Roald Dahl

I recently rediscovered Roald Dahl. He was my favorite growing up, all of his books and even the movies made from them help make up a large portion of my childhood memories. A copy of "Skin and Other Stories," one of his collections, found its way into the store and I felt compelled to pick it up. These stories are intended for adults, so it felt strange reading the words of an old friend in a new light. It was like walking into a place where you haven't been for years; it may be remodeled, redecorated, and feel foreign, but somewhere inside you can feel its familiarity. The stories didn't hold exactly the same magic that had captivated me years ago, but they were clever and well-written in that familiar way.

Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents. His spent his childhood getting in and out of trouble, which is where he got inspiration for most of the books he wrote at a later age. His first published work was the short story, "A Piece of Cake," purchased by The Saturday Evening Post for $900. He went on to write numerous other adult short stories, as well as over a dozen childrens novels, many of which have been made into films. This fall his story "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is expected to make the jump from print to screen as Wes Anderson's creation this Fall.

You can find Roald Dahl's childrens novels, as well as his short story collection at your local, friendly Old Firehouse Books. Also, look for his books at our sidewalk sale during our "Independents Week," tomorrow until the 11th of July!