and Dahl has the wisdom to keep the story tight and lean, while preserving the details about Butcher and that memorable day when his life changed forever.
I have had a hard time finding true historical accounts which I can share with my entire family and which will hold the interest of both children and adults. With pictures on nearly every page (by the inimitable Ralph Steadman) and vivid writing which makes history come alive, this one fits the bill.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mildenhall, November 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mildenhall Treasure (Hardcover)

The easy reading style of Dahl is at its best in the Mildenhall treasure, when fast development mixed with a human element are concerned. He allows the user to empathise with characters and feel the disapointment not only of the good but also those of more dubious character. He gives an insight into peoples lives which should not be possible in such a short space. A very good read, to see the darker side of human character and the way in which naivity is often ruthlessly exploited, however despite this the book is kept light and readable with vivid images and interesting content, a worthwhile read.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous true tale of treasure lost and found and lost again!, June 1, 2008

By 

P. Neech (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mildenhall Treasure (Hardcover)

A short but wonderful story of finding real treasure!!! The biggest find of Roman Silver ever in the UK. However it is the 'human' element within this story that makes it so thrilling. Greed does terrible things to us all.....
This is a great story for kids but I was 28 when I first read it. I have remembered it so vividly for all these years ( I am now in my 40's..) I just had to buy a copy to keep for myself. If you love archaeology and can imagine the thrill of finding something truely gobsmackingly amazing... this is a great read!