From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-Fans of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda will be entranced by actor Derek Jacobi's amusing and captivating narration of the formative years of Dahl's life. Listening to the boyhood antics of this world famous and best-selling author provides a glimpse into where he got some of the plot ideas and inspirations for his most popular books. Dahl's upbringing was, by any standard, eccentric. In Boy (FS&G, 1984), the first of his two autobiographical titles (the second is Going Solo), he details many of his more unusual boyhood adventures, such as almost losing his nose in a car accident, the "Great Mouse Plot" of 1924, and boarding school antics in prose that will leave listeners laughing out loud. Jacobi's wry delivery is completely unselfconscious, and his pacing is perfect. This audio treat will appeal to Dahl fanatics of all ages.
Cindy Lombardo, Orrville Public Library, OHCopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From AudioFile
In this rollicking romp through his childhood, Roald Dahl's listeners glimpse some of the imaginative inspirations for his delightful stories. We spend idyllic summers in his mother's native Norway, grow weary at the boredom of his English public schools, wince at the canings administered to 7-year-old boys by 40-year-old psychopaths, even find a real live chocolate factory that gives free samples to young boys. Yet we relish every minute. The author covers all in the rosy hue of nostalgia, while Sachs fills it with twitches, grunts, and tipsy 10-year-olds. His familiar voice playfully marshals before our eyes the saints and demons from Dahl's memory as only an accomplished actor can, capturing with them all the drama, suspense, and energy of the written text. P.E.F. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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