Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
Kiss Kiss
‘And it is such a pleasure, my dear, such a very great pleasure when now and again I open the door and I see someone standing there who is just exactly right.’
Eleven devious, shocking stories from the master of the unpredictable, Roald Dahl.
What could go wrong when a wife pawns the mink coat that her love gave her as a parting gift? What happens when a priceless piece of furniture is the subject of a deceitful bargain? Can a wronged woman take revenge on her dead husband?
In these dark, disturbing stories Roald Dahl explores the sinister side of human nature: the cunning, sly, selfish part of each of us that leads us into the territory of the unexpected and unsettling. Stylish, macabre and haunting, these tales will leave you with a delicious feeling of unease.
‘Roald Dahl is one of the few writers I know whose work can accurately be described as addictive’ Irish Times
My Uncle Oswald
‘My dear, dear sir! It’s a miracle! It’s a wonder pill! It’s … it’s the greatest invention of all time!’
Meet Uncle Oswald Hendryks Cornelius, Roald Dahl's most disgraceful and extraordinary character …
Aside from being thoroughly debauched, stringly attractive and astonishingly wealthy, Uncle Oswald was the greatest bounder, bon vivant and fornicator of all time. In this instalment of his scorchingly frank memoirs he tells of his early career and erotic education at the hands of a number of enthusiastic teachers, of discovering the invigorating properties of the Sudanese Blister Beetle, and of the gorgeous Yasmin Howcomely, his electrifying partner in a most unusual series of thefts…
‘Raunchy and cheeky entertainment’
Sunday Express
Switch Bitch
‘That’s right, I thought. I want her.
I lust after that woman.’
Four tales of seduction and supense told by the grand master of the short story, Roald Dahl.
Topping and tailing this collection are ‘The Visitor’ and ‘Bitch’, stories featuring Roald Dahl’s notorious hedonist Oswald Hendryks Cornelius (or plain old Uncle Oswald), whose exploits are frequently as extraordinary as they are scandalous. In the middle, meanwhile, are ‘The Great Switcheroo’ and ‘The Last Act’, two stories exploring a darker side of desire and pleasure.
In the black comedies of Switch Bitch Roald Dahl brilliantly captures the ins and outs, highs and lows of sex.
‘Dahl is too good a storyteller to become predictable’ Daily Telegraph
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
‘Men like Henry sugar are to be found drifting like seaweed all over the world. They can be seen especially in London, New York, Paris, Nassau, Montego Bay, Cannes and St-Tropez.’
Seven tales of the bizarre and unexpected told by the grand master of the short story, Roald Dahl.
Enter a brilliant, sinister and wholly unpredictable world. Here you will find the suggestion of other-worldly goings-on in a dark story about a swan and a boy; the surprising tale of a wealthy young wastrel who suddently develops a remarkable new ability; and meet the hitchhiker whose light fingers save the day.
‘An unforgettable read, don’t miss it’
Sunday Times
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
‘Something extremely unpleasant was about to happen – I was sure of that. Something sinister and cruel and ratlike … but I had to see it now.’
The sweet scents of rural life infuse this collection of Roald Dahl‘s country stories, but there is always something unexpected lurking in the undergrowth …
Whether it is taking a troublesome cow to be mated with a prime bull; dealing with a rat-infested hayrick; learning the ways and means of maggot farming; or describing the fine art of poaching pheasants using nothing but raisins and sleeping pills, Roald Dahl brings his stories of everyday country folk and their strange passions wonderfully to life. Lacing each tale with dollops of humour and adding a sprinkling of the sinister, Roald Dahl ensures that this collection is brimful of the sweet mysteries of life.
‘All the stories sparkle with vibrant characters, humorous dialogue and sly rustic lore and cunning’ Sunday Express