Category: Media

Roald Dahl’s Guide to Railway Safety

Sections: Information | Description | Covers

Information

Information on identifying editions is from Richard Walker’s “Roald Dahl – A Guide to Collecting His First Editions”.

  • First edition:
    • British Railways Board, 1991, UK.
      • Illustrated by: Quentin Blake
      • To identify: Authorial copyright statement with the date of publication followed underneath by ‘Published by British Railways Board’ published in softcover and not priced
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Description

This is a small publication of 24 pages plus covers which would be described as “wraps” or cardboard similar to paperback covers. In this case, the whole thing is stapled together, not glued.

The copyright is on the inside cover. It states:

British Railways Board asked Roald Dahl
to write the text of this book,
and Quentin Blake to illustrate it,
to help young people enjoy
using the railways safely.British Railways Board gratefully acknowledges
their willing co–operation

Copyright Felicity Dahl 1991 and the
Executors of the Estate of Roald Dahl for so long
as the period of executorship subsists under the said Estate.

Published by British Railways Board
Produced by Michael Benn and Associates
(0937) 844515
Designed by Clinton Banbury
Printed by Hunterprint Group Plc.

Covers

Roald Dahl’s Even More Revolting Recipes

Sections: Information | Description | Covers

Information

  • First editions:
    • Viking, 2001, USA.
    • Jonathan Cape, 2001, UK.
  • Introduced by: Felicity Dahl (Contributor)
  • Illustrated by: Quentin Blake
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Description

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the kitchen-Roald Dahl’s recipes are back! Inspired by his most popular stories, these recipes use the most common ingredients to create the most uncommon treats. Not sure how to entertain the kiddies? Surprise them with tummyticklers like Pickled Spines of Porcupines and Hornets Stewed in Tar. There’s no better way to liven up a party than to dine on Lizards’ Tails and enjoy a delicious Liquid Chocolate Mixed by Waterfall. Like anything by Roald Dahl, it’s sure to be extraordinarily funny!

Covers

Memories with Food at Gipsy House

Sections: Information | Description | Fun Stuff | Covers | Czech, Dutch, and Norwegian Covers

Information

Information on identifying editions is from Richard Walker’s “Roald Dahl – A Guide to Collecting His First Editions”.

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Description

This book is a mixture of anecdotes covering Roald Dahl’s family, his childhood, and his happiness at home with Liccy, his wife, and their numerous children, grandchildren and friends. For this extensive family, there is no more enjoyable way of relaxing than sharing good food and wine. The meals they enjoy together round the old pine farmhouse table at Gipsey House are either fine examples of national dishes of their heritage – Norwegian, French, British, etc – or favourite recipes that have delighted three generations of discerning eaters. Many recipes have acquired a particular significance for the Dahl family over the years, and these are introduced with reminiscenses rich in nostalgia and humour. The recipes are for all occasions, covering family birthday parties, Christmas and Easter celebrations, Roald’s passion for chocolate, onions and wine, his enthusiasm for gambling and gardening and finally, a Dahl-style chapter: “Hangman’s Suppers” – contributed by Francis Bacon, P.D. James, John Le Carre, Peter Ustinov and others.

Fun Stuff

Sotheby’s Dahl Auction 1997

Covers

Czech Covers – Vzpomínky z kuchyně aneb Jak se vaří v Gipsy House

Dutch Covers – Aan tafel met Roald Dahl

Norwegian Covers

The Roald Dahl Diary

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

Information on identifying editions is from Richard Walker’s “Roald Dahl – A Guide to Collecting His First Editions”.

  • First edition:
    • Puffin, 1991, US & UK.
      • Illustrated by: Quentin Blake
      • To identify: Uses a numberline and priced at £4.08 and $10.95
  • Contains: illustrations and quotes from Dahl’s books

Covers

Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories

Sections: Information | Description | Reviews | Covers | Catalan, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, and Thai Covers

Information

  • First editions:
    • Farrar Straus Giroux, 1983, USA.
    • Jonathan Cape, 1983, Great Britain.
  • Selected and compiled by: Roald Dahl
  • Introduction written by: Roald Dahl
  • Contains:
    • “Introduction” by Roald Dahl
    • “W.S.” by L. P. Hartley
    • “Harry” by Rosemary Timperley
    • “The Corner Shop” by Cynthia Asquith
    • “In the Tube” by E. F. Benson
    • “Christmas Meeting” by Rosemary Timperley
    • “Elias and the Draug” by Jonas Lie
    • “Playmates” by A. M. Burrage
    • “Ringing the Changes” by Robert Aickman
    • “The Telephone” by Mary Treadgold
    • “The Ghost of a Hand” by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
    • “The Sweeper” by A. M. Burrage (Ex–Private X)
    • “Afterward” by Edith Wharton
    • “On the Brighton Road” by Richard Middleton
    • The Upper Berth” by F. Marion Crawford.
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Description

As Dahl relates in the introduction, he started the research for this book by making a call to the celebrated ghost-story anthologist/writer, Lady Cynthia Asquith. He then went to the British Museum Library, and read a total of 749 tales before selecting 14 for this anthology. His criterion: “Spookiness is, after all, the real purpose of the ghost story. It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts.” Included here are not only acknowledged classics by Robert Aickman, Edith Wharton, J. S. Le Fanu, and F. Marion Crawford, but also tales by lesser–known writers such as L. P. Hartley, Rosemary Timperley, Jonas Lie, Mary Treadgold, and A. M. Burrage. The Washington Post writes, “Dahl’s taste, it will surprise no one, is impeccable.”

Reviews

  • “Some shudders, and memorable exotic tales” by Ralph Elliott from February 18, 1984 issue of The Canberra Times – Canberra, Australia (read online)

Covers

Catalan Covers – Històries de fantasmes

Dutch Covers – Het griezelkabinet van Roald Dahl

French Covers – Histoires de fantômes

German Covers – Roald Dahl’s Buch der Schauergeschichten

Italian Covers – Il libro delle storie di fantasmi

Norwegian Covers – Roald Dahls svarte bok

Russian Covers – Рассказы о привидениях

Thai Covers – ชั่วโมงผี

Roald Dahl 15 Book Box Set

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

  • Published by:
    • Penguin, 2010, USA.
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Covers

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More

Sections: Information | Description | Reviews | Criticism and Analysis | Fun Stuff | Covers | Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, and Vietnamese Covers

Information

Information on identifying editions is from Richard Walker’s “Roald Dahl – A Guide to Collecting His First Editions”.

  • First editions:
    • Knopf, 1977, USA.
      • To identify: Used a number line, no pictures of the Mildenhall Treasure and published with a dust jacket priced at $5.95.
    • Jonathan Cape, 1977, UK.
      • To identify: Used a standard single statement and published with a dust jacket priced at £3.50.
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Description

People with peculiar and unlikely powers can be found throughout this extraordinary collection of seven short stories. A rich man who learns to see without his eyes, a giant turtle and a very special boy who can talk to animals, a cunning hitch-hiker and the curious driver who picks him up, and the very lucky ploughman who finds a fabulous fortune but loses a golden opportunity are only a few of the characters you’ll meet. The collection is a clever mix of fact and fiction and also includes the story of how Roald Dahl became a writer (and a wealth of tips for aspiring authors).

Reviews

  • “Dahl Contrives to Moralise” by Peter Monaghan from the April 8, 1978 issue of The Canberra Times – Canberra, Australia (read online)

Criticism and Analysis

Fun Stuff

Sotheby’s Dahl Auction 1997

Covers

Catalan Covers

Chinese Covers

Czech Covers – Podivuhodný příběh Henryho Sugara a jiné povídky

Dutch Covers – Het wonderlijk verhaal van Hendrik Meier

French Covers – Coup de chance et autres nouvelles

German Covers – Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst

Spanish Covers – Historias extraordinarias

Vietnamese Covers – Câu chuyện kỳ diệu về Henry Sugar và sáu chuyện khác

The Umbrella Man and Other Stories

Sections: Information | Description | Reviews | Covers

Information

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Description

This new selection of Roald Dahl’s short stories has been specially chosen as an introduction for teenagers into the adult writing of one of the world’s greatest storytellers. Subtle and bizarre, ironic and amusing, macabre and often grotesque, in every sense these tales provide a superb first step into the unexpected world of Roald Dahl.

Reviews

Covers

Two Fables

Sections: Information | Covers | Czech and German Covers

Information

Information on identifying editions is from Richard Walker’s “Roald Dahl – A Guide to Collecting His First Editions”.

  • Published in honor of Roald Dahl’s seventieth birthday
  • First editions:
    • Viking, 1986, UK.
      • Illustrated by: Graham Dean
      • To identify: Used a limitation page stating the copy number of 300 copies and signed by the author. Published without a jacket and not priced.
    • Viking, 1986, UK.
      • Illustrated by: Graham Dean
      • To identify: Used a standard single statement and was published with a dust jacket priced at £5.95.
    • Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1986, USA.
      • To identify: Used a ‘First Edition’ statement and was published with a dust jacket priced at $12.95.
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Covers

Czech Covers – Princezna a pytlák

German Covers – Die Prinzessin und der Wilderer

Twenty Nine Kisses from Roald Dahl

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

  • First editions:
    • Michael Joseph Ltd., 1969, Great Britain.
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Covers