 First edition | |
| Author | Roald Dahl |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Autobiography |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape (UK) |
Publication date | 1986 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 208 |
| ISBN | 9780224024075 |
| Followed by | Matilda (1988) |
Going Solo is a book byRoald Dahl, first published byJonathan Cape inLondon in 1986. It is 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 starts 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 towardsDar es Salaam for his new job working forShell 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 thewar as a squadron pilot in theRoyal Air Force, flying theTiger Moth,Gloster Gladiator, andHawker Hurricane. He was among the lastAllied pilots to withdraw fromGreece during theGerman invasion, taking part in the air for theBattle 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 theMiddle East to fightVichy French pilots after staying for a brief time inAlexandria, Egypt.
InStoryteller: 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, whom he had orders to round up. Dahl wrote inGoing Solo that its leader was killed by an African guard after thrusting aLuger pistol in his chest.[5] InLucky 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]