Roald Dahl Passed Away 35 Years Ago

Today is the thirty-fifth anniversary of Roald Dahl's passing.

I wrote about the Cardiff-born author a few weeks ago, and thought I'd revisit the topic today to commemorate the day.

Back in October, I mentioned that I had never read one of the last books Dahl wrote. So, a few weeks ago, I finally sat down and read Esio Trot.

It was a bit funny. It's about how a man woos the lady in the apartment downstairs by pretending he knows how to make tortoises grow. Instead, he his plan involves buying a bunch various sizes of the animal and switching them.

His plot eventually wins the lady's heart. It actually ends without the neighbour marrying with the wooer.

Her actual tortoise, well - it ends up with another family because the subterfuge was not revealed to the unsuspecting lady.

A peculiar conclusion because that man has tricked his way into that woman's life and gotten rid of her real pet!

That's Roald Dahl for you.

Esio Trot wasn't the only Dahl book I've read recently.

This week, I've picked up Boy and Going Solo for the first time since my childhood. I have a few fond memories of reading Dahl's first autobiography. As for Going Solo - I was given it by my mum for Christmas in the year it was first published in paperback. I struggled with it, to be fair. But, it was mainly because it covered Dahl's participation in the Second World War. 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciated it back then. However, I am finding it more enjoyable reading Going Solo with eyes that have matured by forty-plus years since I first opened it.

I learned of Roald Dahl's passing during the News at Ten thirty-five years ago tonight. As I wrote last month, I often wonder how my infant and primary school would have dealt with such news. 

We read a lot of Dahl there. And I mean lot!

I'm glad we did.