Books
by Roald Dahl
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Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life |
As a collection of short stories, I didn't find this as satisfying as the others. Concentrating on country life and lacking for the most part the immediacy of the themes of sex and death, the stories come across as slightly knowing variations of Pop Larkin* escapades. Not that they are by any means bad but they do lack the cutting edge that distinguishes the best of his work. Dahl's contented post-war life shows through.
*H. E. Bates
(Clive Yelf - bwl 43 December 2007) |
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Over To You |
A haunting, disturbing and unsettling book. These short stories with their focus on mortality and loneliness were written during the war by a serving pilot who had survived a bad crash and seem to be Dahl's way of recording his own fears and night-time terrors. I can only imagine the shock of recognition that must have hit any reader who shared those experiences. I couldn't put this down and read it in a single sitting.
(Clive Yelf - bwl 43 December 2007) |
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Switch Bitch |
Four stories of lust, revenge and spite, two of which feature Uncle Oswald, Dahl's sexual anti-hero (who suffers a nasty comeuppance in one of the tales). These are acidic stories which, like a sharp white wine, are delicious in moderation but not something you would want to drink every day. However they are ideal material for the famous Dahl 'twist in the tail' which he uses to deadly effect and being nice is no defence!
(Clive Yelf - bwl 43 December 2007) |
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