Boy

Subtitled 'Tales of childhood', this is a fascinating insight into the young life of Roald Dahl. All are true, and act as indicators of the sources of much of the material in Dahl's books. 'An English school in those days was purely a moneymaking business owned and operated by the Headmaster,' So, naturally, money could be made by encouraging parents to send parcels of food to their offspring, thereby reducing the amount he would have to spend on school meals. Part and parcel of the 'make your own Headmaster kit' was 'the kind of flashing grin a shark might give to a small fish just before he gobbles it up.' Very interesting and worthwhile reading as background to the developing Roald Dahl, from dot to twenty, an adolescent world of boarding school and boaters fagging and tuck boxes holding frogs and slugs.