Monday, May 16, 2005

Pouch the Book Club: Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl



Few writers can match the diversity of Roald Dahl whose works range from the bright literary hues of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda to the witty and darker Tales of the Unexpected.

In his children’s books Dahl always seemed to have meaning and an important message in the goodness of a child in difficult situations we can identify with, wrapped in the magic of Everlasting Gobstoppers and Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse Maker. His adult books have a darker setting, but are actually lighter in core themes, where you don’t feel bad about laughing at a sinister twist. In all his books, he wastes no words, and those he uses have simplicity and honesty.

His two memoirs link the life of the man to the lives of his characters in both those genres. Revolting Rhymes is yet another bridge of those two Roald Dahls. While Boy and Going Solo bring out real-life situations with essence of the lessons we take from Charlie and Matilda, Revolting Rhymes gives us the other recipe: it reignites the songs of the Oompah Loompas with the more adult humor, bringing together a delightful collection of tales.

The animal I really dig
Above all others is a pig,
Pigs are noble. Pigs are clever,
Pigs are courteous. However,
Now and then, to break this rule,
One meets a pig who is a fool.
What, for example, would you say,
If strolling through the woods one day,
Right there in front of you you saw
A pig who’d built his house of STRAW?
The Wolf who saw it licked his lips,
And said, “That pig has had his chips.”


Also recommended are The Umbrella Man and Other Stories (adult), The Witches and the soundtrack of the James and the Giant Peach movie (Disney). The second movie based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is scheduled to open in mid-July, starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka.

5 comments:

~tengman.k.~ said...

I have SKIN
It bothered me when I was younger.

eg9 said...

Skin??? Wat dat?

And I saw the posters. I SO HAVE TO SEE it.

Am hazarding a guess it will outshine Carrey's Series of Unfortunate Events performance, which I have yet to see also.

Honestly, I've never been a 'fan' type of peronality, but after Pirates of the Carribean... Depp has earned my Serious Respect :)

~tengman.k.~ said...

lemony snickett disappointed me. there were good parts, but overall a bit down-letting. so consistent with most movies in the last year

AF said...

Rather enjoyed Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events; despite and not because of Jim Carrey. We're not talking about the level Haley Joel Osment achieved, but the kids did have some depth of character in their acting.

SKIN? Equally befuddled.

eg9 said...

Lemony snickett the movie or the books? I think the books are great stuff. Yeah, was skeptical about the casting of Carrey, but I suppose the villanous uncle part would suit him. In an unpleasantly twisted sort of way.