Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Douglas Hodge and how magical he made this story from my youth! I will never regret listening to this at all. ( )

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a classic children's book about five kids who win a chance to tour Willy Wonka's mysterious candy-making operation. It focuses on Charlie Bucket who loves Willie Wonka's chocolate. The Wonka factory had been closed for years, when Mr. Wonka gives an opportunity to the five lucky children who find a shimmering Golden Ticket for free entrance to the factory.

Whoever wins gets a free supply of chocolate for the rest of their lives. Charlie finds a dollar, buys some chocolate bars in an ordinary store, and finds the last Golden Ticket. Inside the factory is where the real fun begins.

The lessons conveyed in this classic are simple but important. Behave with respect, dignity, and politeness and try not to be like Augustus, Veruca, Violet, or Mike.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has had a lot of attention over the years, and has at turns been called racist, patronising and disturbing. To most readers it's an amazing book that was written fifty years ago, which is still just as fantastic and delightful today as it was back in the sixties. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a story to be read again and again. ( )

My absolute favourite Roald Dahl book. Such a fun story, even if it becomes desperately sad if you think too hard about all those grandparents in the bed. ( )

I can't even review the movie of this, having fallen soundly asleep during it twice and that was the Johnny Depp version.

But does it have enough sex in it? Maybe that's the problem....Maybe it needs one of these:



Can't you just picture Depp eagerly watching this? Wouldn't it be kind of sexy watching that thing melt? I honestly think waiting for the moment would keep me awake.

(It is from the Zurich chocolate fair. The Swiss are nothing if not politically incorrect. But at least she looks like she has real tits.)

I have to admit that there's nothing quite like reading a book to a kid that you both love in equal measure.

I cried, she cried, we both cried and laughed and cheered when those nasty, nasty kids got their just deserts. :)

And the songs? I admit I had a great time singing my own little tune to each as they were violently nasty and creative and delightful all at once. :)

Yeah. This is one of the best books ever. And I refuse to care one bit about the typos.

TOTAL CLASSIC. ( )