What do You think about Going Solo (2001)?
I wish I could say I have been all over the world, have crashed landed a plane, or have shot-down German aces, which is why I really admire Roald Dahl. Dahl leaves England at age twenty one to work for the Shell oil company in Africa. Dahl worked in Africa until the outbreak of World War II, when he enlisted in the RAF and learned to fly warplanes. After becoming a pilot officer, Dahl fought in Greece as it was overtaken by the Germans. Dahl’s book “Going Solo” tells all about his adventures with vivid detail. He describes lion attacks and dog fights with a classic British style that portrays the attitudes of the characters he interacted with so well that you feel as though you new them. After reading the book, I felt like I had met ex-patriots from India, RAF veterans in the midst of battle, African natives chasing lions, and Jewish refugees dreaming of their homeland. While reading, I still laughed out loud during most pages at his characteristically British wit that is almost tongue-in cheek. Perhaps more than any other feeling the reader gets a sense of awe for the adventures of he and his generation, along with an inspiration to go on grand escapades yourself.
—Calebishere
Following on from Boy, Going Solo was another tremendously important book to me as a child. Where I could relate to his boyhood tales in some way, the next part of his life was a complete window to another world. Read then it was extraordinary and magical; read now I appreciate it on different levels entirely.Dahl mentions how lucky he felt to have witnessed the later days of colonial Britain and the people that made the empire. All negative issues relating to Colonialism aside (I'm not going to go there and neither does Dahl) I completely understand what he means. The first half detailing his time in Africa working for the Shell Company is brilliant; a window to a life that no longer exists, with long boat journeys, quirky slightly mad Englishmen (and ladies) abroad, the culture and way of life. It's clearly romanticised; a big adventure, but then it's portrayed with such vigour and love that you can see the appeal to a fresh faced early-20 year old. I would have loved it (and probably still would). As a boy it made me dream of African countryside, baking suns, lions, deadly snakes and a different world.The second part, detailing his experiences in the war as a pilot is equally enthralling though very different in tone. This was my first exposure to the second world war in any real way (back at primary school in the late-80s - we didn't cover the wars until secondary school and my subsequent interest developed a few years after that) and Dahl makes it all seem jolly exciting. Almost over before he began, his initial adoration of flying is powerfully detailed before his (more truthfully documented) account of the crash that put him in hospital for 6 months. After, we have a series of raids and dogfights which become somewhat mechanical and repetitive in nature but still hold the interest. I wonder now though, whether his emphasis on a jolly adventure isn't quite as truthful as it could be; he states a few times that looking back he wonders why he wasn't more scared. I wonder the same. The horrors of war only really peak through at times and I suspect this was him writing for a younger audience.Put together though, both Boy and Going Solo are wonderful books for children to open their eyes to different types of stories and worlds. Dahl's relaxed narrative envisages a cosy fire and glass of whiskey, reminiscent of an afternoon with your granddad. Equally of interest to the adults too.
—Andy
Going Solo by Roald Dahl. Dahl has been sent to Africa by Shell Oil Company from England. He travels in a boat called SS Mantola to East Africa. In Africa Dahl meets a really funny guy name Mdisho was Dahl’s valet in Dahl’s house in Dar es Salaam. After months in Africa he knew how to speak Swahili, and instead of consider Mdisho a servant he consider him a good friend. After his first year in Africa World War 2 began. After the English declare war on Germany. Mdisho was excited about war because the English declare it. He said to Dahl, why don’t we kill all of them before they declare war. “Dahl said” my friend I am afraid that we have really strict rules for war nobody kills anybody until war is declared. “(GS page 53)Dahl was sent to stop the Germans from getting out of Dar es Salaam with soldiers that were hiding with one machine gun. Dahl was so scared about this because it was his first time being a soldier for the British. Dahl some of that when he puts his hands up this would be the order to shoot over the Germans. Dahl didn’t want to do it because the Germans were his friends, but he had to do it. So After all that happen, he thought he should go to Nairobi to train to be a pilot instead of being a soldier for the British. Dahl started training when war was 2 months old. After a year Dahl survived the training and was sent to Greece to join the 80th squadron in World War 2. I like this book because I like adventure and war books.(GS, p.57)
—Pedro Saenz-diez
