The Mildenhall Treasure - Hardcover

Dahl, Roald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375810358 ISBN 13: 9780375810350

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2000

Synopsis

During World War II, a British plowman discovered a hoard of Roman silver while plowing a field in the Suffolk countryside. Unaware of the treasure's value, he was cheated out of the fortune that should have been his by the man who hired him. The 34 pieces of silver were discovered after the war by the authorities and taken to the British Museum, where they reside today. Master storyteller Roald Dahl relates the unforgettable and true tale of the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles.

About this title

Review:

Buried one foot below the surface of a field called Thistley Green in the English town of Mildenhall, a most fantastic Roman treasure lay for centuries until a ploughman came along in the 1940s and accidentally dug it up. What followed was the worst kind of tragedy, because it involves human greed and abuse of a good man's innocence. Gordon Butcher, discoverer of this treasure, was entitled by British law to the full amount of its market value. Butcher was not aware of this law; however, another ploughman named Ford did know about it, and managed to bamboozle Butcher out of the fortune.

This remarkable story was written in 1946 by a young Roald Dahl, who went on to write such beloved classics as James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dahl's inimitable style blazes through even in his early career. The true story, republished with stunning art by Ralph Steadman, is as riveting as if it had happened today, with heartbreaking notes of unbearable unfairness and sincere naiveté. Each page, thickly covered with rich, dark splashes of paint, sketchy faces, and bits of collage, has a wild and ominous tenor, reflected in the ferocious weather that fateful day when the hapless farmer found--and lost--the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

About the Author:

Roald Dahl was one of the most celebrated children's authors of the 20th century. In 1961, he published James and the Giant Peach, followed by countless other bestsellers. He died in 1990.
Ralph Steadman's award-winning illustrations have appeared on several book and magazine covers. His own books include Gonzo, the Art and America.

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0375810358
• ISBN 13: 9780375810350
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 80
• Illustrator: Steadman Ralph