Roald dahl collected stories mobi

George's Marvelous Medicine. The Twits. Danny, The Champion of the World. The Magic Finger. The Enormous Crocodile. Revolting Rhymes. The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me. Esio Trot. Going Solo. My Uncle Oswald. Kiss, kiss. Subjects Accessible book , Protected DAISY , Fiction , Children's fiction , short story , Short stories , Juvenile fiction , short stories , Children's stories , fiction , horror , Humorous stories , Literature , English literature , American Horror tales , Cadillacs , English Short stories , Juvenile literature , cyanide , Oenophilia , alibi , black comedy , detectives , stockbrokers , Children's stories, English.

More than 30 years later, The BFG remains a much-loved character. The unadulterated childhood - sad and funny, macabre and delightful - that inspired Britain's favourite storyteller, Boy speaks of an age which vanished with the coming of the Second World War. Boy: Tales of Childhood , published in , is a funny, insightful and at times grotesque glimpse into the early life of Roald Dahl. In it, he tells us about his experiences at school in England, the idyllic paradise of summer holidays in Norway, and the pleasures and pains of the local sweetshop in Llandaff, Wales.

The story of how Roald came to write Boy is almost a tale in itself. It started with The Witches. In an early draft of that book, which has an unnamed young boy with a Norwegian grandmother as its narrator, there were three chapters that went into great detail about the boy's childhood.

These chapters were actually drawn from Roald's own memories. So the boy in The Witches had a lot in common with his author. An editor called Stephen Roxburgh was working with Roald at the time, and he thought that those three chapters belonged somewhere else.

He suggested to Roald that he might like to re-use them in a book about his own early childhood. Roald did not want to write an autobiography but he thought that this was a very good idea. As he said himself in the introduction to Boy : "This is not an autobiography. I would never write a history of myself. On the other hand, throughout my young days at school and just afterwards a number of things happened to me that I have never forgotten.

And so, a year after The Witches , along came Boy , with its tales of boazers, goat's tobacco and the dreaded Mrs Pratchett. Nobody has seen Willy Wonka - or inside his amazing chocolate factory - for years. When he announces plans to invite the winners of five Golden Tickets hidden inside the wrappers of chocolate bars to visit his factory, the whole world is after those tickets!

The story of Charlie Bucket, the five Golden Tickets, the Oompa-Loompas and the amazing Mr Willy Wonka has become firmly embedded in our culture since it was first published in Conservative estimates suggest the original book has sold over 20 million copies worldwide; it is now available in 55 languages. Roald Dahl began working on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in shortly after finishing James and the Giant Peach , but its origins can be traced all the way back to Roald's own childhood.

In Boy he tells us how, while at school in England, he and his fellow Repton students were engaged as 'taste testers' for a chocolate company - something that seems to have started him thinking about chocolate factories and inventing rooms long before Mr Wonka was on the scene.

But when he came to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the story went through several drafts - for example, at first Charlie was one of ten children to enter the factory. Roald re-drafted three or four times until the story as we now know it was released in The story has reached all corners of the world and even unearthed a real-life Willy Wonka, who sent Roald a letter in - the year the first film adaptation of the book was released.

It was a process that came with some difficulties but the film went on to become a classic, with its now-iconic depictions of many of the story's key elements, from Golden Tickets to Everlasting Gobstoppers. Louis, Missouri, USA. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory celebrates its 50th anniversary. As part of the many events planned to mark this special occasion, author Lucy Mangan will be taking a look at how the story of Charlie has become a story itself in a new book that will take us all inside the Chocolate Factory, published in September Willy Wonka has asked Charlie and the rest of the Bucket family to live with him.

Now, moments after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ended, we rejoin the adventure as the Great Glass Elevator blasts into outer space Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator is the sequel to one of the best-loved stories in children's literature. Published eight years after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in , it continues the story of Charlie Bucket, his family and the amazing Mr Willy Wonka. The book was dedicated to Roald's daughters Tessa, Ophelia and Lucy.

At first, Roald Dahl thought the word 'elevator' was too American, but the British word 'lift' seemed too boring. Released in , Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a musical film adaptation loosely based on Ian Fleming's children's book of the same name. It was the second of Fleming's books Roald Dahl had adapted after working on the James Bond film You Only Live Twice - or the third, if you also count the fact that Fleming had given Roald the idea for the short story Lamb to the Slaughter.

Much of the action was filmed in Turville, a small English village in the Buckinghamshire countryside, not far from Roald's home in Great Missenden.

They live with their widowed father, inventor Caractacus Potts. On a day when they should be in school they meet Truly Scrumptious, the daughter of major confectionery-maker Lord Scrumptious and owner of a motorcar which the Potts' nickname Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Later, Caractacus tells them a story about a fictional country called Vulgaria and its evil rulers, Baron and Baroness Bomburst, who have imprisoned all Vulgaria's children and want to steal Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In the story, Baron Bomburst kidnaps the Potts' children's grandfather, mistakenly believing he is the magical car's inventor. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is now an established favourite, recognised as a classic family film. The character of the Child Catcher does not appear in Fleming's original book and is usually recognised as Roald's creation. A sinister and frightening figure, he is often described as one of the most terrifying movie villains more than 40 years after the film's release.

Roald Dahl's Cookbook, liberally spiced with lively anecdotes, recreates the many wonderful meals that have been enjoyed by the Dahl family and their friends around the farmhouse table at Gipsy House. He and his wife, Felicity "Liccy" Dahl, put the book together. It includes hundreds of recipes created by Liccy, Roald, their family and friends, and several cooks who worked with the Dahl family over the years.

But Roald Dahl's Cookbook is not just a recipe book. It is a real insight into the Dahl's family life with photos, illustrations by Quentin Blake, and, of course, wonderful stories. Lots of gems here: "Nunc Dimittis" a plan for embarrassing an ex that goes very wrong , the eerie tattoo tale "Skin", "The Sound Machine with a revealing listen into nature , the imaginative "Mr. Botibol", The very witty "Vengeance is Mine" where two regular guys get into the third-party retaliation business, "The Great Automatic Grammatizator" a possible secret behind those popular bestsellers , the dark comedy "Lamb to the Slaughter" with a wickedly funny payoff and the classic, sinister "Man from the South".

Dahl kicks it up a notch with the "Kiss, Kiss" collection: "William and Mary" - classic and twisted as well as "Georgy Porgy", the comic "Royal Jelly", and the historical surprise vignette of "Genesis and Catastrophe".

Following that tale are two great ones, "Pig" - a very funny look at vegetarianism, and one of the best tales in the set: "The Landlady". Then we get to the 70s collection of "Switch Bitch". Dahl saves his kinkiest stories here including two that bring back an old Dahl character, the promiscuous Uncle Oswald.

These tales are definitely adult-only, dark but funny. One story here "Bitch" surprises me that I couldn't find anything online regarding controversy, since it is essentially about a guy who has invented a scent that compels men to rape women, and the women in this story don't seem to mind.

Of the 48 stories, most are gems. I didn't care for the four stories involving Claud and his friends, including the lengthiest story in the book "Claud's Dog. Don't look for Willy Wonka here, but expect the same dark humor, this time unfiltered. Jul 14, Ieva Ozolniece rated it it was amazing. At first I was kind of afraid to read it - Roahld Dahl is the guy who wrote all the now classical stories that have turned in quite popular movies as well. So what could this guy who writes about naive children and their amazing adventures, what could this guy write, that is called Switch bitch.

But boy was I wrong. I believe it was in on of the reviews here - Roahld Dahl is one sick bastard. But in a good way. I quite enjoyed all the stories with the unexpected endings, and the stories that sta At first I was kind of afraid to read it - Roahld Dahl is the guy who wrote all the now classical stories that have turned in quite popular movies as well.

I quite enjoyed all the stories with the unexpected endings, and the stories that started as nice story of happy and hopefull people and ended in deaths. But yeah, a lot of sex and death. I guess that's why I liked it just as everyone likes Game of Thrones. I undersrand that it was easier for him to write about a subject that he knows, but it had a tiny bit too much war pilot stories.

I always appreciate the stories with Greece mentioned in them though. The semester I spent there I guess was quite memorable. Anyhow a good read, though I don't completely understand how this is the same guy as for the children stories. I guess Roahld Dahl was sick and talanted bastard. Nov 25, Ryan rated it really liked it. The Modern Library edition with the introduction by Jeremy Treglown is best.

It costs the same as just one of the two-volume Collected Stories that Penguin publish. Uneven collection but a welcome break from stories in the did-anything-just-happen? Well-known for his books for children, Dahl is a wonderful writer of stories.

His stories are delicious: macabre, twisted, well-crafted vehicles for character and suspense. Mar 25, Richa Bhattarai rated it it was amazing. My absolute favorite book in the world. Each story more fascinating than the previous one, those delicious twists and turns.

This taught me how volatile a story can be, and also made me a writer. Nov 26, Sarah rated it it was amazing. Re-reading after a 30 year gap. I absolutely love these stories. I remember, as a child, enjoying Roald Dahl's children's books so much that I eagerly began to look for more of his work. I eventually found a collection of his short stories in the general fiction section for adults and gladly took it home with me, despite my secret suspicion that the library had misfiled his book.

After reading various stories, including "Bitch" and "The Great Switcheroo," I realized too late that the book was, indeed, filed correctly, and that through my curiosity I had stumb I remember, as a child, enjoying Roald Dahl's children's books so much that I eagerly began to look for more of his work.

After reading various stories, including "Bitch" and "The Great Switcheroo," I realized too late that the book was, indeed, filed correctly, and that through my curiosity I had stumbled upon stories that were not intended for children. It was one of my greatest book discoveries! Even then, it seems, I had a fairly twisted sense of humor. Just to be clear, consider this a personal anecdote, not an endorsement.

I am by no means suggesting you read this to your kids. Dahl was an incredibly versatile writer, with moments that range from surreal to horrifying to petty to viciously funny to maddeningly depressing, sometimes even within a single story. His earlier works generally focused on the types of tragedies he experienced while serving in the second world war.

As he became older, his works became deliciously more and more vindictive. Both styles are quite good, though for starkly different reasons. Later works are often cautionary tales that can either make your skin crawl "The Landlady" or fill you with that guilty pleasure that comes from enjoying something you know you shouldn't have "The Way Up to Heaven".

Rereading some of these stories even pulled a few of my subconscious childhood fears back into the open. I remember treading carefully for months! And that, really, is the magic behind Dahl's revenge stories.

Even the stories he writes for adults taps into some illogical childhood fear that we've never really rid ourselves of. Thank god. Certainly not all of his works are equally great, and trying to read through them all in one sitting will inevitably push many into the territory of forgettable. Still, I would definitely recommend this. Sep 01, Khenan Bragador rated it it was amazing Shelves: shorts-or-anthology , amazing.

Simply awesome! I believe this anthology contains all but severl of his adult short stories. I think my favourite stories were: Katina - pilots in greece find an orphaned girl.

I re-read this one several times while reading the collection. The Wish - Very short story about a boys Simply awesome! The Wish - Very short story about a boys journey across the carpet. He has an uncanny ability to draw the reader into a story, leaving the discovery of the ending, whether humorous, horrifying or just strange unrevealed until the very end. This book contains I short story I remember reading over 40 years ago in an old collection of stories published under the Alfred Hitchcock collection of strange stories that I've never forgotten, Roald Dahl proves himself to be even more multi-faceted than the tales spun in The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda.

This book contains I short story I remember reading over 40 years ago in an old collection of stories published under the Alfred Hitchcock collection of strange stories that I've never forgotten, as well as the stories that were included in Dahl's collection "Kiss Kiss". This is one book I have to buy - there are over 30 stories, some I want to go back to and reread to really absorb the layers Dahl implemented in his tales.

Jun 20, Nicolette rated it it was amazing. I want to marry his books. I always loved Roald Dahl's twisted writing, even his seemingly innocent children's stories.

If you really go through all the stories eg. Mathilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, they are actually very gruesome, very dark and deliciously wrong. His adult stories are fantastic, I like how most of his short stories end. It doesn't give away the ending, or leave you hanging, he gently leads you to a conclusion without even spelling it out for you. Off the top of my he I want to marry his books.

Nobody writes like Roald Dahl and it's sad that nobody ever will. He never disappoints me and I wish more people has the chance to read his adult work as well. Jun 23, Joakim Ruud rated it it was ok. Very disappointing. I love his children's books, but with a few exceptions these short stories are all fluff. It seems like his process is to first find some "clever" twist and then painstakingly construct a narrative so that it will end on the twist.

More often than not, both the twist and its attendent narrative are cheap, uninvolved and obvious. The huge exception is the collection of stories from his time in the war. They are everything that the rest of these are not: honest, fresh and engag Very disappointing. They are everything that the rest of these are not: honest, fresh and engaging. They are sold separately in the collection Over To You. I recommend buying that one and foregoing this heap of crap. So much fun to have returned to fiction after my recent non-fiction binge.

Loved it! I think he's just as twisted and clever a writer of adult stories as he is of children's books. I think it's amazing how he can consistently generate characters that are ridiculous caricatures of people, but that still somehow feel very true to life. Not every story was a winner, but I think that's to be expected in a collection this large.

Pure delight. I enjoyed recognizing how much of Dahl's biography is present within so many of these stories. You don't need to be a Dahl fan to enjoy this collection. You just need to be a fan of a good story. Readers also enjoyed. Short Stories. About Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.

Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adv Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.

Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel. His first children's book was The Gremlins , about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore.

The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.

He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal , Harper's , Playboy and The New Yorker , then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim.