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A review by bradland
Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl by Donald Sturrock
5.0
Brilliant biography of Roald Dahl’s incredible life. This book works as the definitive Dahl biography for a number of reasons: Donald Sturrock knew Dahl personally so has a good insight into the man himself, the author had access to the Dahl library (including letters) so is able to probe many details that would not have been apparent to typical biographers, and Sturrock doesn’t skimp on the detail (for the most part), good or bad. The absolute best thing about this book is Sturrock referencing any major (and possibility contentious) detail. The referenced notes take up a large amount of pages at the end but to me they are worth it, particularly as a major reference for future generations interested in Roald Dahl’s legacy.
The biography pretty much confirms a lot in Dahl’s autobiographical books ‘Boy’ and ‘Going Solo’ is make believe. Basic details are true but many of the stories are sensationalist which Dahl openly admitted to publishers and in some ways to the readers themselves. I still love those books but there is a small sense of disappointment that some of the things mentioned (Like the bit about the lolly shop lady or the black mamba) are reworked or completely false, even if it’s not surprising.
It’s quite amazing what Dahl did in his life from flying a plane in World War 2, to spying in Washington, to working with Walt Disney, to marry one of the most desired women in Hollywood, to many personal family tragedies, aiding in the creation of new medical gadgets, to writing some of the most beloved literature the world has ever read… yet he still felt a need to embellish his two autobiographies!
As mentioned before I love how Sturrock doesn’t shine a worshipful light on Dahl or most of those close to him, everyone has their weaknesses and Dahl was no exception. In fact, Dahl comes across as a prick overall…. yet he could be very kind and considerate and wrote a lot of amazing stories loved by many across the world. It’s an interesting contradiction for a man to love to entertain and be respected yet want to get a rise out of people.
One thing that didn’t sit well for me was Sturrock’s portrayal of Dahl’s second wife Felicity Dahl. She’s written as… perfect (even describing her as ‘beautiful’) yet that doesn’t ring true for someone who knowingly has an affair with a married man and lost custody of her children (which is only briefly mentioned and never detailed). The only time she’s looked upon negatively was through Patricia Neal’s account (Dahl’s first wife), but not before detailing Neal’s negative attitude and even discrediting her as a reliable witness. It really sticks out as most of the book is brutally honest. I would assume Sturrock did this so he didn’t have any problems with his research as Dahl’s second wife has complete control over Dahl’s estate. However, I still feel it’s not enough to destroy the well researched nature of the book.
One other thing: Why wasn't there any mention of how Revolting Rhymes and Rhyme Stew were created? I love those reworks of classic tales and you'd think due to the controversial nature of some of those stories there would be some account of how they came to be written. Yet not one mention about either book!
Overall, great book for anyone interested in Roald Dahl’s real life story. May disappoint those who have an almost mythical viewpoint of Dahl based on reading his work (especially if you started as a child) but that can’t be helped if an accurate account of someone’s life is the goal. Its hard to imagine Donald Sturrock (or anyone else for that matter) doing a better job.
The biography pretty much confirms a lot in Dahl’s autobiographical books ‘Boy’ and ‘Going Solo’ is make believe. Basic details are true but many of the stories are sensationalist which Dahl openly admitted to publishers and in some ways to the readers themselves. I still love those books but there is a small sense of disappointment that some of the things mentioned (Like the bit about the lolly shop lady or the black mamba) are reworked or completely false, even if it’s not surprising.
It’s quite amazing what Dahl did in his life from flying a plane in World War 2, to spying in Washington, to working with Walt Disney, to marry one of the most desired women in Hollywood, to many personal family tragedies, aiding in the creation of new medical gadgets, to writing some of the most beloved literature the world has ever read… yet he still felt a need to embellish his two autobiographies!
As mentioned before I love how Sturrock doesn’t shine a worshipful light on Dahl or most of those close to him, everyone has their weaknesses and Dahl was no exception. In fact, Dahl comes across as a prick overall…. yet he could be very kind and considerate and wrote a lot of amazing stories loved by many across the world. It’s an interesting contradiction for a man to love to entertain and be respected yet want to get a rise out of people.
One thing that didn’t sit well for me was Sturrock’s portrayal of Dahl’s second wife Felicity Dahl. She’s written as… perfect (even describing her as ‘beautiful’) yet that doesn’t ring true for someone who knowingly has an affair with a married man and lost custody of her children (which is only briefly mentioned and never detailed). The only time she’s looked upon negatively was through Patricia Neal’s account (Dahl’s first wife), but not before detailing Neal’s negative attitude and even discrediting her as a reliable witness. It really sticks out as most of the book is brutally honest. I would assume Sturrock did this so he didn’t have any problems with his research as Dahl’s second wife has complete control over Dahl’s estate. However, I still feel it’s not enough to destroy the well researched nature of the book.
One other thing: Why wasn't there any mention of how Revolting Rhymes and Rhyme Stew were created? I love those reworks of classic tales and you'd think due to the controversial nature of some of those stories there would be some account of how they came to be written. Yet not one mention about either book!
Overall, great book for anyone interested in Roald Dahl’s real life story. May disappoint those who have an almost mythical viewpoint of Dahl based on reading his work (especially if you started as a child) but that can’t be helped if an accurate account of someone’s life is the goal. Its hard to imagine Donald Sturrock (or anyone else for that matter) doing a better job.