Margaret H. (ExPeruanista) -
Helpful Score: 3
A lumpishly written book on a potentially fascinating bit of history. The author (or her copyeditor, if any) apparently can't distinguish between 'flaunting authority' and 'flouting authority'; refers to "All Quiet on the Western Front" as a piece of reportage, although it's a novel; and uses 'Battle of Britain' as if it referred to any British aviator at any time during World War II, instead of having a specific meaning. All this in the first 50 pages. My favorite is when the author says Roald Dahl's mother and four sisters in England, who haven't been mentioned for the previous 110 pages, 'had him on a very short leash.' This is at the end of a chapter where a lot of his Washington, D.C. amours are described, and someone who knew him at the time says, 'I think he slept with everybody on the East and West Coasts that had more than fifty thousand dollars a year.' Some leash. If you thought Roald Dahl might have been a nice guy, this is not the book for you. He comes across as an immature, womanizing, unscrupulous jerk - but the author seems to think that's okay because it was for the war effort.
Elizabeth M. (princesselizabeth) reviewed The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Fascinating, in-depth look at how Roald Dahl (yes, THAT Roald Dahl) was part of a British Intelligence team in wartime Washington, D.C. tasked with forwarding British interests in government and diplomatic circles. The gang included Ian Fleming and David Ogilvy--lots of interesting behind-the-scenes stories! Also brings out how Dahl met his future wife Patricia Neal and became somewhat Americanized during his stay. In my opinion, it doesn't show Dahl in a very flattering light--he comes off as the brilliant but insufferably arrogant 20-something he was--but it does shed light on his early career and personal contacts. You can't make this stuff up!
