Customer Reviews

The Roald Dahl Omnibus: Perfect Bedtime Stories for Sleepless Nights

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Like many American readers, I only knew Roald Dahl from his children's books. I picked this book up expecting lighter fare. Wow, was I in for a chilling surprise.

This book is one of the best-written horror collections that I own. In this case, horror does not mean monsters but simply people being cruel and spiteful to each other in clever and interesting ways. The language and writing of the stories is captivating. Descriptive text flows from every page. The pacing of the stories is precise. This is a talented writer in full command of his skills.

A few examples of the stories: A man with new money hosts a dinner party, and a famous epicurean is invited. The host bets the epicurean that he can not name the wine being served. The stakes of the bet is the host's unwilling daughter. A homeless man bears the tattoo of a famous artist on his skin. Many wealthy collectors plot for the man's skin. The man is not needed. There are many other tales, each with a distinct brand of meanness.

Strangely enough, a few of these tales are very familiar. I realized later that they were dramatized on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." I highly recommend the "Roald Dahl Omnibus."

Dahl is probably most famous for his stories for children: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, and MATILDA come to mind.

None of the short stories herein are that kind of story. At least four first appeared in PLAYBOY, and another 7 in THE NEW YORKER. Some are risque, but not all; one would have been suitable for ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and indeed was adapted to become one of the strongest episodes of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS ("Lamb to the Slaughter").

Specifically, this omnibus contains:
- all but 2 stories from Dahl's collection SOMEONE LIKE YOU (the two missing stories are "My Lady Love, My Dove" and "The Sound Machine");

- 9 of the 11 stories from KISS KISS (the missing pair are "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" and "Parson's Pleasure"); and

- 3 of the 4 stories from SWITCH B**** (the missing story, unfortunately, is the first uncle Oswald story, "The Visitor", which provides the backstory for how the old lecher's diaries came into the author's hands, as well as Oswald's experiences in the Sinai with a Syrian female leper).

Consequently, see reviews of the 3 individual collections for detailed discussion of all the stories herein. To summarize, the OMNIBUS makes an interesting read for an adult who can stand some macabre stories (including mysteries where justice may not be done), but this is *not* suitable bedtime reading for little children.

Roald Dahl had a gift, and luckily for us, he figured it out early enough in his life that he could share it amply with the world. I read his children's story books as a child, but was re-introduced to him accidentally as I stumbled upon a different short story collection. I tore through it immediately and loved it. I happened upon this book & noticed that it had quite a few stories that I had not read. This collection is more comprehensive than others I have seen. It even contains some of his more sexually explicit works (although they aren't that explicit by today's standards.) Each story is a perfectly timed twist that keeps you guessing. I rarely can guess the outcome of his stories, which is a testament to his ability to tell a story without giving it away. I recommend this collection for anyone with an appreciation for the slightly twisted who wants a thorough introduction to his "adult" works. Also good for teens who are ready for something kind of edgy but not trashy. The stories are funky, but entirely appropriate for a read before bedtime.

There is no author like Roald Dahl. You thought that Stephen King was the master of terror and suspense? Dahl makes his stories look like a stroll on a warm summer's day. I read "Poison" a half-hour ago and I literally still have chills. "Lamb to the Slaughter" is an absolute classic. Read one story and you will agree that Dahl was not alright: These stories are not for the faint of heart. It is truly ADULT WRITING. It covers everything from death to sex to mutilation to death, sex and mutilation. If you enjoy short stories, read this book. If you enjoy horror stories, read this book. If you enjoy twists and turns, read this book. If you can read, read this book. If you can't read, have someone read this book to you. What else is there to say?

This was my first encounter with the more mature work of Roald Dahl. I had previously associated him with the books I had loved when I was in elementary school, such as "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" and "James and the Giant Peach". The supreme mastery of dramatic irony shown in these stories absolutely amazed and delighted me. Some of the stories left me shivering with a coldness that seemed to leap directly from the page into the very depths of my soul. This book is required reading for anyone who is a fan of literature in general. I have learned plot and linguistic techniques that carried over into my own high school writing courses. I encourage anyone who is able to pick this book up using whatever means possible and read it many times.

For anybody who thinks that Roald Dahl writes only for children, think again. He may be the only children's author / Playboy contributor on record. His range is enormous. Every single one of these short stories is a gem. The wonderful thing about Dahl is not just his ability to slip a twist in at the end of a story, or his incredibly imaginative plots, but his use of the language. Fantastic!

Wonderful stories, fun to read and as the title states perfect short tales to read at bedtime.

I bought this book for my fiance who loved Roald Dahl as a child. I also got him an original copy of Matilda that he read as a kid. He had never read any of Dahl's "adult" fiction and loves it. While he is a great fan, I am pleased that I was able to show him a new side of Roald Dahl that he'd never before known. Thanks for this great collection of stories!

For many years I had associated Roald Dahl with, "Charlie's Chocolate Factory", "Matilda" etc. REcently I discovered his ghost stories and
other writings. Dahl is someone like Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie;
you wish they could have lived forever to keep writing tales to enchant us.

To say that Dahl's short stories are superbly plotted and crafted is an understatement. Like Maupassant, he is a master of the surprise ending.
As the introduction notes, those wanting rich characterization had best look elsewhere--say, Chekhov (excellent in his own right). Yet Dahl's stories work on several levels--they are horrifying, witty, sexy and imaginative. And unlike today's gorehounds, Dahl can evoke terror without shedding a single drop of blood. The economy of Dahl's prose makes for repeated reading--I never get tired of reading any of these tales. "Royal Jelly," "The Great Switcheroo," and "Genesis and Catastrophe" are especially good, but every story in this collection is a winner. The battle of the sexes is a recurrent theme here, and I can't help but wonder if that was a reflection of his turbulent marriage to Patricia Neal.