I have a first edition of this book (sadly, without the dust jacket) from 1964, having inherited it from my siblings when I was a child. The book has definitely seen a lot of readings -- there are some smudgy prints on some of the pages. Chocolate? Perhaps.
I had forgotten how delightful this book is, and how subversive some of the story is. Dahl doesn't hide his disdain for the awful children here, and the song lyrics to the Oompa Loompa songs are merciless . . . and quite funny. I found I was snickering out loud to myself and thoroughly enjoying the book.
One of the interesting things about the original edition (U.S. and British) is the description of the Oompa Loompas as small pygmy people from Africa (and the accompanying illustrations bear this out). This was changed in a later edition of the book.
Per a recent NYT article: "But racial and ethnic controversy has followed Mr. Dahl’s work for years. The author has long been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism, and critics denounced his original portrayal of the Oompa Loompa workers in Mr. Wonka’s chocolate factory.They were originally depicted as hard working but mischievous African pygmies who were brought to the factory to make candy. Mr. Dahl revised their portrayal in later editions of the work, turning the Oompa Loompas into fanciful dwarflike creatures from a made-up country, Loompaland. In the 1971 film they were depicted as squat, green-haired, orange factory workers."
This same article cited a recent interview with Dahl's widow, who said “His first Charlie that he wrote about was a little black boy,” the widow, Felicity Dahl, said in the interview. " "Mrs. Dahl made the remark during a conversation with Donald Sturrock, her husband’s biographer, on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program. Mr. Sturrock said Mr. Dahl had understood “the American sensibility.” In response, Mrs. Dahl revealed the original idea for Charlie’s race and said she believed it had been “influenced by America.”"
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