Bitch: One Tale from the Short Story Collection Switch Bitch

by Roald Dahl

"Dahl is too good a storyteller to become predictable." —The Daily Telegraph “Bitch” is the last story in Switch Bitch, a collection of four tales of seduction and suspense told by the grand master of the short story, Roald Dahl. It features Dahl's notorious hedonist Oswald Hendryks Cornelius (or plain old Uncle Oswald), whose exploits are frequently as extraordinary as they are scandalous. In “Bitch” as well as in the other black comedies of Switch Bitch, Roald Dahl brilliantly captures the ins and outs, highs and lows of sex.   Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were the inspiration for the West End play Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl's stories continue to make readers shiver today.

Genres: Short Stories, Audiobook, Fiction

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2012

About the author

Roald 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.

Reviews

[Mark Porton]

Oh dear, Uncle Oswald makes a reappearance in this, the fourth and final instalment of Dahl’s - Switch Bitch - a collection of very adult short stories.

Bitch takes us on a pseudo-scientific journey as Uncle Oswald teams up with Perfumer and equally sleazy character called Henri Biotte.

This incorrigible pair team up to create a scent which would make women irresistible to men.

Hopelessly, ravishingly, violently irresistible. In fact, they engage a young boxer (of all people) to participate in their in vivo experiment, to assess the efficacy of their product by applying this devious mixture onto Biotte’s young attractive assistant body and watching the resultant impact on the young man.

Unsurprisingly, he becomes intensely aroused. The scene that follows, though left (largely) to the reader’s imagination, is difficult to read—or even imagine.

But, yet again, there is a twist – in fact, after reading four of these sordid shorties by Dahl, I now expect a twist – the good thing though is, we don’t know what the twist will be.

Despite this one being the story that made me the most uncomfortable from this collection, I will give it 4 Stars.

It’s well-written and it made me uncomfortable and ‘did its job.’

I will miss this series.

[itchy]

29november2019

read as part of the collection switch bitch.

[Sneha Dey]

Only Roald Dahl can write the silliest children's stories and the weirdest adult stories.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Read as part of The Complete Short Stories: Volume One 1944-1953
A man invents a scent called 'bitch' which causes men to go crazy, rip off their clothes, and ravish whatever woman is wearing the scent. [ One man smells it and starts to believe that his penis is 3 feet long.

[Robin]

What a wild ride. Surprise cameo of the Big Friendly Giant at the end of this bawdy tale ties it all together.

[Martina_H]

Obávám se, že tahle až průhledně vypointovaná povídka již zastarala.
Sexismus nepříjemně čiší z každého kapitoly. Postavy příběhu se na ženy dívají jako předměty, které, jsou-li nepěkné, mohou být rády, že je někdo chce sexuálně oblažit. Před čtyřiceti lety to asi bylo vtipné, jak jen může humor stárnoucích seladonů být.

Oceňuji prvek záporné nelíbivé postavy, ať je to chemik odpudivého vzhledu i povahy nebo jeho neméně odpudivý nabubřelý namyšlený mecenáš.

A už nikdy nechci slyšet slovo olfaktorický, ať znamená cokoli.
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Umělecké čtení Jiřím Lábusem dalo scénám, zejména v malém prostoru auta, další rozměr, zejména líčení chlupů v nose!
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Obdrženo jako audiokniha v balíčku překvapení z vydavatelství Tympanum.

[Shacoria]

This story is very very weird. It is not like Roald Dahl's other books and it is certainly not meant for children. It focuses on a scientist who wants to develop a perfume. The story just gets crazier from there. The ending was really strange as well. My main thought after finishing the story is "What the fuck did I just read?"

[Rohani]

This short story is incredibly lewd and sexist. LOL. Really did not expect this crude adult humour to come from acclaimed writer of children's books (Matilda, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory)! This short story is anthological, and follows the adventures of Oswald Hendryks Cornelius (aka Uncle Oswald). He meets an olfactory chemist, Biotte, who created 'a perfume which will have the same electrifying effect upon a man as the scent of a bitch in heat has upon a dog!' This perfume is aptly named 'Bitch' 😂 A whiff of 'Bitch' by the opposite sex, and they immediately lose control and become sex fiends for about 6 minutes. LOL. Not gonna lie, the dry British humour really cracked me up 🤣 And the ending was so unexpected and BIZARRE. LOL.

[Julieta Steyr]

Me acabo de enterar que Dahl escribía cosas infantiles y por eso odian este cuento. Comienza hablando de que su tío es un amante del sexo, ¿qué esperaban? Entonces se encuentra con un hombre especializado en aromas que decide recrear aquel viejo aroma que segregaban las hembras y enloquecía a los machos. Es meticuloso hasta cierta parte, entonces arruina la historia que la debería haber dejado hasta poco después de conseguir realizar el perfume al que llaman "Bitch" (o "Perra" en español).
Solo le doy un punto extra por sus detractores odiando que cambie de temática como si un hombre debiera sí o sí enfocarse toda su vida en lo mismo.

[Mayumi]

Tenho pra mim que Patrick Süskind leu esse conto e quis fazer melhor. Eu não li Perfume, mas vi o filme e eles têm premissas meio parecidas: ambos envolvem perfumes que têm efeitos inesperados nas pessoas. Mas enquanto o filme era sensual e por vezes poético, o conto foi só perturbador e misógino. Aqui as mulheres são descritas e tratadas do pior jeito possível e a história é contada do jeito mais homem machista contando vantagem onde claramente não existe. Se a cena da alucinação estivesse em um contexto diferente eu até teria gostado.

[Leigh]

Will be thinking carefully about which of Roald Dahl's stories to read in future because I love the way he writes but this was the third instance of the same horrible (and not as interesting or edgy as he seems to think?) theme. I won't finish Switch Bitch, I feel like I know enough about Uncle Oswald to know I can't relate to him and don't like him.

[Ruth]

Very informative science, but not much otherwise. Was interesting nonetheless.

[Vitor Frazão]

Roald é por muitos vistos como o Mestre do Choque, mas este conto é só... estranho e um pouco revoltante. Sexo é definitivamente um dos temas que ele não sabe trabalhar.

[Tracey Pearce]

Seriously what have I just read? Noticed it was first published in playboy in 1974 so that might explain this context. Very weird even for Dahl

[Lisolachenonce]

Storiella ridanciana......

[Esha]

Read in 2023 as part of Switch Bitch.

[Jfixxxx]

While this story is unfortunately quite entertaining at a base, animalistic level, it is horribly misogynistic. Wild to think this is the same author who wrote so many beloved children's books.

[Peter Csanadi]

3.5⭐️

[Gail]

Spray me again

At least this one had the Dahl wit

[Jenny Burridge]

Excellent.

[Regina]

Interesting...