For the young reader fascinated by true stories of courage and resilience, this memoir shares Roald Dahl's incredible, action-packed wartime adventures.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is ready for true stories of adventure and is curious about history, especially World War II. It's for the reader moving beyond fantasy to see that real life can be just as thrilling. This second part of Roald Dahl's autobiography covers his experiences as a young RAF pilot in Africa, Greece, and the Middle East during the war. It's a raw and honest account, balancing high-stakes action with moments of quiet reflection. It directly confronts themes of fear, incredible bravery, and the resilience needed to survive near-death experiences. For mature middle-grade readers, this book is a gripping, first-person look at history, told by a master storyteller who lived it.
A graphic and detailed description of a plane crash and the resulting severe injuries.
Racism & DiscriminationMild
Early chapters set in Africa reflect the colonial attitudes of the 1930s.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly and factually with the violence and death inherent in war. Dahl describes friends and fellow pilots being killed in combat, and his own near-death experiences are recounted with graphic detail (particularly his plane crash injuries). The perspective is secular and personal. The resolution is realistic: survival is a matter of luck, and it comes at a great physical and psychological cost. It is a story of endurance, not triumphant glory.
Ideal Reader
A 10- to 14-year-old reader who loves action and is ready for true stories with real consequences. They might be fascinated by WWII, airplanes, or survival. It's an excellent choice for a child who has enjoyed Dahl's fiction and is curious about the man behind the stories, or one who is beginning to ask questions about the realities of historical events.
Parent Prep
Parents should preview the chapter titled "The Amshatt Crash." Dahl's description of his injuries (a fractured skull, his nose smashed into his face) is graphic and could be upsetting for some readers. The casual, matter-of-fact way he discusses the deaths of other pilots also warrants a potential conversation about the realities of war. Providing historical context about WWII would greatly enhance a child's understanding. A child asks, "What was World War II really like?" or expresses a desire for true adventure stories after reading a lot of fantasy or fiction. The parent is looking for a way to introduce historical topics in an engaging, personal way.
Age Experience
A younger reader (10-11) will likely be captivated by the action: the dogfights, the crash survival, and the encounters with snakes. An older reader (12-14) will be better equipped to understand the deeper themes: the psychological toll of combat, the randomness of fate, and Dahl's reflections on fear and mortality. The older reader will see it not just as an adventure story, but as a poignant coming-of-age memoir.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many historical accounts for young people, this is a deeply personal memoir told with the unparalleled voice of a master storyteller. Dahl's eye for the absurd, the grotesque, and the humorous detail, even in the darkest of times, makes history feel immediate and intensely human. It reads less like a textbook and more like a thrilling, high-stakes adventure novel that just happens to be true.
Read plot summary
This memoir picks up where "Boy" left off, following a young Roald Dahl as he works for the Shell Oil Company in East Africa. When WWII begins, he joins the Royal Air Force. The book details his rigorous and often dangerous flight training, a catastrophic crash in the Libyan desert that nearly killed him, and his subsequent combat experiences flying a Hurricane fighter plane in the hopeless air battles over Greece. It's an episodic account of his personal, often terrifying, wartime encounters, ending with his return home due to recurring, debilitating headaches from his crash injuries.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Dahl writes about being terrified before flying into battle, but he does it anyway. What do you think is the difference between feeling fear and being a coward?
2
After his first confirmed kill, Dahl writes, "It was a terribly sad and lonely business." Why do you think he felt sad instead of triumphant? How is this different from how war is often shown in movies?
3
In the middle of his war story, Dahl includes strange tales, like his encounter with the "snake man." Why do you think he includes these smaller, personal stories alongside the major events of the war?
4
How do you think surviving his plane crash and seeing so much loss changed Dahl as a person and, later, as a writer for children?
