Roald Dahl Quotes

The life of a writer is absolute hell compared to the life of a businessman.

...the more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to take care of themselves. If you never let them take any risks, then I believe they become very prone to injury. Boys should be allowed to climb tall trees and walk along the tops of high walls and dive into the sea from high rocks... The same with girls. I like the type of child who takes risks. Better by far than the one who never does so.

When you're writing, it's rather like going on a very long walk

You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that.

There's nothin' you can get from a book that you can't get from a television fastah!" -Harry Wormwood

I'm wondering what to read next." Matilda said. "I've finished all the children's books.

careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.

The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me?

The reason I collect good ideas is because plots themselves are very difficult indeed to come by.

I doubt I would have written a line ... unless some minor tragedy had sort of twisted my mind out of the normal rut.

I never get any protests from children. All you get are giggles of mirth and squirms of delight. I know what children like.

Two rights don't equal a left.

I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I'll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else. Brian Sibley: Or brains even? Oh gosh, yes, brains is one of the least. You can be a lovely person without brains, absolutely lovely. Kindness - that simple word. To be kind - it covers everything, to my mind. If you're kind that's it.

I therefore invite you all," Mr Fox went on, 'to stay here with me for ever.' For ever!' they cried. 'My goodness! How marvellous!' And Rabbit said to Mrs Rabbit, 'My dear, just think! We're never going to be shot again in our lives!' We will make,' said Mr Fox, 'a little underground village, with streets and houses on each side - seperate houses for Badgers and Moles and Rabbits and Weasels and Foxes. And every day I will go shopping for you all. And every day we will eat like kings.' The cheering that followed this speech went on for many minutes.

I like enthusiasts of any kind.

Life is more fun if you play games.

You is getting nosier than a parker.

What I mean and what I say is two different things," the BFG announced rather grandly.

The witching hour, somebody had once whispered to her, was a special moment in the middle of the night when every child and every grown-up was in a deep deep sleep, and all the dark things came out from hiding and had the world all to themselves.

All the reading she had done had given her a view of life that they had never seen.

Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.

Homesickness is a bit like seasickness. You don't know how awful it is unti you get it, and when you do, it hits you right in the top of the stomach and you want to die.

It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful.