A short but fascinating read of the experience of a fighter pilot during World War II and life in Africa prior to the war. Life as it used to be much of it lived by being thrown in the deep end and surviving.

good

Very interesting book about Roald Dahl’s escapades in Africa and as fighter pilot in World War II. ( )

a continuation of his autobiography describing his childhood, Boy and detailed his travel to Africa and exploits as a World War II pilot.
The book started with Dahl's voyage to Africa in 1938, which was prompted by his desire to find adventure after finishing school.[1] He was on a boat heading towards Dar es Salaam for his new job working for Shell Oil. During this journey, he met various people[2] and described extraordinary events such as a lion carrying a woman in its mouth.

He eventually joined the war as a squadron pilot in the Royal Air Force, flying the Tiger Moth, Gloster Gladiator, and Hawker Hurricane. He was among the last Allied pilots to withdraw from Greece during the German invasion, taking part in the air for the Battle of Athens on 20 April 1941. In one of his accounts, he described a crash in the Western Desert, which fractured his skull and brought him several other problems such as temporarily being blinded during his days in Greece.[3] After the country fell to the Nazis, he went to the Middle East to fight Vichy French pilots after staying for a brief time in Alexandria, Egypt.
Analysis
In Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl (2010), Donald Sturrock claimed that there are disparities to the author's claims in the book, describing them as flights of pure fancy or compelling recreations of stories heard from others such as the accounts about exotic African animal adventures.[4] There was also the case of his encounter with a group of Germans, which he had orders to round up. Dahl wrote in Going Solo that its leader was killed by an African guard after thrusting a Luger pistol in his chest.[5] In Lucky Break (1977), a story published 10 years prior, the version of this story was less dramatic with the Germans quickly giving themselves up, allowing Dahl's group to march themselves to a camp in Dar es Salaam without much difficulty.[4]

"Going Solo" picks up the narrative thread where "Boy" comes to a close, and yes, I can immediately say that the two books were rightly published as separate volumes, as the narratorial voice between the two is different just as the subject matter is. While the first was relatively idyllic - the surgery and bullying aside - the second concentrates on more adult subjects, such as Dahl's experiences as a pilot in WW2. Frankly, I'm surprised that this book should have been included in a collection for younger readers - there are certainly darker moments in the likes of "Fantastic Mister Fox" but nothing to what you find here. All in all, though, this is a terrific read, and when I reached the last page I was sad that the story had so soon come to an end. ( )