Roald Dahl: Delight and Darkness

“Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
-Roald Dahl

In this episode, Phoebe and I discuss the wonderful, wacky and sometimes wicked world of Roald Dahl's stories, and we look to Chesterton to see how we should approach humour from a Christian perspective. Many thanks to Fr. Conor McDonough for the advice.

Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod

Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson

Follow us on social media: @seekingwatson @phoebe_lucy_watson

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @riskingenchantmentpodcast

Find out more at www.rachelsherlock.com

Works mentioned (all by Roald Dahl unless otherwise stated):

Matilda

The BFG

George Marvellous Medicine

The Witches

The Twits

Roald Dahl Audiobook set 1

Roald Dahl Audiobook set 2

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Illustrators: Quentin Blake, Tony Ross

Marget Talbot, The New Yorker, "The Candy Man, Why children love Roald Dahl’s stories—and many adults don’t."

Matilda the Musical

Matilda (1996 film)

G.K. Chesterton on Fairytales: “The Red Angel,” Tremendous Trifles

Chesterton on Vulgar Jokes

G.K. Chesterton "On Mr. McCabe and a Divine Frivolity"

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Jen Campbell, The Importance of Seeing Yourself in Media

Chesterton on Puritanism, Illustrated London News

Joe Sommerlad, The Independent "World Book Day 2019: Roald Dahl's 10 best children's books, from Matilda to The Twits"

What We’re Enjoying at the Moment

Phoebe:

My Neighbour Totoro

 

Rachel:

Elizabeth Lev talk: Behind the Veil of the Sistine Chapel

How Catholic Art Saved the Faith by Elizabeth Lev