cover image Love from Boy: Roald Dahl’s Letters to His Mother

Love from Boy: Roald Dahl’s Letters to His Mother

Edited by Donald Sturrock. Blue Rider, $26 (304p) ISBN 978-0-399-16846-8

Roald Dahl’s transition from young schoolboy to prolific writer is perfectly captured in this delightful collection of letters edited by his authorized biographer, Sturrock (Storyteller: The Life of Roald Dahl). Each chapter covers one to four years, adding up to four decades. Most of the letters are written to Dahl’s mother, though some are to his sisters, and there’s a particularly poignant missive addressed to the widow of the RAF pilot who helped comfort Dahl after the writer’s plane crashed in the Libyan Desert during WWII. These letters allow the reader to watch Dahl grow up, and clarify how his life influenced his books. For example, his time at boarding school gave vivid life to Matilda, and his aviation experiences provided inspiration for James and the Giant Peach and The Minpins. But with typical British stoicism, he never expresses complaint or worry to his mother. It is not until she is 80 that he is able to convey candor and seek solace, relating the horrific experience of his first wife’s stroke and subsequent recovery. Coinciding with what would have been Dahl’s 100th birthday, this collection will delight fans of his fanciful books. [em]Agent: Zoë Pagnamenta, Zoë Pagnamenta Agency. (Sept.) [/em]