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Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
16 posts | 7 read | 1 reading | 18 to read
A whimsical, witty, and revealing collection of the legendary children s author and writer Roald Dahl's letters written to his mother, from early childhood through Dahl s travels to Africa, his career in the Royal Air Force, his work in post-war Washington, D.C., and Hollywood, and the books that made him a literary star. Roald Dahl penned his first letter to his mother, Sofie Magdalene, when he was just nine years old. The origins of a brilliantly funny, subversive, creative mind were evident in boarding school, and as he entered adulthood, his penchant for storytelling emerged in his missives home from Africa, where he was stationed by Shell Oil, and then the desert camps of the Royal Air Force. His skills were sharpened after a plane crash in Egypt landed him in Washington, D.C., where his cheery letters home were cover for his work in the British Secret Service, along with gossipy updates on his spontaneous rise in Hollywood and his budding New York literary career. His mother was, in many ways, Dahl s first reader, and without her correspondence he might never have become a writer. Sofie Magdalene kept every letter her son wrote to her (sadly, her own side of the correspondence did not survive). It was she who encouraged him to tell stories and nourished his desire to fabricate, exaggerate, and entertain. In these letters, Dahl began practicing his craft, developing the dark sense of humor and fantastical imagination that would later produce his timeless tales. The author of "James and the Giant Peach," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Matilda," and "The BFG," Dahl is known by millions the world over today. But, writing candidly to the person who knew him best, Dahl was as singular a character as any he created on paper. Assembled by Dahl s authorized biographer Donald Sturrock, "Love from Boy" is a remarkable collection of never-before-published writing that spans four decades and chronicles the remarkable, unpredictable life of its author. While Dahl s books remain bestselling favorites for all ages, "Love from Boy" provides an unprecedented glimpse of the author through his own eyes a life punctuated by tragedy, creative stagnation, unexpected fame, and fantastic adventure."
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Mandigolightly
Mandigolightly
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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The top of my #nonfiction #tbr pile...hoping to get to a bunch of these in August

12 likes
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saresmoore
saresmoore
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
post image

This is another snapshot from Gene's Books in Sanibel Island. I couldn't get a photo to do it justice (mostly because I was so absorbed in book browsing), but this quirky shop is three buildings stuffed full to literally overflowing with nothing but books. Owned by an absurdly wealthy book hoarder who retired to the island, profits don't matter and the selection is unbelievable. One could actually spend days in this shop.

LeahBergen 😍😍😍 (and did you buy this posted book?) 7y
saresmoore @LeahBergen I did! That's one of the Leah-influenced purchases! ♥️ 7y
LeahBergen Yay!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
See All 18 Comments
TheLondonBookworm 😍😍😍😍😍 7y
ReadingEnvy Um okay so I have book hoarder down, just two thirds of my dream job to go! 7y
LauraBeth Wow! 7y
GypsyKat Oh wow! 😍😍😍 Seriously though, I want to be a wealthy book hoarder and retire to an island! Talk about living the dream! (edited) 7y
saresmoore @GypsyKat @ReadingEnvy I know, right? My husband suggested I charm Gene with my bookish wisdom and get a job running his bookstore so we can move to Sanibel. You're not the only ones dreaming! 😁 7y
Nonaroo As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there!!" 7y
Eyelit That is amazing! 7y
Hobbinol Holy cow! I'm impressed you were able to leave... 7y
saresmoore @Hobbinol It was a struggle, especially since my husband was in a very generous mood and kept buying books I was hesitant about! I was so overwhelmed with joy that I narrowly avoided a panic attack, but it was totally worth it. 🙃 7y
diovival Ooooo 😮 💓 7y
batsy "absurdly wealthy book hoarder who retired to the island" #goals Now to figure out: 1) how to get to the "wealthy" part 1.a) while being a book hoarder 7y
saresmoore @batsy Hahahaha! The bookstore owner is of the old-money-trust-fund variety. Perhaps a group of us bookworms could pool & invest our "wealth" and then digress naturally into hoarding territory. ? 7y
batsy @saresmoore lol, sounds like a plan! 😁 7y
Suet624 I have to admit my jealousy right here and now. I want an island and i want wealth. I've got the book hoarding down. 7y
saresmoore @Suet624 Never underestimate the power of a praying friend (me) and positive declarations! 😁 7y
106 likes18 comments
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CaroPi
CaroPi
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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So this is #day#5 of#aprilbookshowers and the sentence is more than perfect.

tagged users iconRealLifeReading
11 likes
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LeahBergen
LeahBergen
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Weekend book buy! I read through a couple of the letters he sent home from boarding school while I was in the bookshop and knew I needed to buy this one (and it has lots of photographs 👍🏼).

Ms.Story Pretty apple dish!! 7y
Bibliogeekery That dish 😍 7y
saresmoore WANT! ❤️ 7y
See All 16 Comments
EvieBee Jadite? (edited) 7y
readinginthedark I've been wanting to read this one, too! 7y
KVanRead Ooh that looks good. He's one of my daughter's favorites and she loved his memoir
[tagged book]Boy: Tales of Childhood
7y
meltedsquirrel I need this. 7y
LeahBergen @BrittanysBookshelf Thanks! 😀 7y
LeahBergen @Bibliogeekery Thanks! 😀 7y
LeahBergen @saresmoore Right?! It needed to come home with me. 7y
LeahBergen @EvieBee84 Yes! 😀 7y
LeahBergen @readinginthedark I think it's going to be good! 7y
LeahBergen @KVanRead I need to pick up a copy of Boy now. 7y
LeahBergen @meltedsquirrel You do! It's lovely. 7y
Hobbinol Sweeeeet! 7y
Suet624 Awwww... 7y
113 likes6 stack adds16 comments
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Pemberley
Pemberley
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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These letters are amazing. Roald Dahl holds a very special place in my heart and always will. #2017readingchallenge #bookofletters

3 likes1 stack add
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ReadingSusan
ReadingSusan
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Pickpick

I loved this book of Roald Dahls letters to his mother. It was so good. I really love books of letters. I would love any suggestions for books of letters to read!

cathysaid You've probably heard of this one...but just in case!
[tagged book]84 Charing Cross Road
(edited) 7y
ReadingSusan @cathysaid yes! I will have to move it higher up on my TBR list. 7y
48 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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CaroPi
CaroPi
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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I found this book by chance. And I can't wait to get into. Need to finish my current book and get into this... #latte #Letters

6 likes1 stack add
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ReadingSusan
ReadingSusan
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Really enjoying this book. I love books with old letters! #sundayreads

37 likes2 stack adds
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rebeccavoy
rebeccavoy
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Sunday morning reading

4 likes
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bblake24
bblake24
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Pickpick

Halfway through #LoveFromBoy and it is PHENOMENAL. If you thought Roald Dahl was great before, just read his sweet and funny letters home. You'll love him even more.

review
quirkyreader
quirkyreader
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Pickpick

@penguinrandomhouse sent this to me as an ARC. If you are a big Dahl fan get this book as soon as it is available. If you know a history buff who is into the African theatre of WWII, get it for them. It would have been super cool if there had been more information about his time in MI-5/6 but that is for another book.

quirkyreader Well heck, this thing posted three times. 8y
Sue There's a but of that going around. :) 8y
BookswithTea I read a biography on him last year called Storyteller that was excellent! 8y
quirkyreader @BookswithTea did it mention his time in MI5/6. I would like to know more about that. 8y
17 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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quirkyreader
quirkyreader
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
post image
Pickpick

@penguinrandomhouse sent this to me as an ARC. If you are a big Dahl fan get this book as soon as it is available. If you know a history buff who is into the African theatre of WWII, get it for them. It would have been super cool if there had been more information about his time in MI-5/6 but that is for another book.

4 likes
review
quirkyreader
quirkyreader
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
post image
Pickpick

@penguinrandomhouse sent this to me as an ARC. If you are a big Dahl fan get this book as soon as it is available. If you know a history buff who is into the African theatre of WWII, get it for them. It would have been super cool if there had been more information about his time in MI-5/6 but that is for another book.

blurb
quirkyreader
quirkyreader
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Good luck to everyone who is doing the #readathon. Today it's too hot to go out, the heat index will be 109. So I'll stay in with my iced coffees and read the evolution of Dahls's writing. Keep the wangdoodles and snozwangers away whilst reading. 🐸

12 likes
review
Libraryfines
Libraryfines
Love from Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to His Mother | Donald Sturrock
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Pickpick

Fascinating, funny and completely absorbing. Dahl had an incredible life and to view it through his perspective is a joy.

3 likes