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Now that’s the story of how we got to be interested in getting “Going Solo” what you could call the sequel to “Boy”. And how we came to read both books together, curled up on the sofa me reading a page or so aloud whilst putting on weird voices to try and emphasis or scare (me not him), ... Read review
Advantages: A brilliant hillarious adventure, a light read Disadvantages: You will be left wanting more.
...“Physics for house wreckers” and going straight. Does this mean he might be useful to society, after all he did ask questions about the UKIP posters! Perhaps he will become President of the EU.
Anyway I digress, well its easy when you have children isn’t it. So to cut a long story short; We drive to the library, play on the computers, remember to get the book and then over to the club. Now in the interest of sacrifice I have a pint ... ...of
GOING SOLO
AUTHOR (confusing because the book is about the author!):
Roald Dahl was born in 1916. He originally starting writing children’s books because he found none that excited his own children. He has written numerous books both for children and for adults. From the evidence within his autobiography he obviously kept a diary from an early age.
Dahl was accused of racism and anti–Semitism ... more
Delight in Dahl's recollections of a life in a world as bizarre and scary as any to be found in his fiction. This book tells of adventures in Tanganyika and deadly snakes; of fighter planes and WWII air battles. School boy adventure at it’s best.
INTRODUCTION (My Bits; no I don't mean.... oh too late)
I regularly escort the pre teen terrors to the local library. Only one at a time you understand (can’t trust them together), on alternative Saturdays. The library closes at 12:00 and the club opens at guess what 12:00. Therefore, at the insistence of whichever darling is with me that morning we are normally out of the library by 11:55 to precede to the club for a packet of crisps and a Coke!
Shortly after Christmas Number one trainee terrorist announces that the book he ordered is available – The book in question was “Boy” by Roald Dahl. Shock horror has he given up “Chemistry for little monsters” and “Physics for house wreckers” and going straight. Does this mean he might be useful to society, after all he did ask questions about the UKIP posters! Perhaps he will become President of the EU.
Anyway I digress, well its easy when you have children isn’t it. So to cut a long story short; We drive to the library, play on the computers, remember to get the book and then over to the club. Now in the interest of sacrifice I have a pint whilst he has a vanilla coke and Whatsits. (A pint is cheaper!) with the intention of him browsing through the book whilst I exchange a few pleasantries and what the Sky sport channel. Rugby of course. Well he is so engrossed in the book that before I know it its nearly teatime.
Now that’s the story of how we got to be interested in getting “Going Solo” what you could call the sequel to “Boy”. And how we came to read both books together, curled up on the sofa me reading a page or so aloud whilst putting on weird voices to try and emphasis or scare (me not him), then a pause whilst I would get a G&T and then he would read more pages aloud.
Thus we come to my review of
GOING SOLO
AUTHOR (confusing because the book is about the author!):
Roald Dahl was born in 1916. He originally starting writing children’s books because he found none that excited his own children. He has written numerous books both for children and for adults. From the evidence within his autobiography he obviously kept a diary from an early age.
Dahl was accused of racism and anti–Semitism several times throughout his career. Of that I can only comment that there is little evidence in the two volumes of autobiography I have read.
BOOK (about the actual thing, not what it says)
This 224 page paperback is clearly intended to be read both as a stand alone tome and as a continuation volume. “Going Solo” is the second part of Roald Dahl's gripping and lively autobiography. Although packaged for ages 12 and up including a slightly larger print face, it will appeal to both young and old.
The book features black-and-white photos, maps, telegrams and other memorabilia. It is listed as Biography/Memoir – Young Adults, and is commonplace in the Biography section of most libraries. Although the well thumbed version my son borrowed was frequently stamped showing evidence of its popularity. It was a re-issue published in 1999, but no evidence of original publishing date.
GOING SOLO – ROALD DAHL ISBN 0141303107 Puffin Books (Re-issue) January 1999
Also available in audio cassette format ISBN 0060510536 Harper Collins Publishers November 2002
CONTENT (Synopsis - what is it about)
In “Boy” Dahl covers all in the rosy hue of nostalgia with idyllic summers in Norway, the jaded tedium of English public school life complete with canings administered to 7 year old boys by 40 something pshycopaths. In this first volume we get to peek at some of the imaginative inspirations for his enchanting stories, including a real live chocolate factory giving out free samples to young boys.
The fascinating story of Roald Dahl's life continues in this second volume which continues where “Boy” left of, with Dahl on his way to East Africa to his first job with the Shell Oil Company in Dar es Salaam. Roald finds himself in Africa when World War II breaks out and he leaves Shell to join the RAF.
Going Solo is a marvellous flavour of the author's wartime exploits. As a pilot in World War II, Roald Dahl had some wonderfully exciting experiences and several near-death ones. There are battles with deadly snakes, encounters with the enemy (including having a luger pointed at his head by the leader of a German convoy), crash-landing in no-man's land (sustaining injuries that required his nose pulled out and shaped) and when he was sufficiently recovered to fly again incredible dogfights. Plus surviving a direct hit during the Battle of Athens. Told with the same powerful charm that has made Dahl one of the world's best-loved writers, Going Solo brings you directly into the thick of it and into the mind of this brilliant man.
APPENDICES (The extra bits at the end)
My son borrowed this book from the library on 2 further occasions within the space of six months. Then one day during some local carnival event, Dad was idling in the beer tent when number 1 son manages to squeeze some extra pocket money. This may have been related to the same breath sentence as Mum’s been asking where you are! Needless to say he very wisely spent a miniscule amount of his ill gotten gains on purchasing a second hand copy.
I do not complain due to the marvellous bonding this book has brought into our household. No, at 224 pages its not suitable for that! I use an old dictionary to weigh down anything that needs gluing. What I mean is my son is regularly to be found reading extracts to our daughter. This is clearly a favourite for both.
Would ideally have given a four and a half star review, but not possible. Therefore, what the heck, holidays next week so .........
Advantages: Wonderfully written, some fantastic stories Disadvantages: Not quite as charming or memorable as its predecessor
...antagonists of his later books, Going Solo deals with a different kind of material; especially where he relates his time flying in the RAF in World War Two, these villainous caricatures are absent, replaced by a harder reality. Dahl's stories here are no less entertaining, but he does not attempt to make light or draw comedy from the wartime he experienced. Rather, the author lays open his younger self's naive mindset and thought processes in a lightly ... ...possess the same essential charm that made the former volume so easy to return to time and again. However, as both the recollections of a time now lost to history and the conclusion to the incredible life story of a remarkable man, Going Solo is a voyage all should take. ...
Puggers 26.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Going Solo - Roald Dahl
Advantages: Intresting and is a real life stoy Disadvantages: NA
Going Solo is the second part of roald Dahl's compelling and colourful autobiography, it creates a world as bizarre and unnerving as any you will find in his fiction. A marvellous evocation of his wartime explotis, it tells the story of African safaris and deadly snakes, also fighters planes and incredible air battles with the enermy during world war two. it is told with the irresistable appeal which has made Roald Dahl one of the worlds best loved ... ...book BOY. Dahl informs the readers of what happened to him since he left school. It all starts when he joined the Shell company to sell oil abroad. He was then offered a position in Egypt to go and work, but he refused it on account of it beging "too dusty". Instead he went to Africa. While he was there he crossed paths with the dreaded Black Mamba (a form of dangerous snake) Roald Dahl tells us of the local tribes he encountered and of a bloodfeud ...
Mazzy3 24.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Going Solo - Roald Dahl
Advantages: Funny, entertaining and a good read Disadvantages: Not good for those without a sense of humour
"Going Solo", is the continuation of Roald Dahl's autobiography of when he was a youth picking up where "Boy" left off.
Dahl informs his readers of what happened to him since he left school. Beginning with him joining the Shell company to sell oil abroad. He was offered a position in Egypt, (which was considered an important placement) but refused it on account of it being "too dusty" !!!! So instead off he went to Africa. Where he crossed paths ... ...of the local tribes he encountered and of a bloodfeud which existed between a couple of them, involving one of his servants killing members of another tribe!!!!!
Dahl then tells us of his training as a pilot and of his part in the fighting of WW2!! A part of his life which was riddled with danger... even more so when Dahl is injured and is blinded temporarily and is kept in hospital for those difficult months. Finally he tells us of his joyful reunion ...
Sparkier 28.07.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Going Solo - Roald Dahl
Advantages: The next 'chapter' in Roald Dahl's amazing life. Disadvantages: None.
Going Solo leads on from where his first book Boy finishes off, and is just as enchanting and enthralling as this first book is. You are, once again taken into his world by a story that you can't put down. This tells of his time working in the war as a fighter pilot, and how he nearly lost his sight following an almost tragic plane crash in the desert. It tells of all that he saw in the time leading up to this moment occuring, and then how he felt ... ...recovery, he then goes to tell of his journey into story-telling - and meeting not only the then President of the USA, but also meeting Mr Walt Disney himself and all of the works that went on between the two of them. Once again has Roald Dahl done it - he has written about his life in such a way that it just possibly all seem to have happened to him, and that it seems just as much in detail and discovery as his other books. Well worth a read! ...
danthepianoman 03.02.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Going Solo - Roald Dahl
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Advantages: A lovely read imagination is well used. Disadvantages: Story concept could be a litlle frightening for a very young reader.
comical really and are drawn by Quention Blake he provided all the drawings for the Dahl books and they fit well. These two things together make this a wonderful read and one you won't put down cause you will want to know what happens enjoy it.
OVERALL~~~
I would recommend this for all age groups and fancy reading it again myself. The imagination this book presents when reading is amazing. If you are not a big reader this has been made into an animated movie and is a good take on the book my children have it and love it.
OTHER CHILDRENS BOOKS~~~~
James And The Giant Peach
Charlie and the chocolate factory
The Witches
The Twits
Georges Marvoulous Medicine
Danny the champion of the world
Boy
GoingSolo
Charlie and the great glass elevator
The giraffe the pelly and me
RoaldDahls revolting rhymes
And many more and all ...
Advantages: Holds a childs interest and stretches the imagination! Disadvantages: Text so descriptive can turn your stomach!!
of these terrible creatures), gets caught up in the biggest witch convention and inadvertently find out about a plan to rid the world of all children. The ensuing story is how they try to stop the dastardly plot!!
This is a great if not a little scary story, I won't let my daughter read this one just yet!!
BOOK TEN - Goingsolo, is the second part of RoaldDahls autobiography, following on from "boy", and accounts Dahl's first job in Africa and his wartime exploits, including his amazing survival from a plane crash in the Libyan dessert.
I am sure many people have read and enjoyed this book, as for myself it was and probably is just too grown up for my tastes!!!
~~~~~~ PRICE AND AVAILABILITY ~~~~~~
This set retails at £54.00, but was purchased from "the book people", www.thebookpeople.co.uk, for the sum of £10.00, I know, I ...
Advantages: A few funny and moving parts. Not many, but some. Disadvantages: Dull, too long, not a patch on the original.
Lee and “cider with Rosie” compared to “as I walked out one midsummer morning”; or RoaldDahl’s “boy” to the sequel “goingsolo”).
Most people who read Tis do so because they loved its prequel, and find it hard to believe that any follow up could be in any way a poor read after this amazing book – that is certainly why I read it. I feel let down by the author now and wish I had taken the advice I was given to leave Tis alone. I struggled to finish it, finding it overall to be dull, far too long and completely undeserving of a bestseller rank. Stick to Angela’s Ashes and avoid this book at all costs! ...
Young Roald Dahl leaves England in 1938 for a job with Shell Oil in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and travelling around East Africa, he comes to love the beautiful and perilous country. Then, with the outbreak of World War II, he decides to sign up with the Royal Air Force and learn to fly. After six months of training, Dahl is ready to join 80 Squadron but is given the wrong directions and crash-lands in the western desert of Libya. He recuperates for half a year in Egypt and takes to the air again, meeting up at last with his squadron in Greece. Though he has no combat training, and minimal flight experience, he and 14 other pilots make up the entire RAF in that theatre of war. On April 20, 1941, this band must take on the German Luftwaffe in the battle of Athens. Dahl recounts the exhilaration of flying, the camaraderie of his fellow pilots and the exotic beauty of his African experience.
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