The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More is a 1977 short story collection by British author Roald Dahl. The seven stories are generally regarded as being aimed at a slightly older audience than many of Dahl's other children's novels.[1]
Author
English
Adventure
1977
United Kingdom
225
The stories were written at varying times throughout his life. Two of the stories are autobiographical in nature; one describes how he first became a writer while the other describes some of Dahl's experiences as a fighter pilot in the Second World War. Another piece in the collection is a non-fiction account of a British farmer finding a legendary haul of ancient Roman treasure.
In 2023, the title story of the collection, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", was adapted into a short film directed by Wes Anderson with Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character, alongside Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade.[2] Another short story from the collection, "The Swan", was also adapted into a short film directed by Anderson in 2023 and subsequently included into his 2024 anthology film.[3]
Chapters[edit]
The Boy Who Talked with Animals[edit]
This is a first-person fiction piece of medium-length writing. The narrator, on advice from friends, decides to vacation in Jamaica. One night, a sea turtle, ancient and huge, is caught by a group of fishermen. Rich people want to buy it, while the manager of a nearby hotel wants to make turtle soup out of it, but both plans are foiled when a little boy appears and shames the crowd for their cruelty. His parents explain that he has a deep affinity for animals, and even talks to them. The boy's father pays off the fisherfolk and hotel manager, and the turtle is set free. The next day, the boy is missing, and the fisherfolk reveal that they have seen the child riding on the back of the sea turtle into the distance.