Roald Dahl’s classic book for children is probably
best known these days through its Hollywood adaption, Willy
Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. 
As is usually the case, the book is sharper and more interesting than
the film, although of course Gene Wilder’s performance as Willy Wonka was
wonderful. This new unabridged
audiobook is performed by Eric Idle of Monty Python fame, and Idle does an
excellent job in bringing alive the eccentricity of Willy Wonka, the various
children and their families. Dahl’s
great strengths lie not just in his spectacular imagination, but also in his
rather bleak view of human nature and his readiness to go to extremes in his
stories that other more bland writers would avoid. The book is great fun, and so it should appeal to listeners of
all ages.

© 2003 Christian Perring. All rights reserved.

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is
Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island, and editor
of Metapsychology Online Review. His main research is on philosophical
issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Categories: Children