Author:Roald Dahl
The sweet scents of rural life infuse Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life, a collection of Roald Dahl's country stories - but there is always something unexpected lurking in the undergrowth . . .
Whether it is taking a troublesome cow to be mated with a prime bull; dealing with a rat-infested hayrick; learning the ways and means of maggot farming; or describing the fine art of poaching pheasants using nothing but raisins and sleeping pills, Roald Dahl brings his stories of everyday country folk and their strange passions wonderfully to life. Lacing each tale with dollops of humour and adding a sprinking of the sinister, Dahl ensures that this collection is brimful of the sweet mysteries of life.
'A sophisticated account of village life. The rural characters are moulded by Dahl's dark, inquisitive imagination. Compelling and very funny' Time Out
'Roald Dahl is one of the few writers I know whose work can accurately be described as addictive' Irish Times
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 stories continue to make readers shiver today.
All the stories sparkle with vibrant characters, humorous dialogue and sly rustic lore and cunning
—— Sunday ExpressRoald Dahl is one of the few writers I know whose work can accurately be described as addictive
—— Irish TimesThis is classic Calvino, making you think and laugh at the same time
—— John SelfA delight for Murdoch enthusiasts.
—— The GuardianThe stories themselves are interwoven skilfully and each provides a satisfying probe into the characters' illicit lives, which engage you wholly, in the same guilty way as a gossip magazine. Oulton's prose is effective, nakedly frank and at intervals, truly delightful.
—— Time OutEtgar Keret is a writer to be taken seriously
—— Yann MartelKeret's surreal conceits are couched in a wry, downbeat language...The effect is something like a sorrowful hybrid of Kafka and Donald Barthelme: deadpan on the surface, with a bassnote of discomfort and emotional alienation that makes even the briefest tales snag in the mind...Each piece is at once universal and particular...world-class gems. The translation is brilliant, too
—— Tim Martin , Daily TelegraphEtgar Keret is the voice of young Israel
—— IndependentOne of the greatest short story writers alive
—— Ben RiceOne of the most important writers alive... enchantingly witty
—— Clive JamesEtgar Keret's extraordinary imagination sets the reader free from slogans and headlines
—— Linda GrantOne of the greatest short story writers alive
—— Ben Rice