The Way Up to Heaven: A Roald Dahl Short Story

by Roald Dahl

The unabridged, digital audiobook edition of "The Way Up to Heaven", a brilliant gem of a short story from Roald Dahl, the master of the sting in the tail, read by the actress Stephanie Beacham.

In "The Way Up to Heaven", Roald Dahl, one of the world’s favourite authors, tells a sinister story about the darker side of human nature. Here, a woman obsessed with punctuality makes a fateful decision....

"The Way Up to Heaven" is taken from the short story collection Kiss Kiss, which includes 10 other devious and shocking stories, featuring the wife who pawns the mink coat from her lover with unexpected results; the priceless piece of furniture that is the subject of a deceitful bargain; a wronged woman taking revenge on her dead husband, and others. This story is also available as a Penguin ebook.

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 most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl’s Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl’s continue to make listeners shiver today.

Stephanie Beacham’s television work Trollied, Mount Pleasant, Coronation Street, Sister Kate, Beverley Hills 90210, Bad Girls, The Colbys, Dynasty, and Tenko. Her film work includes Love and Other Disasters, Unconditional Love, The Nightcomers, and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Horror, Classics, School, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2004

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

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love Roald Dahl’s (short) stories. They are completely different than his children’s stories, which are also nice, but not something I read regularly. This particular short story is wonderfully written and has a slightly suspenseful mood throughout the whole story. You can feel something is going to happen, but what? Even though it is not spelled out for you, you can guess well enough what happened at the end of the story.

[Sara Kamjou · Rating 3 out of 5]

سه داستان مجزا. نوع پایان‌بندی دو داستان اول را زیاد دوست نداشتم اما در مجموع دوستش داشتم.

[Minne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't understand the significance of this story at first, but after going over it twice, I finally do. And it's a nice piece of work.

[Negin Khoshdaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

.داستان‌هایی که رولد دال برای کودکان نوشته به نظرم خیلی بامزه‌تر و جذاب‌ترن.
چیزی که توی تمام نوشته‌های رولد دال دیده می‌شه اون شیطنت هست و خیلی دوست‌داشتنیه.

داستان اول و دوم این کتاب رو نمی‌دونم به خاطر ترجمه‌اش بود که آخرش رو درست نفهمیدم چی شد یا واقعاً گنگ و نامفهوم بود؟

[Yonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Dahl, your very sly indeed. Another brilliant short story! ^-^

[Shruti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roald Dahl at his best and most macabre! This is one short story that never gets old for me.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story because it reminds me of myself and my getting on time somewhere problems. I loved how the main character took charge of own life and did what she wanted to do to get somewhere on time. I also had to laugh a little how it ended for her husband who saw her anxiety as a game. I give this a 4.

[Suvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5-2.75

[emily may ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

the suspense was very real, lowkey had me stressed

[Polina Kondrashkina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read works by Roald Dahl, the more I like this author. Each one is peculiar and exciting in its own way. “The Way up to Heaven” is a short story with sharp plot twists and I’d even say that its ending is really terrifying.

“The Way up to Heaven” is about a strange married couple, about two persons who have been together for a very long time. But since I’m bad at understanding human relationships, I can’t surely say if it’s strange. Their marriage isn’t normal, of course… However that’s the way people usually behave when they are married for so many years, isn't that? They start to annoy each other, get some unpleasant habits and often scold each other because of some nonsenses (or not nonsenses, but it’s still a fact). That’s what happens to mr. and mrs. Foster. They are old, have a big apartment in NY and stable life where there isn’t anything to wish. But their relationship is like a real nightmare. Mrs. Foster has an obsession of being late for everything, and she can’t cope with it. But it’s just a feature of her character anyway. However her husband extremely hates it about her, moreover, he does everything to spite her (for example, force her to be late for train, plain and so on). The woman understands it at the back of her mind, and still she can’t believe that her husband is so cruel.

Eventually it turns out that the woman is not so weak-willed as it may seem at the first sight. She consciously kills mr. Foster, though it happens indirectly. And in my opinion it’s reasonable enough, for this man has been tortured her for a very long time. And he is “rewarded” by a cruel death in the elevator, starving and suffocating.

The moral of the story is don’t behave like a scoundrel – it will certainly boomerang against you!

[Srutirupa Acharya · Rating 4 out of 5]

 “Now be sure to take your meals regularly, dear, although this is something I’m afraid you may not be doing when I’m not with you.”

Oh.. the ironic events! The macabre end! The amusing metaphors! The subtle hints! I am becoming a fan of Dahl's stories for the adults.

[Solchu · Rating 3 out of 5]

el final estuvo muy bueno pero tuve q googlear xq no lo había entendido, si a la primera lo captaba hubiera sido un sólido 4 o 5. Me gusta q sea corto pero igual pasa de todo, y me dio ansiedad durante las 10 hojas.

[Fahime · Rating 4 out of 5]

خیلی خوب بود... آدم باورش نمی شه که نویسنده ی ماتیلدا این داستان ها رو نوشته!
البته داستان دوم و سوم رو قبلا در کتاب "داستان های نامنتظره" خونده بودم.

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAHAHHAHAHAH brutal. Definitely recommend! I did not see this coming.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sadistic little story that I enjoyed very much.

Might be the climate of female oppression going on in the United States (and many other countries around the world) that made it 5 stars for me.

[Fatemeh Am · Rating 2 out of 5]

دو داستان اول پایان بندی جالبی نداشت ولی در کل دو داستان آخر بهتر بودن

[itchy · Rating 3 out of 5]

25october2019

read as part of the collection kiss kiss.

[Diba Roshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

کتابی با سه داستان کوتاه و با پایانی باز. جذاب بودن داستان ها اما عالی نبودند. میشه گفت رولد دال در زمینه داستان کوتاه هم استعدادی داشت.

[Maeva · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending😳

[Maya]

I'm confusion

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

اقا مرگ غم انگیز و دردناکی داشته که این‌طوری.
چرا انتقام های وحشتناک میگیرن کاراکتراش؟
چقدر انگیزه‌ی انتقام گیری انسان چیز ترسناکیه.

[mrs rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lol I'm not really sure how someone can just dent themselves between an elevator but this was definitely suspenseful entertainment.

[Vvaaal_28 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi profe de inglés me pidió si podía leerlo para comentar el final…
qué buena historia corta, entretenida y sorprendente.

[Squire Whitney: Hufflepuff Book Reviwer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! Roald Dahl's only work that he wrote for adult audiences (at least as far as I know), The Way Up to Heaven is truly a dark and morbid tale. It tells the story of a woman who has remained passive and submissive throughout her life, allowing her husband to toy cruelly with her—until she finally finds the courage to...well, get the last laugh on her husband. I do not want to spoil the surprise ending, but the twist of events proves ever so satisfying. This narrative is clever, well-written, and darkly humorous. It proves refreshing to see that Roald Dahl can branch out and write for adult audiences, as well as children.

[Migue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a fantastic and macabre short story! So twisted, a little bit predictable but I really like it!!

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so dark. my favorite!

[sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

they would make you read this in a sophomore english class but i enjoyed it. would give it a 3.5 instead of a 4

[Amelia Bujar · Rating 3 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...

This short story by Roald Dahl was okay for the most part it wasn’t the greatest thing written by him nor was it the worst thing written by him. This short story is really a dark and morbid tale.

The plot in this short story wasn’t the most entertaining and interesting but it was enjoyable for the most part there were couple of moments while reading this one where I wanted to DNF this short story because it began so boring and uninteresting .

The characters in this short story were okay for the most part. It didn’t dislike them but I also didn’t like them. I didn’t care about them at all so I didn’t bother to have any specific thoughts about them. But the main character really made it impossible for me to even try liking her because she submissive to everything and she allowed everyone especially her husband treat her very cruelly.

The ending here was really the biggest problem for me with this short story because it really ruined it for me.

[Bill S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark comic story. A woman obsessed with being on time is tortured by her husband for this issue. But she gets him back. Her fantasy is to live in Paris with her grandchildren but he won't allow it. At the last minute before she is to leave for Paris to visit on her own, the husband suddenly announces that the driver should drop him off on the way. He pulls a trick on her and returns to the house to search for a gift. When she finds the gift in the car, she rushes up to the door to get him, listens and pauses, then tells the driver to take her without the husband. What did she hear? The reader does not know. She writes the husband every day rom Paris and even sends him a telegram alerting him when she is returning. The whole time he has been trapped in their home's elevator. Now that's an ending. A perfect crime.

The beauty of a perfectly executed short story is that everything is there for a reason.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure babble—a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow—to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested . . .

Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll….

Isn’t it wonderful?

However, Heaven does exist – it is the non-absence of sorrow, everything opposite to hell. In this story, Mrs. Foster’s heaven begins by the act of conquering her own hell. With a shocker of an ending the remnants of this tale would stay with you for days. Trust me. Give this a try.