Philip Ardagh

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Philip Ardagh (born September 11, 1961 ) is a British author who has written over fifty books, but is best known for his Eddie Dickens trilogy.

Life

Philip Ardagh not only writes novels for young people, but also deals in his books with subjects such as Egyptian hieroglyphs and dinosaurs . The author keeps his private life hidden from the public. His books, which he has published under various names, have so far been translated into more than 20 languages. Before he made his breakthrough to full-time writer with the Eddie Dickens trilogy, he worked as a cleaner in a clinic, as a copywriter, as a librarian and as a reader for the blind. Today he lives with his wife and son in a small coastal town in England .

Eddie Dickens

The trilogy

Eddie Dickens is the comic main character in a trilogy that was described with the words " Charles Dickens goes Monty Python ". It was translated into German by Harry Rowohlt and set to music as an audio book with him as a narrator. Warner Bros. has secured the film rights.

  • First book ("Bad End"): The parents of eleven-year-old Eddie Dickens suffer from an unknown disease that makes them look yellow and wavy around the edges and smell like hot water bottles. To avoid infection, Eddie is brought from his parents' house to Schlimmes Ende - his great-uncle's house - by his "insane (great) uncle Jack " and his "even more insane (great) aunt Maud " . On the way there Eddie is threatened with a revolver, arrested by the police and taken to an orphanage and experiences a lot more.
  • Second book (“Fearful Performances”): The Dickens' escape artist “The big zucchini ” and his assistant Daniella appear - and shortly thereafter end up in police custody. In an attempt to free the two of them from prison, Eddie is kidnapped by three escaped convicts.
  • Third book (“Bad News”): Eddie is supposed to take the ship to America because his great-uncle owns a newspaper there. Accompanied by an ominous companion named Lady Constance , Eddie makes his way to the harbor without realizing that his aunt Maud is hiding in his trunk.
Sequels

In addition to these three books, there are also the fourth, fifth and sixth books in the Eddie Dickens trilogy, also known as The Further Adventures of Eddie Dickens :

  • Fourth book or: Book one of Eddie Dickens 'further adventures ("Unpleasant surprises"): Eddie is staying with the McFeeeeeeee family in Scotland to sell the Dickens' Scottish manor. He meets alleged relatives of his great aunt, the McMuckles . A surprise visit from Queen Victoria almost becomes a scandal.
  • Fifth book or: Book two of Eddie Dickens' other adventures ("Abominable Habits"): In the garden of Bad Ending , Eddie's father is almost killed by a thrown chimney. While the architect Fandango Jones, who happened to be present, searches for the perpetrator with the police, Eddie loses memory in an accident. He is accepted into a monastery by Abbot Po and eventually meets a few new family members.
  • Sixth book or: Book three of the other adventures of Eddie Dickens ("very last act"): In Schlimmes Ende they work on the performance of a play about Eddie's life. The play was written by Eddie's father and is performed by the stray theater director Mr. Pumblesnook and his theater company. Meanwhile, a famous painter arrives who wants to make a portrait of the insane Uncle Jack , which is supposed to be exhibited at the War Department. While everyone is preparing for the big theatrical performance, a few crooks are busy making plans to rob the property.

Stories from Bad Dreckskaff

In May 2009 Philip Ardagh started a new series of children's books, Stories from Bad Dreckskaff (“Grubtown Tales”). The first volume “Herr Urxl und das Glitzerdings” was published in German in a translation by Harry Rowohlt . Furthermore, "The Cow That Fell From Heaven" and "The Fuchs Family On The Run" appeared. These two books were also translated by Harry Rowohlt and he also read them both as audio books.

Works (selection)

  • Awful End - German Bad End ( German Youth Literature Prize 2003)
  • Dreadful Acts - terrifying performances
  • Terrible Times - bad news
  • Dubious Deeds - German unpleasant surprises (The fourth book of the Eddie Dickens trilogy or: Book one of the further adventures of Eddie Dickens)
  • Horrendous Habits - German Abominable Habits (The fifth book of the Eddie Dickens trilogy or: Book two of the further adventures of Eddie Dickens)
  • Final Curtain - German very last act (The sixth book of the Eddie Dickens trilogy or: Book three of the further adventures of Eddie Dickens)
  • Grubtown Tales: Stinking rich and just plain stinky - German stories from Bad Dreckskaff: Mr Urxl and the glittering thing ( Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2009)
  • Philip Ardagh's completely useless book of The Most Hair-raising Mistakes in World History 2011
  • Philip Ardagh's Book of World Shattering Events and Great Ideas in Human History 2015

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ underneath and over it - Philip Ardagh: "Grub Town Tales". Translated by Harry Rowohlt. Cecilie Dressler Verlag. Retrieved February 11, 2016 .
  2. ^ German Youth Literature Award Archive 2003. Accessed January 15, 2017 .
  3. ↑ Stephen Adams: Veteran author wins Roald Dahl Funny Prize . In: Telegraph , November 10, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2009. 
personal data
SURNAME Ardagh, Philip
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British author of young books
DATE OF BIRTH September 11, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH England