The Complete Short Stories

Oct 11, 2024 12:25 AM

Author:Roald Dahl

The Complete Short Stories of Roald Dahl in the first of two unsettling and sinister volumes.

'They are brutal, these stories, and yet you finish reading each one with a smile, or maybe even a hollow laugh, certainly a shiver of gratification, because the conclusion always seems so right' Charlie Higson, from his introduction.

Roald Dahl is one of the most popular writers of the modern age, effortlessly writing for children and adults alike. In this, the first of two volumes chronologically collecting all his published adult short stories, we see how Dahl began by using his experiences in the war to write fiction but quickly turned to his powerful and dark imagination to pen some of the most unsettling and disquieting tales ever written.

In 27 stories, written between 1944 and 1953, we encounter such classic tales as 'Man from the South', featuring a wager with appalling consequences; 'Lamb to the Slaughter', in which a wife murders her husband yet has a novel idea for throwing the police off the scent; and in 'The Sound Machine', the horrific truth about plants is revealed.

Enter the sinister, twisted world of Roald Dahl: whether you're young or old, you'll never want to leave.

'Roald Dahl is one of the few writers I know whose work can accurately be described as addictive' Irish Times

'The great magician' Spectator

Look out for Volume Two, introduced by Anthony Horowitz

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.

Reviews

A warm, witty, and wise collection . . . This anthology gathers genuine, artful verse . . . Good literary stuff to accompany a single malt by the fire. Buy a copy for the study and another to be battered in your angling grip.

—— Gray's Sporting Journal

He writes short stories that will satisfy any reader

—— Shane Hegarty , Irish Times

This book of short stories seals Barry's rep as one of the most original voices to emerge from the Emerald Isle in some years. Full of acute observation and sly wit, this collection is the ideal companion to his equally excellent novel, City of Bohane

—— Ryan Rushton , Skinny

These darkly comic short stories are beautifully written and the author’s keen appreciation of the vernacular makes the characters leap off the page and thump you in the face

—— Ciara Geraghty , Woman's Way

Wonderfully, restlessly alive

—— The Times

Lingers like the best kind of novel

—— Metro

A shot of joy in the dark

—— Financial Times

Like a spade to the face... There is a vividness to his writing that plants you immediately at its heart

—— Chris Power , Guardian

Extraordinary...affecting and memorable

—— Robert Collins , Sunday Times

Skilfully crafted

—— Henry Krempels , Observer

Many consider to be one of the best authors currently in the UK. This collection of short stories shows British penchant for the sublime and the ridiculous at its best

—— Monocle

The most exciting Irish short story writer of his generation, one whose best work rivals William Trevor and John McGahern. His language is thrilling: Barry has a Martin Amis-style aversion to writing so much as one dull sentence. Talent this raw and natural simply cannot be taught.

—— John Burns , Sunday Times

A rhythmic, rural Hiberno-English onslaught, which forces black humour into the bleakest of corners

—— Ruth Gilligan , TLS

Ireland's must-read literary author

—— Sunday Business Post Magazine

When I read the first of these short stories, I could immediately see there was something special about this writer... Funny and beautifully observed...

—— William Leith , Evening Standard

Barry is undoubtedly acquainted with the darker side of existence and unafraid to depict it with humour and great humanity

—— John Harding , Daily Mail

This vividly told collection of short stories spans love, cruelty and desperation

—— The Times

Barry’s best stories combine playful irony with high emotion

—— Emma Hagestadt , Independent

Kevin Barry…isn’t sparing with his powers. Even his throwaway lines are keepers… But what makes this book such a satisfying read is that his memorable sentence-writing is in the service of well-constructed, moving stories

—— Susannah Meadows , New York Times

These stories won’t give you easy moral comfort, but will stretch you. They’re moral in that they name things as they are

—— Father Ronald Rolheiser , Catholic Herald

Dear Life is a dazzling portrait of ordinary existence which illustrates how seemingly insignificant meetings and moments can have a monumental impact

—— Upcoming

This collection is beautiful; full of pure, simple truths that linger long in the mind

—— Philip Womack , New Humanist

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