100 Top & Most Popular Roald Dahl Quotes

Roald Dahl Quotes

About Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a British popular author of children’s literature and short stories, a poet, and wartime fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. Dahl has been called “one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century”. 
Born: 13 September 1916, Llandaff, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Died: 23 November 1990, Oxford, United Kingdom

100 Top Quotes by Roald Dahl in English

  1. “So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install a lovely bookshelf on the wall.”
  2. “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
  3. “Don’t gobblefunk around with words.”
  4. “If you are good, life is good.”
  5. “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  6. “A little magic can take you a long way.”
  7. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.”
  8. “We all have our moments of brilliance and glory, and this was mine.”
  9. “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.”
  10. “I understand what you’re saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m gonna ignore your advice.”
  11. “The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!”
  12. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  13. “All the reading she had done had given her a view of life they had never seen.”
  14. “Never trust a grown-up who isn’t kind.”
  15. “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
  16. “It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself.”
  17. “If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.”
  18. “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  19. “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
  20. “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  21. “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.”
  22. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
  23. “The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  24. “Two hours of writing fiction leaves this writer completely drained. For those two hours he has been in a different place with totally different people.”
  25. “And so, Matilda became a voracious reader.”
  26. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  27. “I understand what you’re saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m gonna ignore your advice.”
  28. “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.”
  1. “The life of a writer is absolute hell compared to the life of a businessman. The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and if he doesn’t go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him. If he is a writer of fiction he lives in a world of fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not.”
  2. “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.”
  3. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.”
  4. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
  5. “It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself.”
  6. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  7. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.”
  8. “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”
  9. “Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.”
  10. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.”
  11. “I want to warn you that what you’re about to read is not for the faint of heart.”
  12. “Life is more fun if you play games.”
  13. “It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself.”
  14. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  15. “There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven’t even started wondering about yet.”
  16. “Never grow up…always down.”
  17. “My dear young fellow,’ the Old-Green-Grasshopper said gently, ‘there are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven’t even started wondering about yet.”
  18. “Most of the really exciting things we do in our lives scare us to death. They wouldn’t be exciting if they didn’t.”
  19. “Two rights don’t equal a left.”
  20. “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.”
  1. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.”
  2. “I’m glad we don’t see ourselves as others see us. If we did, we should never laugh.”
  3. “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  4. “It’s a difficult job being a teacher, but it’s even harder being a pupil.”
  5. “I do not like snozzcumbers!”
  6. “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable.”
  7. “It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself.”
  8. “The matter with human beans,” the BFG went on, “is that they is absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles.”
  9. “And now,” cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!”
  10. “So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install A lovely bookshelf on the wall.”
  11. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
  12. “If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
  13. “The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!”
  14. “Well, maybe it started that way. As a dream, but doesn’t everything. Those buildings. These lights. This whole city. Somebody had to dream about it first. And maybe that is what I did. I dreamed about coming here, but then I did it.”
  15. “All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was a change, I reckon.”
  16. “A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.”
  17. “And how will you be spending your summer holiday?’ said the owl to the squirrel. ‘I shall be sulking, of course,’ said the squirrel.”
  18. “It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself.”
  19. “Don’t gobblefunk around with words.”
  20. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  21. “The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives.”
  22. “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”
  23. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
  24. “Never grow up…always down.”
  25. “Two rights don’t equal a left.”
  1. “So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”
  2. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.”
  3. “Grown ups are complicated creatures, full of quirks and secrets.”
  4. “Don’t make up your mind too soon. Things have a way of changing.”
  5. “A little magic can take you a long way.”
  6. “I’m right and you’re wrong, I’m big and you’re small, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
  7. “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
  8. “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  9. “I understand what you’re saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m gonna ignore your advice.”
  10. “Life is more fun if you play games.”
  11. “Mr. Wonka: “Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted.” Charlie Bucket: “What happened?” Mr. Wonka: “He lived happily ever after.”
  12. “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  13. “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”
  14. “Whipped cream isn’t whipped cream at all if it hasn’t been whipped with whips, just like poached eggs isn’t poached eggs unless it’s been stolen in the dead of the night.”
  15. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you.”
  16. “We must hurry,’ said Mr. Wonka. ‘We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it!’”
  17. “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
  18. “But a person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.”
  19. “I understand what you’re saying, and your comments are valuable, but I’m gonna ignore your advice.”
  20. “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
  21. “If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.”
  22. “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”
  1. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”
  2. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it, and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.”
  3. “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.”
  4. “I am an optimist even though I am told everything I do is negative and cynical.”

FAQs:

Who was Roald Dahl?

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was a British author known for his children’s books, which include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” and “The BFG.”

What are some of Roald Dahl’s most famous works?

Some of Roald Dahl’s most famous works include “James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” “The BFG,” and “The Witches.”

What is Roald Dahl’s writing style?

Roald Dahl’s writing style is characterized by its humor, whimsy, and imaginative storytelling. He often creates colorful characters and incorporates fantastical elements into his stories.

Has Roald Dahl won any awards?

Yes, Roald Dahl has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Edgar Award, the British Book Award, and the World Fantasy Award.

Have any of Roald Dahl’s works been adapted into movies or TV shows?

Yes, many of Roald Dahl’s works have been adapted into movies and TV shows, including “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” and “The BFG.”

What is Roald Dahl’s involvement in the movie and TV adaptations of his work?

Roald Dahl was often involved in the adaptations of his work, serving as a screenwriter for several of the movie adaptations.

Did Roald Dahl write other types of literature besides children’s books?

Yes, Roald Dahl also wrote short stories for adults, many of which were published in magazines such as The New Yorker.

Was Roald Dahl involved in any social or political movements?

Roald Dahl was not known for being actively involved in social or political movements, although his work often touched on themes of social justice and anti-authoritarianism.

What is Roald Dahl’s legacy?

Roald Dahl’s legacy is his contribution to children’s literature and his ability to inspire the imagination and creativity of young readers. His work has become a beloved part of many people’s childhoods and continues to inspire generations of readers.

Is there a museum dedicated to Roald Dahl?

Yes, there is a museum dedicated to Roald Dahl located in Great Missenden, England, which was the author’s home for many years. The museum includes exhibits on his life and work, as well as interactive exhibits for children.