Roald Dahl: Teller of the Unexpected: A Biography

by Matthew Dennison

Overview

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice

From one of our finest literary biographers comes a brilliant biography of Roald Dahl: the much-loved author and creator of countless iconic literary characters.

Roald Dahl was one of the world's greatest storytellers. He conceived his vocation as as that of any fearless explorer and, in his writing for children, he was able to tap into a child's viewpoint throughout his life. He crafted tales that were exotic in scenario, frequently invested with a moral, and filled with vibrant characters that endure in public imagination to the present day.

In this brand-new biography, Matthew Dennison re-evaluates the traditional narrative surrounding Dahl—that of school sporting hero, daredevil pilot, and wartime spy-turned-author—and examines surviving primary resources as well as Dahl's extensive literary output to tell the story of a man who identified as a rule-breaker, an iconoclast, and a romantic—both insider and outsider, war hero and child's friend.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639363322
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	01/03/2023
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	374,241
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Matthew Dennison is the author of several critically acclaimed literary biographies, most recently Over the Hills and Far Away: The Life of Beatrix Potter (also available from Pegasus Books). He lives in the United Kingdom.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

I 'Little Boy Blue' 7

II Plodding, Endless Terms 37

III Fit and Tough 55

IV Stalky 79

V The Perfect Spy? 103

VI My Lady Love, My Dove 121

VII Marvellous Medicine 143

VIII Critical Condition 167

IX Such Dazzling Loveliness 191

X We So Loved Being With You 211

Endnotes 229

Image Credits 250

Bibliography 251

Index 253

Editorial Reviews

"Matthew Dennison’s gripping and consistently surprising biography of Kenneth Grahame ably explains how a stuffy bank clerk produced arguably the greatest children’s book ever written, The Wind in the Willows. Grahame’s was a life of tragedy from its beginning and a consequent retreat into private fantasy proved his imaginative salvation."

The Guardian

"Potter is arguably the most popular English children’s book author of all time, and the subject of Matthew Dennison’s excellent short biography. The book is concise, brisk, and consistently interesting, offering just enough detail for most readers.

Barnes & Noble Review Michael Dirda

"Dennison is the latest to turn the story of Beatrix Potter herself into a book. Indeed, Ms. Potter’s extraordinary life makes for an absorbing tale. Dennison ably tells about Potter’s cloistered childhood; about her determination to get published, and about her marriage to an attorney. Readers feel her passion for England’s beautiful Lake District, which became her home. There is much to like about Dennison’s version of Potter’s life. Dennison skillfully weaves Beatrix’s stories into every part of her narrative."

Christian Science Monitor

An elegant new biography. In Dennison’s telling, Dahl’s contradictions are beautifully illustrated. I think [Dahl] would have liked Dennison’s writing style, lush but clipped, with such phrases as ‘the ubiquity of caprice’ and ‘buoyant with slang,’ full of a reader’s zest.

Alexandra Jacobs

The third major biography of the children’s author stresses his tragedy-speckled life more than his often ugly behavior. In Dennison’s telling, the swashbuckling creator of Matilda and Willy Wonka was arrogant yet desperate for acclaim.

New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice

"Dennison’s account is sympathetic but honest, psychologically acute and insightful. It is, withal, a sad story but one that Dennison tells extremely well to his and Grahame’s credit.

Booklist

Praise for Matthew Dennison:

From the Publisher

"This sympathetic study will attract biography lovers and, of course, fans of Grahame’s enduring classic."

Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

"In a concise but revealing biography, Dennison brings [Potter’s] years to life with empathy and understanding. With perception of thought, elegance of prose and love of subject, Dennison studies the woman and her work, and in so doing gives devotees of both ample reason to delight in her—and his—work."

Richmond Times-Dispatch

02/01/2023

The chronicler of Beatrix Potter and Kenneth Grahame turns to Roald Dahl (1916–1990) in his latest literary biography. Dennison presents the often divisive author as a man full of contradictions who believed the main purpose of his children's books is to turn kids into readers and not necessarily teach them a lesson. The book follows his journey as an ace pilot, husband, and father. Eventually, Dahl gains a reputation for his writing and turns to children's books in 1961 with the publication of James and the Giant Peach. Dennison is not shy about discussing Dahl's marital issues and reputation as a bully. The biographer is squarely on Dahl's side though, and some readers might be turned off by his sometimes gush-filled treatment of the subject. Also, Dennison briefly mentions some of the critiques about Dahl's anti-Semitism, thoughts on Israel, and his characterization of the Oompa-Loompas without judgment, which may doesn't sit well. VERDICT With the resurgence of Matilda's popularity, this biography will most likely find a home on most biography shelves for book-loving adults.—Shelley M. Diaz

School Library Journal