The Writing Life

How do you turn a beloved but prickly children's book into a candy colored fever dream that outlives everyone who made it? Aaron is the guest on What Went Wrong, the fantastic, hit podcast unpacking the improbable origin story of a single movie. This time it's the 1971 classic, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Listen to more episodes of What Went Wrong wherever you get your podcasts. We're huge fans. https://www.whatwentwrongpod.com/ And if you've loved The Secret World of Roald Dahl, be the first to hear what's next!: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aaron answers your questions about Dahl and the show with the help of two extraordinary guests: writer Mark Harris on how to capture a complicated life, and the journalist who, decades ago, found himself alone with Dahl when the mask finally slipped.   Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Rosenblatt had never written a play before Giant, his portrait of Roald Dahl. Now it's the most talked about, best reviewed show on Broadway. Aaron sits down with Mark for a wide ranging conversation. Two writers who've spent a lot of time wrestling with the same complicated author, comparing notes.    Be the first to hear what's next: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact   Follow "The Secret World of Roald Dahl": Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretWorldPod/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SecretWorldPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After all the adventures, all the struggles, all the discarded masks, Dahl finally discovers exactly who he's meant to be. Locked away in a small hut in an apple orchard, Dahl creates a ritual so precise and sacred that it borders on obsession. And decades after his death, his presence still looms over us. Featuring a conversation with an expert in children’s literature who knew Dahl personally.  Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next, before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, Robert Zemeckis, Quentin Tarantino. No other author’s work has attracted as many legendary filmmakers as Roald Dahl. Some adaptations become instant classics. Others crash and burn. And then there's the beloved film watched by millions every year that Dahl loathed. Featuring a conversation with NPR's David Bianculli, longtime critic for Fresh Air.  Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next, before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dahl’s work faces a reckoning. Plus, decades after his death, a shocking decision is made about Dahl's books that ignites a worldwide controversy. Featuring conversations with cultural critics, including bestselling author Claire Dederer.   Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next, before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the height of his fame, Dahl picks up the phone for an interview and makes bigoted remarks that will haunt his legacy forever. A difficult question emerges that affects how we think about all artists, but especially those who shape our children’s imaginations. Featuring conversations with Roxane Gay, and The Atlantic’s Yair Rosenberg.    Be the first to hear what's next: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact   Follow "The Secret World of Roald Dahl": Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SecretWorldPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Desperate to salvage his fledgling career, Dahl makes a radical pivot and submits a children's story to his publisher. It's a massive gamble, and it fails spectacularly. His personal life implodes soon after. But from the wreckage of everything he's lost, Dahl discovers greater success than he’s ever known before.  Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next, before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When tragedy strikes his family, Dahl is forced into a waking nightmare that transforms him from a struggling writer into an unlikely medical pioneer. In the process, he ends up saving the lives of thousands of children around the world. But just as one crisis ends, another begins, followed by several more in brutal succession. Yet somehow, out of this unimaginable darkness, something hopeful emerges.  Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a brief introduction at a mutual friend’s dinner party, Dahl falls madly in love with Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal. He’s determined to win her over, but soon discovers a giant, immovable obstacle in his path. Namely, she’s still in love with the biggest movie star in the world. Eventually, Neal and Dahl build a life together. But can their relationship survive as her career soars into the stratosphere, while his comes crashing down to Earth?  Enjoyed the show? Join the list to hear what Aaron's got next before anyone else: https://www.listentoparallax.com/contact Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretworldpod/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.