While listening a podcast about supposed spying activities of famous British writer Roald Dahl, I suddenly realised that I have actually never read anything by him - his children's books were often made into films and quite a few of them were my old favourites, hence why I never went to the originals. But it made a perfect sense to include him into my 2026 reading list which consist of my first-time authors - the decision is to focus this year on authors I have never read before. So I gave some attention to Dahl and it was a blast.
First, I don't know why it took me so long to step out of my comfort zone and approach short story collection, because I have quite a few. Maybe I expected that the frame of short story will not have urgency of regular novel, where reader is compelled to continue. Wrong. Short stories were actually perfect because I could pick them up anytime (during work lunch break for example) and not miss a beat. But it did mean that I did not feel the urge to continue with a cliffhanger, so the book was simmering a while in the background while I waited another chance to continue. I mean, seriously, I could have just read it all at once, but it took me two weeks instead.
However, when I disciplined myself into reading, I was enjoying it 100%. Dahl has a macabre sense of humour and brilliant imagination that fits me perfectly - I was hooked from a very first short story "The Landlady" (about young men falling victims to a supposedly harmless old lady) to the very last one ""The Champion of the World" about pheasant poachers. Without exception, each single story was excellent and I loved them all - what I enjoyed the most was the way Dahl would abruptly finish the story, leading the readers to their own conclusions. It is too often now that people expect everything to be explained, but Dahl trusts his readers are adults and have intelligence to come to conclusion themselves. So when clueless locals decide to "help" antiques dealer, we don't get any detailed description what happened afterwards, only a tantalising sentence : "“We’re just in time!” Rummins called out. “Here he comes!”
There are stories about couples living in a long, loveless marriage, adultery, a mad beekeeper who is turning his baby into a queen bee, a neurotic and celibate vicar, parents fussing about sickly baby and praying to God that their little Adolf survives (!), mysterious cat who might be reincarnated Franz Liszt, and one about vegetarian boy who has never in his life tasted meat. Each of them is funny and bizarre in their own way and I absolutely loved the way Dahl weaves a tale - it fits with my own sense of humour, though I would never in a million years imagine this is the person who will find fame and success with children's novels.
"Her husband closed the garden door behind him and walked across the room to get himself a cigarette.
“Edward, where is he?”
“Who?”
“You know who.”
“Ah, yes. Yes, that’s right. Well—I’ll tell you.” He was bending forward to light the cigarette, and his hands were cupped around the enormous patent lighter. He glanced up and saw Louisa looking at him—at his shoes and the bottoms of his khaki slacks, which were damp from walking in long grass.
“I just went out to see how the bonfire was going,” he said.
Her eyes travelled slowly upward and rested on his hands.
“It’s still burning fine,” he went on. “I think it’ll keep going all night.”
But the way she was staring made him uncomfortable.
“What is it?” he said, lowering the lighter. Then he looked down and noticed for the first time the long thin scratch that ran diagonally clear across the back of one hand, from the knuckle to the wrist.
“Edward!
“Yes,” he said, “I know. Those brambles are terrible. They tear you to pieces. Now, just a minute, Louisa. What’s the matter?”
“Edward!”
“Oh, for God’s sake, woman, sit down and keep calm. There’s nothing to get worked up about. Louisa! Louisa, sit down!”
