TELLER OF THE UNEXPECTED: The Life of Roald Dahl

A superb psychological study of a literary genius, this biography of Roald Dahl manages to peel back the layers of an infamously complex man with a brusque manner. Roald Dahl was a much-loved author and creator of many iconic literary characters like Matilda and the BFG and who had a lifelong partnership with Quentin Blake the illustrator. He considered his vocation as a storyteller to be as bold and exciting as an explorer's and, in his writing for children, he was able to tap into a child's viewpoint throughout his life. He created tales that were exotic in scenario, invested with a moral, and filled with vibrant characters. Dennison re-evaluates the received narrative surrounding Dahl - that of school sporting hero, daredevil pilot, and wartime spy-turned-author. He devotes a large chunk of the book to Dahl's Norwegian family and schooldays, their combination of warmth, tragedy, inspiration and savagery, all brilliantly evoked. He examines surviving primary resources as well as Dahl's extensive literary output, to tell the story of a man who identified as a rule-breaker, iconoclast and romantic, insider and outsider, and as a child's friend. He gets to Dahl's flawed, human core and mania. 264pp, colour photos.