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The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl
Alternate Cover Edition ISBN 0140158073 (ISBN13: 9780140158076)
Containing all the stories from Roald Dahl's world-famous books – Over to You, Someone Like you, Kiss Kiss and Switch Bitch – plus eight further tales of the unexpected, this is the definitive collection by one of the great masters of the short story. Macabre, unsettling and deliciously enjoyable, these stories make the perfect bedtime read – but be warned, once you've started reading you won't be able to stop . .
Containing all the stories from Roald Dahl's world-famous books – Over to You, Someone Like you, Kiss Kiss and Switch Bitch – plus eight further tales of the unexpected, this is the definitive collection by one of the great masters of the short story. Macabre, unsettling and deliciously enjoyable, these stories make the perfect bedtime read – but be warned, once you've started reading you won't be able to stop . .
768 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2006
673 people are currently reading
8814 people want to read
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,470 books26.6k followersRoald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
June 14, 2020
Tengo debilidad por los escritores ingleses o, al menos, por aquellos que describen o narran con ese no sé si típico o tópico carácter inglés. Roald Dahl, en sus cuentos, es uno de estos escritores.
Disfruto mucho con el desarrollo de las historias, con la caracterización de los personajes, con los diálogos, con las situaciones que plantea. Quizás son tantas las expectativas que me va creando a lo largo del cuento que pienso que los finales a veces desmerecen el desarrollo o incluso que el verdadero final está, o debería estar, antes del final real del cuento. Bueno, el inicio del siguiente me resarce de estas pequeñas decepciones.
Por destacar alguno en concreto: El señor Botibol (quizás el que más me ha gustado), El señor Feasey y Placer de clérigo.
Disfruto mucho con el desarrollo de las historias, con la caracterización de los personajes, con los diálogos, con las situaciones que plantea. Quizás son tantas las expectativas que me va creando a lo largo del cuento que pienso que los finales a veces desmerecen el desarrollo o incluso que el verdadero final está, o debería estar, antes del final real del cuento. Bueno, el inicio del siguiente me resarce de estas pequeñas decepciones.
Por destacar alguno en concreto: El señor Botibol (quizás el que más me ha gustado), El señor Feasey y Placer de clérigo.
January 30, 2025
Dahl’s adult stories are not as famous as his children’s books. Taken as a whole, The Collected Stories is as impressive as Saki’s Complete Works if you ask me.
Many of these stories, for me, were the antidote to reality. His characters, their perpetually gleaming eyes, their moist lips, constantly wringing their hands and exclaiming, even cackling demoniacally, might put one in mind of fantasy villains. But they are ordinary people. In most cases, any supernatural element is secondary to the human element, and occasionally altogether absent.
Evil children, vengeful spinsters, mad husbands, conniving wives, the murderous, the cunning, the smarmy, and the grand in every way - no matter his target, Dahl conceals and reveals with equal facility. His sly exuberance is always on display when it comes to the surprise endings. And there are plenty of those to go around.
These are not fairy tales. 'Parable' and 'fable' might be words which describe the technique he employs here and there but any of his writerly choices are cast in a modern light. Combinations of outrageous description and stellar plots characterize the majority of the tales. Characters who transform into the things they are consumed by reminded me of The Witches and film adaptations of his children's books.
His sparse, well-chosen, eerie details, provide the texture for his storyteller’s art, which flows masterfully. He possesses specialized knowledge when needed, explaining the intricacies of greyhound racing for instance. Grief, vanity, and an enormous range of other human emotions and experiences are packed into this bulky collection. The whole gamut.
A few have the sensibility and charm of Twain, others are Rube Goldberg-level business schemes. Think of Wodehouse’s cat-rat factory system: (Breed cats and rats in large numbers. You feed the cats to the rats and the rats to the cats. Sell the cat skins for profit.)
Detail is paramount to the success of most stories. But the sales pitch is one of the things at which Dahl excels. His characters, when they're not selling a product, are peddling an idea.
Figurative language often explicates the position and emotions of the characters and the reader must use their imagination to conceptualize the story’s metaphorical and allegorical significance. Figurative language is just fun too, when used well. Other times it is all too clear what he is getting at and subtlety was not the aim. Nonetheless, he is always extraordinarily vivid.
The collection begins with 10 stories about pilots. The author was a pilot himself, and he presents an intimate examination of many transcendent moments, both real and imagined. They deal with man versus nature, the horrors of war, empathy, tragedy, bomber pilots put into harrowing situations, the veteran's damaged psyche and even a dreamlike adventure. Lots of death and air battles provide a backdrop of action, desperation, helplessness. Many take place in exotic locales, like Cairo, Greece, and France. The first 140 pages should be enough to draw any serious reader in to the strange world Dahl crafts so meticulously. It will also turn away any people who assume he can only write stuff for children. These are not the most demanding stories you will find, but they are not for youngsters. Actually, the further along you get in the collection, the more adult they get, including a handful of ones sold to Playboy and other magazines, which really ratchet up the sex and grotesquerie.
The second set of stories deal with the art world, of which Dahl was also a part in his time. Eccentric rich people are easy to poke fun at, and he does it very well. “Nunc Dimittis” reveals what Dahl can do with the revenge plot. “The Sound Machine” could have been written by H. G. Wells. When Dahl decides to include science, he is on point. “Mr. Botibol” presents a recurring character at his most self-delusional. It is a charming and heartwarming story. One of the most innocent.
“Vengeance is Mine, Inc.” is the first comedy of the business acumen variety in the book. A harebrained scheme turns out miraculously well, while capturing the spirit of industry which so easily consumes and encapsulates a whole history of human affairs.
He lapses into Wodehousian aplomb, relishing insane levels of detail in one of the masterpieces of the collection, called “Taste.” Other standouts include “The Ratcatcher, Mr. Hoddy, Madame Rosette, Galloping Foxley, William and Mary, Georgy Porgy, Pig, The Landlady, The Visitor, & The Last Act.”
There is just so much variety here. He might discuss bullying, innocence, naiveté, more satires of the rich and fabulous of English and American society, orphan life, pheasant hunting, furniture dealing, being swallowed whole…
The one called “Bitch” features a recurring character, Oswald, whose fictitious memoirs provide a metafictional element. The idea is very similar to Perfume, but the approach and climax is quite unexpected.
His worst story is on the subject of cow-birthing. Occasionally his far-fetched ideas are simply absurd, without being clever enough to propel the reader’s interest. But the vast majority are incredibly satisfying to read.
Perhaps my favorite story was “The Visitor”, about Oswald’s Casanovan adventure in the desert. It features a picaresque element and a shocking ending. Dahl is so good at lulling you into a false sense of security. Grim visions like these, are almost guaranteed to capture the heart of fans of speculative fiction, even if he doesn't stray far from Realism. He is not afraid to discomfit the reader. I grew nauseous while reading the prolonged description of brain surgery in “William and Mary.” I could see the procedure happening in excruciating detail in my mind’s eye.
Come to Dahl for the extravagant plots, the weird, ghostly surrealism, the cruelty, horror, violence, subtly telling details. The tenuous and artificial connections between human beings are elegantly presented. His rhythm is like a well-composed bar-room style retelling, but add in the uncanny description, and you have his recipe. Levity, amid squalor, provides profound contrast. Lethargic, indulgent, beatific - he was able to capture it all.
What keeps us sane and makes us go insane? Each slanted and skewed perspective was a joy to uncover.
Dahl's stories are always fascinating, and this is a must-have jumbo collection.
Many of these stories, for me, were the antidote to reality. His characters, their perpetually gleaming eyes, their moist lips, constantly wringing their hands and exclaiming, even cackling demoniacally, might put one in mind of fantasy villains. But they are ordinary people. In most cases, any supernatural element is secondary to the human element, and occasionally altogether absent.
Evil children, vengeful spinsters, mad husbands, conniving wives, the murderous, the cunning, the smarmy, and the grand in every way - no matter his target, Dahl conceals and reveals with equal facility. His sly exuberance is always on display when it comes to the surprise endings. And there are plenty of those to go around.
These are not fairy tales. 'Parable' and 'fable' might be words which describe the technique he employs here and there but any of his writerly choices are cast in a modern light. Combinations of outrageous description and stellar plots characterize the majority of the tales. Characters who transform into the things they are consumed by reminded me of The Witches and film adaptations of his children's books.
His sparse, well-chosen, eerie details, provide the texture for his storyteller’s art, which flows masterfully. He possesses specialized knowledge when needed, explaining the intricacies of greyhound racing for instance. Grief, vanity, and an enormous range of other human emotions and experiences are packed into this bulky collection. The whole gamut.
A few have the sensibility and charm of Twain, others are Rube Goldberg-level business schemes. Think of Wodehouse’s cat-rat factory system: (Breed cats and rats in large numbers. You feed the cats to the rats and the rats to the cats. Sell the cat skins for profit.)
Detail is paramount to the success of most stories. But the sales pitch is one of the things at which Dahl excels. His characters, when they're not selling a product, are peddling an idea.
Figurative language often explicates the position and emotions of the characters and the reader must use their imagination to conceptualize the story’s metaphorical and allegorical significance. Figurative language is just fun too, when used well. Other times it is all too clear what he is getting at and subtlety was not the aim. Nonetheless, he is always extraordinarily vivid.
The collection begins with 10 stories about pilots. The author was a pilot himself, and he presents an intimate examination of many transcendent moments, both real and imagined. They deal with man versus nature, the horrors of war, empathy, tragedy, bomber pilots put into harrowing situations, the veteran's damaged psyche and even a dreamlike adventure. Lots of death and air battles provide a backdrop of action, desperation, helplessness. Many take place in exotic locales, like Cairo, Greece, and France. The first 140 pages should be enough to draw any serious reader in to the strange world Dahl crafts so meticulously. It will also turn away any people who assume he can only write stuff for children. These are not the most demanding stories you will find, but they are not for youngsters. Actually, the further along you get in the collection, the more adult they get, including a handful of ones sold to Playboy and other magazines, which really ratchet up the sex and grotesquerie.
The second set of stories deal with the art world, of which Dahl was also a part in his time. Eccentric rich people are easy to poke fun at, and he does it very well. “Nunc Dimittis” reveals what Dahl can do with the revenge plot. “The Sound Machine” could have been written by H. G. Wells. When Dahl decides to include science, he is on point. “Mr. Botibol” presents a recurring character at his most self-delusional. It is a charming and heartwarming story. One of the most innocent.
“Vengeance is Mine, Inc.” is the first comedy of the business acumen variety in the book. A harebrained scheme turns out miraculously well, while capturing the spirit of industry which so easily consumes and encapsulates a whole history of human affairs.
He lapses into Wodehousian aplomb, relishing insane levels of detail in one of the masterpieces of the collection, called “Taste.” Other standouts include “The Ratcatcher, Mr. Hoddy, Madame Rosette, Galloping Foxley, William and Mary, Georgy Porgy, Pig, The Landlady, The Visitor, & The Last Act.”
There is just so much variety here. He might discuss bullying, innocence, naiveté, more satires of the rich and fabulous of English and American society, orphan life, pheasant hunting, furniture dealing, being swallowed whole…
The one called “Bitch” features a recurring character, Oswald, whose fictitious memoirs provide a metafictional element. The idea is very similar to Perfume, but the approach and climax is quite unexpected.
His worst story is on the subject of cow-birthing. Occasionally his far-fetched ideas are simply absurd, without being clever enough to propel the reader’s interest. But the vast majority are incredibly satisfying to read.
Perhaps my favorite story was “The Visitor”, about Oswald’s Casanovan adventure in the desert. It features a picaresque element and a shocking ending. Dahl is so good at lulling you into a false sense of security. Grim visions like these, are almost guaranteed to capture the heart of fans of speculative fiction, even if he doesn't stray far from Realism. He is not afraid to discomfit the reader. I grew nauseous while reading the prolonged description of brain surgery in “William and Mary.” I could see the procedure happening in excruciating detail in my mind’s eye.
Come to Dahl for the extravagant plots, the weird, ghostly surrealism, the cruelty, horror, violence, subtly telling details. The tenuous and artificial connections between human beings are elegantly presented. His rhythm is like a well-composed bar-room style retelling, but add in the uncanny description, and you have his recipe. Levity, amid squalor, provides profound contrast. Lethargic, indulgent, beatific - he was able to capture it all.
What keeps us sane and makes us go insane? Each slanted and skewed perspective was a joy to uncover.
Dahl's stories are always fascinating, and this is a must-have jumbo collection.
November 6, 2014
If you really think about it, Roald Dahl is one sick bastard.
He has a kid squeezed up a narrow pipe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and experiences an impromptu liposuction. He has two aunts steamrolled by a giant peach in James and the Giant Peach and left for dead. He has a husband and wife play pranks on each other, one of which leaves the other floating up into the clear blue with her arms trussed up. If it were Stephen King writing, you'd get a better sense of how twisted these situations are.
A children's writer and a horror/thriller writer.
In his adult fiction, Dahl rolls up his sleeves, wipes away the creamy kiddie layer and lets it hang out in all its macabre glory. Even a sweet story like a boy going to live with his vegetarian grandmother, like in The Witches, turned out to have a far more horrifying result than I expected.
I'm on the fence as whether to call his work feminist because there are portrayals I'm rather uncomfortable with, like in Mrs. Bixby's coat that opens with a bunch of working-class men shivering in a pub together, away from their cunning, sharp-tongued wives. But on the other hand, Dahl has a tendency to write passive women, that have been squashed down their whole lives by their hubby, getting revenge in most grisly fashion possible.
Leaving him to rot in a trapped elevator, for one. Lording over her husband's sentient brain after it was saved for research. Smashing his brains in with a leg of lamb, then popping it into the oven and offering it to the cops that come investigate. The perfect murder weapon is not an icicle, members of the jury, it is in fact a pot roast.
Some stories are duller than others, but on whole, not bad, Dahl. You could give King a run for his money.
He has a kid squeezed up a narrow pipe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and experiences an impromptu liposuction. He has two aunts steamrolled by a giant peach in James and the Giant Peach and left for dead. He has a husband and wife play pranks on each other, one of which leaves the other floating up into the clear blue with her arms trussed up. If it were Stephen King writing, you'd get a better sense of how twisted these situations are.
A children's writer and a horror/thriller writer.
In his adult fiction, Dahl rolls up his sleeves, wipes away the creamy kiddie layer and lets it hang out in all its macabre glory. Even a sweet story like a boy going to live with his vegetarian grandmother, like in The Witches, turned out to have a far more horrifying result than I expected.
"I'm glad you liked it," the cook said. "But to be quite honest, I think that it was a bit of pig. In fact, I'm almost sure it was."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I am."
I'm on the fence as whether to call his work feminist because there are portrayals I'm rather uncomfortable with, like in Mrs. Bixby's coat that opens with a bunch of working-class men shivering in a pub together, away from their cunning, sharp-tongued wives. But on the other hand, Dahl has a tendency to write passive women, that have been squashed down their whole lives by their hubby, getting revenge in most grisly fashion possible.
Leaving him to rot in a trapped elevator, for one. Lording over her husband's sentient brain after it was saved for research. Smashing his brains in with a leg of lamb, then popping it into the oven and offering it to the cops that come investigate. The perfect murder weapon is not an icicle, members of the jury, it is in fact a pot roast.
Some stories are duller than others, but on whole, not bad, Dahl. You could give King a run for his money.
December 6, 2023
Якщо досі читали виключно дитячі книги від Дала, особистий рекомендасйон, почитати його оповідання для дорослих. Геть по-іншому відкривається автор (хоч подекуди і є спільні знаменники в характерах героїв як дитячої так і дорослої прози).
Найяскравішим контраст буде після прочитання оповідання Свиня. Такої розв’язки годі було сподіватись.
Найяскравішим контраст буде після прочитання оповідання Свиня. Такої розв’язки годі було сподіватись.
November 28, 2023
Di solito, quando si commenta una raccolta di racconti, si comincia dicendo che il livello delle novelle è altalenante, nel mucchio ci sono storie che ci sono piaciute assai e da considerarsi ottime -poche, di solito-, quelle a malapena decenti e quelle decisamente orride.
Con Roald Dahl questo non succede. Anche il meno bello dei racconti, qui, è comunque un petardo scoppiettante.
Lo schema si ripete più o meno sempre simile: si parte con la descrizione di una normalissima scena di vita quotidiana, così banale che certo porterebbe subito alla noia se non fosse per la prosa frizzante e cristallina dell'Autore, dopodiché cade, nel mezzo del racconto, gettato improvvisamente e quasi per caso, un elemento straordinario ed eccezionale che porta la narrazione verso un'iperbole di sensazionale coinvolgimento fino al raggiungimento del suo apice. Ed è proprio lì, quando ormai la storia sembra giunta alla sua naturale conclusione, che succede: un colpo di scena finale, micidiale, fulminante, che porta il lettore a riconsiderare l'intera vicenda da un nuovo punto di vista, ed ogni volta è quasi impossibile non increspare le labbra in un divertito ghigno di appagamento.
Per cui, non posso dir altro che d'aver trovato bellissimo tutto, dai lirici racconti delle battaglie aeree della II Guerra Mondiale -Dahl ti fa sentire le vibrazioni della carlinga e l'aria che passa dai fori di proiettile, tanta è la sua bravura nel farci rivivere ciò che lui stesso provò-, alle spassose storielle licenziose scritte per PlayBoy, fino alle novelle più perfidamente macabre e raccapriccianti.
I temi ricorrenti dei racconti sono grossomodo gli stessi dei suoi ben più noti romanzi per fanciulli, ma su tutti spicca quello della beffa, da Dahl sempre usata come supremo strumento di giustizia sociale: i ricchi e i potenti vengono irrimediabilmente beffati perché troppo tronfi, resi ciechi dal loro status, ma pure i furbetti truffaldini, autori di burle sopraffine, quando superano il limite vengono a loro volta gabbati, tendenzialmente rovinandosi con le proprie mani, sempre fra le grasse risate dei lettori.
Un libro che ho centellinato con estrema parsimonia, come un raro liquore, un inchiostro fuori produzione o un profumo vintage, sapendo che, una volta finito, assai difficilmente avrei potuto ancora assaporare qualcosa di paragonabile; una lettura che dimostra, senza ombra di dubbio, che al mondo non esistono scrittori per i più piccini e scrittori per i grandi, ma solo scrittori piccini o grandi scrittori.
Con Roald Dahl questo non succede. Anche il meno bello dei racconti, qui, è comunque un petardo scoppiettante.
Lo schema si ripete più o meno sempre simile: si parte con la descrizione di una normalissima scena di vita quotidiana, così banale che certo porterebbe subito alla noia se non fosse per la prosa frizzante e cristallina dell'Autore, dopodiché cade, nel mezzo del racconto, gettato improvvisamente e quasi per caso, un elemento straordinario ed eccezionale che porta la narrazione verso un'iperbole di sensazionale coinvolgimento fino al raggiungimento del suo apice. Ed è proprio lì, quando ormai la storia sembra giunta alla sua naturale conclusione, che succede: un colpo di scena finale, micidiale, fulminante, che porta il lettore a riconsiderare l'intera vicenda da un nuovo punto di vista, ed ogni volta è quasi impossibile non increspare le labbra in un divertito ghigno di appagamento.
Per cui, non posso dir altro che d'aver trovato bellissimo tutto, dai lirici racconti delle battaglie aeree della II Guerra Mondiale -Dahl ti fa sentire le vibrazioni della carlinga e l'aria che passa dai fori di proiettile, tanta è la sua bravura nel farci rivivere ciò che lui stesso provò-, alle spassose storielle licenziose scritte per PlayBoy, fino alle novelle più perfidamente macabre e raccapriccianti.
I temi ricorrenti dei racconti sono grossomodo gli stessi dei suoi ben più noti romanzi per fanciulli, ma su tutti spicca quello della beffa, da Dahl sempre usata come supremo strumento di giustizia sociale: i ricchi e i potenti vengono irrimediabilmente beffati perché troppo tronfi, resi ciechi dal loro status, ma pure i furbetti truffaldini, autori di burle sopraffine, quando superano il limite vengono a loro volta gabbati, tendenzialmente rovinandosi con le proprie mani, sempre fra le grasse risate dei lettori.
Un libro che ho centellinato con estrema parsimonia, come un raro liquore, un inchiostro fuori produzione o un profumo vintage, sapendo che, una volta finito, assai difficilmente avrei potuto ancora assaporare qualcosa di paragonabile; una lettura che dimostra, senza ombra di dubbio, che al mondo non esistono scrittori per i più piccini e scrittori per i grandi, ma solo scrittori piccini o grandi scrittori.
July 10, 2016
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07j7ntwDescription: Charles Dance leads the cast as the urbane Storyteller in dramatisations of five classic tales by Roald Dahl. Bizarre and amusing by turns, these dark comedies are justly famous for their surprise endings, and for their rogues gallery of crooks, cheats and schemers.
The stories show Dahl at the height of his powers as a writer of adult fiction, combining black comedy with sly social satire. They are stylishly plotted, vividly characterised and made unforgettable by their breezy cynicism, presenting a hilariously bleak view of human nature.
In The Butler, we meet George Cleaver, the Sausage King of the North, who sells his business and moves to London in order to enter society. He employs a butler, Tibbs, to help him to do this. Tibbs explains that it's vital Cleaver learns as much as he can about fine wines - and, to this end, Tibbs sets about buying rare and expensive vintages and educating his employer. Before long, Cleaver feels he no longer needs his butler's advice.
April 27, 2017
This collection took me a really really long time to finish. Can't say that I liked all the short stories but the best was the part of Tales of the Unexpected. This collection contains all the short stories by Roald Dahl,some very interesting enough to keep you interested till the very end. The stories fall into many categories: funny,horror,mystery,adventure,every genre mostly-which is great as different readers have different tastes. Each story gives a different vibe,some will make you smile,some will make you sad and some will make you wonder at the writer's amazing credibility.
I won't suggest it to finish it in one go,but it's better to read it in between other book,while waiting in a bus or a car,while having meals- any time really. It just worked for me this way.
I won't suggest it to finish it in one go,but it's better to read it in between other book,while waiting in a bus or a car,while having meals- any time really. It just worked for me this way.
June 30, 2007
By far one of my favorite collections of short stories. If you really enjoyed thinking of Roald Dahl as the sweet children's author of the BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate factory then you shouldn't pick this one up. Dahl shows his truly sick and twisted colors in these wonderfully colorful, tales- each with its own twist or cliffhanger at the end. Dark, explorative, and quite a refreshing read.
December 30, 2018
Mega recopilación de toda la obra corta y adulta de Roald Dahl. Todos los relatos están estupendamente escritos y tienen algo que retiene tu atención. Mis preferidos son los extraídos de “El gran cambiazo” que tienen de protagonista a Oswaldo Cornelius (el mismo de su única novela "Mi tío Oswald") “El visitante” y “Perra” luego me parecen exquisitos “La señora Bixby y el abrigo del coronel”, “Placer de clérigo”, “Hombre del sur”, “Galloping Foxley”, “Tatuaje”, “Jalea real”, “El gran cambiazo”, “El tesoro de Mildenhall” y “William y Mary”.
Alfred Hitchcock adaptó para su serie de TV unos cuantos: “Cordero asado”, “Veneno”, “Apuestas”, “La señora Bixby y el abrigo del coronel” y el más mítico de todos, absolutamente de culto “El hombre del sur” en el que se apostaba sobre si un mechero era capaz de encenderse diez veces seguidas y que por cierto Tarantino también homenajeo en “Four Rooms”.
Un verdadero maestro de las letras. Imprescindible en tu biblioteca.
Alfred Hitchcock adaptó para su serie de TV unos cuantos: “Cordero asado”, “Veneno”, “Apuestas”, “La señora Bixby y el abrigo del coronel” y el más mítico de todos, absolutamente de culto “El hombre del sur” en el que se apostaba sobre si un mechero era capaz de encenderse diez veces seguidas y que por cierto Tarantino también homenajeo en “Four Rooms”.
Un verdadero maestro de las letras. Imprescindible en tu biblioteca.
June 18, 2019
This book has pride of place on my bookshelf. Now and again I take it down and re-read it. Of all authors, Roald Dahl has been the most influential for my own writing. Many think Dahl writes children's stories, but this collection is strictly for adults. Classy, amusing, gruesome, and with a twist at the end that makes you gawk with shock. Amazing.
June 30, 2018
Ця книга відродила мою віру у коротку прозу. Я у захваті!
Read
April 7, 2008I can't get enough of Roald Dahl! I'm in the middle of too many books right now, but I couldn't resist when I came across this treasure at the library!
Dahl is a marvelous storyteller--simply brilliant!--but I sometimes wonder if I would enjoy his adult short stories as much if I hadn't first loved his children's books as a young girl. (This--which is probably true for most of us--is actually a reversed order. Dahl began his writing career with these short stories, and most of his children's classics are products of the latter half.) I mean, a lot of his short stories are grotesque and downright morbid...and I question myself, because I find them so engrossing!
Well, I guess if you are a fan of Roald Dahl, you'll enjoy this collection--there are a lot of old favorites, but also plenty of new delights that I've never come across before. One critic characterizes his stories well: "Fantastic as Grimm, neat as O. Henry, heartless as Saki, they stick in the mind long after subtler ones have faded..." Dahl is "an artist with a marvelously topsy-turvy sense of the ridiculous in life."
***
This collection was great fun! I will probably forget many of the crazy plots and characters and be ready to enjoy them anew in a couple years' time. Hurrah for a terribly porous memory!
Dahl is a marvelous storyteller--simply brilliant!--but I sometimes wonder if I would enjoy his adult short stories as much if I hadn't first loved his children's books as a young girl. (This--which is probably true for most of us--is actually a reversed order. Dahl began his writing career with these short stories, and most of his children's classics are products of the latter half.) I mean, a lot of his short stories are grotesque and downright morbid...and I question myself, because I find them so engrossing!
Well, I guess if you are a fan of Roald Dahl, you'll enjoy this collection--there are a lot of old favorites, but also plenty of new delights that I've never come across before. One critic characterizes his stories well: "Fantastic as Grimm, neat as O. Henry, heartless as Saki, they stick in the mind long after subtler ones have faded..." Dahl is "an artist with a marvelously topsy-turvy sense of the ridiculous in life."
***
This collection was great fun! I will probably forget many of the crazy plots and characters and be ready to enjoy them anew in a couple years' time. Hurrah for a terribly porous memory!
July 28, 2017
Tutti noi conosciamo Roald Dahl come scrittore di libri per ragazzi (forse LO scrittore), ma in realtà era un grande scrittore in senso più lato, capace di tirar fuori un capolavoro parlando di un grande gigante gentile, ma anche di due soldati che parlano in un bar della causalità con cui sul campo si uccidano determinate persone invece che altre.
In questo volume sono raccolte tutte (o quasi) le antologie dei suoi racconti brevi, ed é qui più che nei classici che conosciamo, troviamo tracce di Roald Dahl come persona: aviatore durante la WWII, padre di famiglia sfortunato, viaggiatore, sceneggiatore, e vero inglese dallo humor nero. Fra queste pagine troverete soprattutto storie grottesche, con personaggi per niente positivi con cui però è inevitabile non empatizzare, storie di guerra, probabilmente autobiografiche, e dove una in particolare mi ha ricordato una scena del film "Porco Rosso" (e Wikipedia mi conferma che Miyazaki si è ispirato proprio a quel racconto!), e poi ancora storie scritte per Playboy, dove troviamo lo zio Oswald, lo sciupafemmine che avrà poi un romanzo tutto suo, e un racconto che praticamente anticipa "Profumo" di Süskind.
Sono racconti tutti diversi, brillanti, divertenti e terribili allo stesso tempo, alcuni assolutamente indimenticabili, con finali che riescono sempre a spiazzare.
In questo volume sono raccolte tutte (o quasi) le antologie dei suoi racconti brevi, ed é qui più che nei classici che conosciamo, troviamo tracce di Roald Dahl come persona: aviatore durante la WWII, padre di famiglia sfortunato, viaggiatore, sceneggiatore, e vero inglese dallo humor nero. Fra queste pagine troverete soprattutto storie grottesche, con personaggi per niente positivi con cui però è inevitabile non empatizzare, storie di guerra, probabilmente autobiografiche, e dove una in particolare mi ha ricordato una scena del film "Porco Rosso" (e Wikipedia mi conferma che Miyazaki si è ispirato proprio a quel racconto!), e poi ancora storie scritte per Playboy, dove troviamo lo zio Oswald, lo sciupafemmine che avrà poi un romanzo tutto suo, e un racconto che praticamente anticipa "Profumo" di Süskind.
Sono racconti tutti diversi, brillanti, divertenti e terribili allo stesso tempo, alcuni assolutamente indimenticabili, con finali che riescono sempre a spiazzare.
Read
July 27, 2025I'll continue to update my review of this as I slowly make my way through this collection. Roald Dahl wrote a ton of short stories! And I have to say, overall, I love his writing, even if the stories themselves aren't always the best.
The Landlady - 3.5⭐
William and Mary - 3.5⭐
The Way Up To Heaven - 3⭐
Parson's Pleasure - 3.75⭐
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat - 2.75⭐
Royal Jelly - 3.25⭐
Georgy Porgy - 3.5⭐
Genesis and Catastrophe - 2.75⭐
Edward the Conqueror - 3⭐
Pig - 3.25⭐
Champion of the World - 2.75⭐
The Landlady - 3.5⭐
William and Mary - 3.5⭐
The Way Up To Heaven - 3⭐
Parson's Pleasure - 3.75⭐
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat - 2.75⭐
Royal Jelly - 3.25⭐
Georgy Porgy - 3.5⭐
Genesis and Catastrophe - 2.75⭐
Edward the Conqueror - 3⭐
Pig - 3.25⭐
Champion of the World - 2.75⭐
July 14, 2021
Dimenticatevi tutte le sue storie che ha scritto per i bambini. I racconti di Dahl sono intrisi di umorismo macabro, di un destino che si beffa dei protagonisti e li condanna al loro " naturale destino". Ho percepito anche un richiamo alle tematiche di Shirley Jackson.
Dategli una possibilità a questi racconti. Rimarrete a bocca aperta.
Dategli una possibilità a questi racconti. Rimarrete a bocca aperta.
March 18, 2017
Es verdaderamente entrañable deleitarse siendo niño con las historias infantiles de Roald Dahl. Después te sometes - ¿o te someten? - a algo que llaman crecimiento y vas recordando con lastimosa nostalgia la suerte de Charlie o la gran inteligencia de Matilda, recordando que fueron grandes historias pero que esos zapatos te han quedado pequeños. Pero cuando llegas a adulto, las historias de Dahl están todavía esperándote en un formato más adecuado. Menuda sorpresa, qué increíble colección de cuentos para llevarse a los ojos...
Podría hablar de casi todos los cuentos, pero me dedicaré a establecer una línea común entre todos ellos. Si hay algo común en ellos es el factor inesperado. Las historias pueden ser más o menos fantasiosas en sus escenarios, pero en todas ellas existe un elemento inverosímil que se desarrolla con mayor o menor aceptación, si bien puede ser algo mágico o algo real pero poco probable. Los cuentos de Dahl son irresistibles de devorar a bocados precisamente por sus finales, en ocasiones sorprendentes y en otras demasiado abiertos... sin llegar nunca a defraudar.
Por ello creo que son plato seguro del disfrute de todo aquél lector fanático de las historias cortas, quien seguro encontrará reconfortantes momentos en esta recopilación.
A continuación resumo algunos de mis favoritos:
- El gran cambiazo: dos hombres casados deciden intercambiarse a sus mujeres una noche sin que ellas lo adviertan, invirtiendo mucho tiempo en la preparación minuciosa del acto.
- La maravillosa historia de Henry Sugar: el relato de un médico que conoce a un paciente capaz de ver a través de los objetos conduce al lector de esa historia a emular al paciente, aprovechando su poder para ganar grandes sumas en todos los casinos del mundo.
- Gastrónomos: un padre de familia reta a un experto catador de vinos apostándose a su hija.
Cordero asado: una mujer que mata a su marido piensa en dar de comer el arma homicida al inspector que investiga el caso.
- Tatuaje: un reputado pintor hizo una de sus primeras obras en la espalda de un hombre, acosado ahora por los grandes coleccionistas para obtener aquella valiosa pintura sobre su piel.
- Jalea real: preocupado por su hija de meses, quien apenas toma la leche del biberón y está adelgazando peligrosamente, un apicultor decide alimentarla con jalea real, sin predecir las consecuencias
- La subida al cielo: una mujer que siempre tiene que llegar puntual en sus viajes es capaz de hacer cualquier cosa por cumplir el dictado del reloj.
Podría hablar de casi todos los cuentos, pero me dedicaré a establecer una línea común entre todos ellos. Si hay algo común en ellos es el factor inesperado. Las historias pueden ser más o menos fantasiosas en sus escenarios, pero en todas ellas existe un elemento inverosímil que se desarrolla con mayor o menor aceptación, si bien puede ser algo mágico o algo real pero poco probable. Los cuentos de Dahl son irresistibles de devorar a bocados precisamente por sus finales, en ocasiones sorprendentes y en otras demasiado abiertos... sin llegar nunca a defraudar.
Por ello creo que son plato seguro del disfrute de todo aquél lector fanático de las historias cortas, quien seguro encontrará reconfortantes momentos en esta recopilación.
A continuación resumo algunos de mis favoritos:
- El gran cambiazo: dos hombres casados deciden intercambiarse a sus mujeres una noche sin que ellas lo adviertan, invirtiendo mucho tiempo en la preparación minuciosa del acto.
- La maravillosa historia de Henry Sugar: el relato de un médico que conoce a un paciente capaz de ver a través de los objetos conduce al lector de esa historia a emular al paciente, aprovechando su poder para ganar grandes sumas en todos los casinos del mundo.
- Gastrónomos: un padre de familia reta a un experto catador de vinos apostándose a su hija.
Cordero asado: una mujer que mata a su marido piensa en dar de comer el arma homicida al inspector que investiga el caso.
- Tatuaje: un reputado pintor hizo una de sus primeras obras en la espalda de un hombre, acosado ahora por los grandes coleccionistas para obtener aquella valiosa pintura sobre su piel.
- Jalea real: preocupado por su hija de meses, quien apenas toma la leche del biberón y está adelgazando peligrosamente, un apicultor decide alimentarla con jalea real, sin predecir las consecuencias
- La subida al cielo: una mujer que siempre tiene que llegar puntual en sus viajes es capaz de hacer cualquier cosa por cumplir el dictado del reloj.
November 18, 2022
"Ніщо так не мучить, як намагання пригадати те, що постійно вислизає в останню мить з закапелків вашої пам'яті."
Дуже давно хотіла прочитати збірку оповідань для дорослих Роальда Дала, адже мені подобаються його дитячі твори.
Отже, це збірка з шістнадцяти неймовірних історій, написаних в період з 1945 по 1977 роки.
Майже кожне оповідання шокує неочікуваним і відкритим фіналом!)
Трошки детальніше про мої улюблені історії:
"Людина з півдня"
Вас очікує незвичне парі на Каділак та... мізинець лівої руки!
"Звукова машина"
Що станеться, якщо винайти машину, завдяки я��ій ми зможемо чути низько або високочастотні звуки і поринути в безмежний світ звуків.
"Ставка на стрибок"
Безмежне море, корабельний тоталізатор і жадібність - вийшло дуже цікаво.)
"Шкіра" - це одне із моторошних оповідань цієї збірки, в ньому ми знайомимося з стареньким чоловіком на ім'я Дріолі, звичайний собі чоловік, крім того, що у нього на шкірі картина відомого художника...
"Коняка Фокслі" - доволі спокійне, розмірене оповідання про чоловіка, який 36 років, п'ять днів на тиждень їздить в Лондон-сіті на поїзді: "...ніщо так позитивно не вплине на ваш душевний спокій, як рутина й узвичаєний порядок" - хіба що новий пасажир...
"Шлях у небеса" - про місіс Фостер і її патологічний страх запізнитись на поїзд, літак, корабель чи навіть на першу дію в теа��рі...
Теж неочікуваний і моторошний фінал! "Пасторова втіха" - Містер Боґґіс продавець античними меблями і четвертий комод "Чиппендейла"!
Дуже цікава і смішна історія.
"Господиня" - моє найулюбленіше оповідання, моторошне і загадкове.
Біллі Вівер приїхав у маленьке містечко, шукаючи де зупинитися на ніч побачив пансіонат: зелені оксамитові штори, на їх тлі чудові гризантеми, яскравий вогонь у каміні, на килимі згорнувшись клубочком спить такса... Ось тільки власниця пансіонату, доволі дивна пані...
Роальд Дал мене не розчарувал, іронія, чорний гумор і несподівані, інколи дивні фінали в кожній історії!
Відірватися важко, сторінки перегортаються, брови піднімаються вгору, на вустах несмілива усмішка, ох і понаписувал пан Дал!)
Дуже давно хотіла прочитати збірку оповідань для дорослих Роальда Дала, адже мені подобаються його дитячі твори.
Отже, це збірка з шістнадцяти неймовірних історій, написаних в період з 1945 по 1977 роки.
Майже кожне оповідання шокує неочікуваним і відкритим фіналом!)
Трошки детальніше про мої улюблені історії:
"Людина з півдня"
Вас очікує незвичне парі на Каділак та... мізинець лівої руки!
"Звукова машина"
Що станеться, якщо винайти машину, завдяки я��ій ми зможемо чути низько або високочастотні звуки і поринути в безмежний світ звуків.
"Ставка на стрибок"
Безмежне море, корабельний тоталізатор і жадібність - вийшло дуже цікаво.)
"Шкіра" - це одне із моторошних оповідань цієї збірки, в ньому ми знайомимося з стареньким чоловіком на ім'я Дріолі, звичайний собі чоловік, крім того, що у нього на шкірі картина відомого художника...
"Коняка Фокслі" - доволі спокійне, розмірене оповідання про чоловіка, який 36 років, п'ять днів на тиждень їздить в Лондон-сіті на поїзді: "...ніщо так позитивно не вплине на ваш душевний спокій, як рутина й узвичаєний порядок" - хіба що новий пасажир...
"Шлях у небеса" - про місіс Фостер і її патологічний страх запізнитись на поїзд, літак, корабель чи навіть на першу дію в теа��рі...
Теж неочікуваний і моторошний фінал! "Пасторова втіха" - Містер Боґґіс продавець античними меблями і четвертий комод "Чиппендейла"!
Дуже цікава і смішна історія.
"Господиня" - моє найулюбленіше оповідання, моторошне і загадкове.
Біллі Вівер приїхав у маленьке містечко, шукаючи де зупинитися на ніч побачив пансіонат: зелені оксамитові штори, на їх тлі чудові гризантеми, яскравий вогонь у каміні, на килимі згорнувшись клубочком спить такса... Ось тільки власниця пансіонату, доволі дивна пані...
Роальд Дал мене не розчарувал, іронія, чорний гумор і несподівані, інколи дивні фінали в кожній історії!
Відірватися важко, сторінки перегортаються, брови піднімаються вгору, на вустах несмілива усмішка, ох і понаписувал пан Дал!)
May 9, 2015
If you like stories which blend plot, humorous writing and a vein of darkness, this is the collection for you.
I may be one of the few people on the planet who picked up Roald Dahl's adult stories as a kid, before I had read any of his children's books. In hindsight, ten is maybe a bit too young to fully enjoy some of the stories. I remember finishing 'Pig' and having to really, really wonder if I had gotten the ending right, because surely the world wasn't that cruel?
Yes, yes, it is. Roald Dahl's world, anyway. And it is magnificent.
Roald Dahl's fascination with the twisted and the grotesque can definitely be seen in his works for children, and in his adult fiction is laid bare in glorious form, with one added element necessarily absent from his children's fiction- some of his adult stories are what might be described as 'fruity'. Not out of character for the author, I've come to understand, and you'll see it in stories like 'Switch Bitch' and any of his stories involving Uncle Oswald, a blatant Author Avatar (thank you TV Tropes).
I only rate a book five stars if I find I can read it again and again. You can definitely come back to these stories and find that knowing what happens doesn't take away from the entertainment value. Money well spent, childhood innocence well ruined.
I may be one of the few people on the planet who picked up Roald Dahl's adult stories as a kid, before I had read any of his children's books. In hindsight, ten is maybe a bit too young to fully enjoy some of the stories. I remember finishing 'Pig' and having to really, really wonder if I had gotten the ending right, because surely the world wasn't that cruel?
Yes, yes, it is. Roald Dahl's world, anyway. And it is magnificent.
Roald Dahl's fascination with the twisted and the grotesque can definitely be seen in his works for children, and in his adult fiction is laid bare in glorious form, with one added element necessarily absent from his children's fiction- some of his adult stories are what might be described as 'fruity'. Not out of character for the author, I've come to understand, and you'll see it in stories like 'Switch Bitch' and any of his stories involving Uncle Oswald, a blatant Author Avatar (thank you TV Tropes).
I only rate a book five stars if I find I can read it again and again. You can definitely come back to these stories and find that knowing what happens doesn't take away from the entertainment value. Money well spent, childhood innocence well ruined.
October 27, 2021
I'm taking time out from normal reading at the moment to catch up on those Agatha Christies and other classics sitting on my TBR pile. The short story collection from Roald Dahl is just one volume that I have been wanting to read for a while. I've seen many on the TV as part of the 'Tales of the Unexpected' programme but haven't read many.
Ooh they are so much darker in the books! RD is one sick, twisted but equally brilliant writer and his skill in the short story is just amazing. He writes detail, atmosphere and a whole history in just a few words and it's a joy to read.
Lamb to the Slaughter is still a favourite and The Landlady one of the most disturbing tales I have ever read. There's just SO many good and twisty moments in these stories but they are very dark and disturbing. When you think this is the man who wrote all those children's books! Having said that there's some dark moments in them when you think about it.
For fans of the TV series, you really have to read the stories here. He includes stories of his time in the army and life in the countryside too. These are good but it's those dark tales I love.
May 5, 2020
• від творця «Матильди» та «Чарлі і шоколадної фабрики»
• для дорослих залишається чорний гумор і натуралістичність, просто більше тем
• у автора специфічне відчуття справедливості (зазвичай негідник помирає в муках)
• спершу ви обурюєтеся через мудаків, згодом звикаєте – і переживаєте за них
• для дорослих залишається чорний гумор і натуралістичність, просто більше тем
• у автора специфічне відчуття справедливості (зазвичай негідник помирає в муках)
• спершу ви обурюєтеся через мудаків, згодом звикаєте – і переживаєте за них
September 7, 2020
Se llama Cuentos Completos así que está claro que vas a encontrar en él, todos los cuentos escritos por el autor inglés desde que comenzó con "Pan Comido". Para que nadie se lleve a engaño, aquí no hay nada "infantil" ni "juvenil", no hay rastro de Charlie, ni del Superzorro, ni de Matilda, ni de Jack. Todo son cuentos para adultos, y casi todos tratan sobre los mismos temas: las apuestas, el sexo y la avaricia. Hay algunos otros, como los primeros que escribió que tratan sobre la guerra, otros que tienen como tema central la avaricia y el engaño al débil y varios sobre las abejas y su mundo.
No voy a descubrir ahora que Dahl es un grandísimo escritor pero quizás sí os descubra que algunos de sus cuentos son aburridos y muchos se parecen. Ahora mismo, podria recordar con nitidez diez o quizás quince de los más de cuarenta que recoge el volumen, los demás están perdidos en una maraña de apuestas, timadores en busca de beneficio, objetos antiguos, botellas de vinos y bellas mujeres en peligro por el impulso sexual irrefrenable de hombres incapaces de contenerse. Entre todos ellos, me gustaría destacar el cuento más autobiográfico que aparece al final del libro, cuando estás a punto de hacer cumbre a sus mil páginas y ya no puedes más. En ese cuento, Dahl explica como llegó a ser escritor, como descubrió su amor por la literatura y cómo los azares de la vida y un anfitrión mal conversador le hicieron sentarse a escribir y descubrir que podía hacerlo y lo hacía bien. Es una delicia de historia.
A Dahl hay que leerlo pero quizás os recomendaría hacerlo por etapas, como el Camino de Santiago, y no como un marathon como lo he hecho yo, aunque ha merecido la pena. He aprendido que no debes casarte jamás con un apicultor, no debes hacer el amor con alguien a quien no le ves la cara y que si drogas a un faisán para cazarlo, hay que asegurarse de matarlo antes de que se le pase el efecto.
No voy a descubrir ahora que Dahl es un grandísimo escritor pero quizás sí os descubra que algunos de sus cuentos son aburridos y muchos se parecen. Ahora mismo, podria recordar con nitidez diez o quizás quince de los más de cuarenta que recoge el volumen, los demás están perdidos en una maraña de apuestas, timadores en busca de beneficio, objetos antiguos, botellas de vinos y bellas mujeres en peligro por el impulso sexual irrefrenable de hombres incapaces de contenerse. Entre todos ellos, me gustaría destacar el cuento más autobiográfico que aparece al final del libro, cuando estás a punto de hacer cumbre a sus mil páginas y ya no puedes más. En ese cuento, Dahl explica como llegó a ser escritor, como descubrió su amor por la literatura y cómo los azares de la vida y un anfitrión mal conversador le hicieron sentarse a escribir y descubrir que podía hacerlo y lo hacía bien. Es una delicia de historia.
A Dahl hay que leerlo pero quizás os recomendaría hacerlo por etapas, como el Camino de Santiago, y no como un marathon como lo he hecho yo, aunque ha merecido la pena. He aprendido que no debes casarte jamás con un apicultor, no debes hacer el amor con alguien a quien no le ves la cara y que si drogas a un faisán para cazarlo, hay que asegurarse de matarlo antes de que se le pase el efecto.
October 4, 2016
An African Story :(
Only This :)
Katina :/
Beware of the Dog :)
They Shall Not Grow Old :(
Someone Like You :(
Death of an Old Man :/
Madame Rosette :)
A Piece of Cake :(
Yesterday Was Beautiful :(
Nunc Dimittis :)
Skin :)
Man from the South :)
The Soldier :(
The Sound Machine :/
Mr. Botibol :)
Vengeance is Mine Inc. :)
The Wish :)
Poison :)
Taste :)
Dip in the Pool :/
The Great Automatic Grammatizator :)
Claud's Dog: The Ratcatcher :(
Claud's Dog: Rummins :(
Claud's Dog: Mr. Hoddy :(
Claud's Dog: Mr. Feasey :(
My Lady Love, My Dove :/
Neck :/
Lamb to the Slaughter :)
Galloping Foxley :(
Edward the Conquerer :/
The Way Up to Heaven :/
William and Mary :(
Parson's Pleasure :)
Georgy Porgy :/
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat :/
Royal Jelly :)
The Champion of the World :(
Genesis and Catastrophe :/
Pig :(
The Landlady :)
The Visitor :/
The Last Act :/
The Great Switcheroo :/
The Butler :)
Bitch :(
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life :(
The Hitchhiker :/
The Umbrella Man :/
The Bookseller :/
The Surgeon :(
Only This :)
Katina :/
Beware of the Dog :)
They Shall Not Grow Old :(
Someone Like You :(
Death of an Old Man :/
Madame Rosette :)
A Piece of Cake :(
Yesterday Was Beautiful :(
Nunc Dimittis :)
Skin :)
Man from the South :)
The Soldier :(
The Sound Machine :/
Mr. Botibol :)
Vengeance is Mine Inc. :)
The Wish :)
Poison :)
Taste :)
Dip in the Pool :/
The Great Automatic Grammatizator :)
Claud's Dog: The Ratcatcher :(
Claud's Dog: Rummins :(
Claud's Dog: Mr. Hoddy :(
Claud's Dog: Mr. Feasey :(
My Lady Love, My Dove :/
Neck :/
Lamb to the Slaughter :)
Galloping Foxley :(
Edward the Conquerer :/
The Way Up to Heaven :/
William and Mary :(
Parson's Pleasure :)
Georgy Porgy :/
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat :/
Royal Jelly :)
The Champion of the World :(
Genesis and Catastrophe :/
Pig :(
The Landlady :)
The Visitor :/
The Last Act :/
The Great Switcheroo :/
The Butler :)
Bitch :(
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life :(
The Hitchhiker :/
The Umbrella Man :/
The Bookseller :/
The Surgeon :(
May 18, 2018
I plan to re-read this inspirational collection of short stories soon as I've ascertained how much my own works have been influenced by the phenomenal Roald Dahl. When I read this about two years ago, I could not fathom Dahl's intent for making a number of his characters mean. But now I've understood why. He did what I am doing now: showing the world how grown-ups can be mean to children and to other grown-ups – how most individuals tend to abuse their power by disempowering others to meet their own need to feel secure, at times without even being conscious of it. I've ascertained that Dahl was in a sense a children's rights activist after listening to the BBC's dramatisation of Boy and he has inspired me to follow his footsteps by becoming a great writer and advocate of children's empowerment.
March 15, 2008
There are a few weak stories in here -- The Last Act and The Surgeon: oy -- but for the most part this collection is definitely one to pick up if you're a Dahl fan. A lot of the classics are in here, like Lamb to the Slaughter and Man from the South, but so are a lot you've probably never read. The stories are in chronological order, complete with parallel a time line showing what was going on in Dahl's life and in the rest of the world when each story was published, which alone is worth the price of admission. Very good, too, is the introduction by Dahl's biographer Jeremy Treglown.
May 3, 2018
Umor nero
Il libro raccoglie tutti i racconti scritti da Roald Dahl, un uomo la cui vita è stata notevole anche indipendentemente dall’attività letteraria. Lo stile è molto piacevole, Dahl è profondamente British, l’umorismo è qualche volta agghiacciante, alla Monty Python. Molti racconti sono costruiti in modo da riservare un disastroso colpo di scena finale e in questo risultano un po’ ripetitivi, perché poi ci si aspetta che finiscano nel modo più catastrofico che si possa immaginare. Le ambientazioni sono abbastanza varie, metropolitane oppure rurali, ma la campagna è preferita. Alcuni divertenti racconti sono dedicati a Claud che gestisce con un amico una pompa di benzina in un paesino di campagna: i due un po’ per noia un po’ per arrotondare le entrate si dedicano ad attività illegali come il bracconaggio o le corse dei cani truccate ma non riscuotono successo e nella loro goffaggine fanno tenerezza. Un piccolo numero di racconti è sobrio senza toni farseschi. C’è poi una raccolta, “Over to you”, ispirata all’esperienza di aviatore di Dahl durante la seconda guerra mondiale. Questi sono molto belli e suonano anche molto veri. In particolare raccontano lo stress accumulato negli anni di voli dai quali non era sopravvissuto quasi nessuno dei compagni della prima ora, un logoramento interiore che si acuiva durante i turni di riposo e paradossalmente lasciava posto alla quiete solo quando risaliva sull’aereo, per la prossima battaglia aerea. Non c’è il compiacimento di essere un ottimo pilota, c’è un grande desiderio di pace eterna, quella che ti porta a lasciarti andare e avvitarti nel cielo senza dover più combattere per la Gran Bretagna e la sopravvivenza. E’ una lettura che sono felice di aver fatto, anche se non amo leggere libri di 800 pagine.
Il libro raccoglie tutti i racconti scritti da Roald Dahl, un uomo la cui vita è stata notevole anche indipendentemente dall’attività letteraria. Lo stile è molto piacevole, Dahl è profondamente British, l’umorismo è qualche volta agghiacciante, alla Monty Python. Molti racconti sono costruiti in modo da riservare un disastroso colpo di scena finale e in questo risultano un po’ ripetitivi, perché poi ci si aspetta che finiscano nel modo più catastrofico che si possa immaginare. Le ambientazioni sono abbastanza varie, metropolitane oppure rurali, ma la campagna è preferita. Alcuni divertenti racconti sono dedicati a Claud che gestisce con un amico una pompa di benzina in un paesino di campagna: i due un po’ per noia un po’ per arrotondare le entrate si dedicano ad attività illegali come il bracconaggio o le corse dei cani truccate ma non riscuotono successo e nella loro goffaggine fanno tenerezza. Un piccolo numero di racconti è sobrio senza toni farseschi. C’è poi una raccolta, “Over to you”, ispirata all’esperienza di aviatore di Dahl durante la seconda guerra mondiale. Questi sono molto belli e suonano anche molto veri. In particolare raccontano lo stress accumulato negli anni di voli dai quali non era sopravvissuto quasi nessuno dei compagni della prima ora, un logoramento interiore che si acuiva durante i turni di riposo e paradossalmente lasciava posto alla quiete solo quando risaliva sull’aereo, per la prossima battaglia aerea. Non c’è il compiacimento di essere un ottimo pilota, c’è un grande desiderio di pace eterna, quella che ti porta a lasciarti andare e avvitarti nel cielo senza dover più combattere per la Gran Bretagna e la sopravvivenza. E’ una lettura che sono felice di aver fatto, anche se non amo leggere libri di 800 pagine.
February 26, 2023
Гарна збірка оповідань для дорослих всесвітньо відомого дитячого автора (для себе відкрила автора лише цього місяця).
Оповідання динамічні, яскраві, з насиченим сюжетом. Деякі глузливі, деякі криваві, а деякі залишають відразливий післясмак.
Проте всі вони саркастичні, пронизані чорним гумором із непересічною розв’язкою.
Мені знадобилось біля 7 підходів, щоб прочитати книжку. Оскільки немає «вступних деталей» розповідь насичена новими героями і діями; по закінченню хочеться посмакувати і обміркувати історіі.
Мій топ:
•Мадам Розетта
•Ставка на стрибок
•Шкіра
•Шлях у небеса
•Місіс Біксбі і шубка від полковника
•Пасторова втіха
•Пальцмейстр
•Пригода в синайській пустелі
Оповідання динамічні, яскраві, з насиченим сюжетом. Деякі глузливі, деякі криваві, а деякі залишають відразливий післясмак.
Проте всі вони саркастичні, пронизані чорним гумором із непересічною розв’язкою.
Мені знадобилось біля 7 підходів, щоб прочитати книжку. Оскільки немає «вступних деталей» розповідь насичена новими героями і діями; по закінченню хочеться посмакувати і обміркувати історіі.
Мій топ:
•Мадам Розетта
•Ставка на стрибок
•Шкіра
•Шлях у небеса
•Місіс Біксбі і шубка від полковника
•Пасторова втіха
•Пальцмейстр
•Пригода в синайській пустелі
December 6, 2017
Una antología que compila puros cuentos buenísimos de Dahl. Imposible equivocarse o fallar con esta suma de cuentos clásicos de humor negro, suspenso y mucha corrosión ante las normas establecidas. Esta antología incluye los siguientes libros de Dahl: El gran cambiazo, Historias extraordinarias, Relatos de lo inesperado y Dos fábulas. Divertido y macabro y cuentos inolvidables (aún sigo sufriendo con el cuento sobre el mueble Chippendale: Placer de Clérigo).
December 22, 2018
Racconti per tutti i gusti, fantasiosi e ironici, un approccio a Dahl di cui non avevo letto nulla prima.
Il mio kobo dice che ho letto l'86% di questa raccolta e dopo sei mesi dico che la mia esperienza con i racconti finisce qui, non fanno per me.
Il mio kobo dice che ho letto l'86% di questa raccolta e dopo sei mesi dico che la mia esperienza con i racconti finisce qui, non fanno per me.
Want to read
October 26, 2023Contains the stories:
An African Story
Only This
Katina
Beware of the Dog
They Shall Not Grow Old
Someone Like You
Death of an Old Old Man
Madame Rosette
A Piece of Cake
Yesterday Was Beautiful
Nunc Dimittis
Skin
Man from the South
The Soldier
The Sound Machine
Mr Botibol
Vengeance Is Mine Inc.
The Wish
Poison
Taste
Dip in the Pond
The Great Automatic Grammatizator
Claud’s Dog:
—The Ratcatcher
—Rummins
—Mr Hoddy
—Mr Feasey
My Lady Love, My Dove
Neck
Lamb to Slaughter
Gallopin Foxley
Edward the Conqueror
The Way Up to Heaven
William and Mary
Parson’s Pleasure
Georgy Porgy
Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
Royal Jelly
The Champion of the World
Genesis and Catastrophe
Pig
The Landlady
The Visitor
The Last Act
The Great Switcheroo
The Butler
Bitch
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
The Hitchhiker
The Umbrella Man
The Bookseller
The Surgeon
An African Story
Only This
Katina
Beware of the Dog
They Shall Not Grow Old
Someone Like You
Death of an Old Old Man
Madame Rosette
A Piece of Cake
Yesterday Was Beautiful
Nunc Dimittis
Skin
Man from the South
The Soldier
The Sound Machine
Mr Botibol
Vengeance Is Mine Inc.
The Wish
Poison
Taste
Dip in the Pond
The Great Automatic Grammatizator
Claud’s Dog:
—The Ratcatcher
—Rummins
—Mr Hoddy
—Mr Feasey
My Lady Love, My Dove
Neck
Lamb to Slaughter
Gallopin Foxley
Edward the Conqueror
The Way Up to Heaven
William and Mary
Parson’s Pleasure
Georgy Porgy
Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
Royal Jelly
The Champion of the World
Genesis and Catastrophe
Pig
The Landlady
The Visitor
The Last Act
The Great Switcheroo
The Butler
Bitch
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
The Hitchhiker
The Umbrella Man
The Bookseller
The Surgeon
July 26, 2017
Lebih suka cerpen2 dia berbanding novel dia. Penulisan cerpen aku pun banyak berbau Encik Dahl ni. huhu.
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