Welcome to Roald Dahl’s 100th Birthday Blog Tour hosted by Hannah from Irish Banana and Wunderkind PR. I am so ecstatic that I was invited to review one of my all-time favorite collections of short stories, Skin and Other Stories by Mr. Dahl.
By: Roald Dahl
Published by: Puffin Books
Genres: Young Adult, Short Stories, Fiction, Horror, Fantasy
About Skin and Other Stories:
How would you get rid of a murder weapon without causing suspicion? Where would you hide a diamond where no one else would think of looking? What if you found out that the tattoo on your back was worth over a million dollars? You will discover that just about anything is possible in a Roald Dahl story, and here are eleven of his very best.
LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | The Book Depository
MY RANTS AND RAVES OF SKIN AND OTHER STORIES
Roald Dahl is most known for his novels, but what some people do not know is that he has a collection of short stories, Skin and Other Stories, which are equally as intriguing, humorous, and amazing as his most cherished children’s books. Each story in this book is quirky and unique. This is definitely a collection of short stories that I always turn to during Autumn, because it is the perfect combination of dark, witty, and wicked tales to curl up with.
The first time I read these stories was in high school, and after recently rereading them, I love this collection even more. These stories are strange, imaginative, and have the most elaborate twists. This collection ranges from a story about a priceless, all-covering back tattoo to helpless, crying roses to an overly suspicious, wounded WWII-pilot. I like that these stories are entertaining, but there is also some satire behind these stories, which are layered with commentary on the irrationality of human actions and human nature. If you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, or Chuck Palahniuk, I highly recommend that you read Skin and Other Short Stories. Dahl’s storytelling is indifferent, frightful, and creepy, which make his stories overwhelmingly memorable.
Overall, Dahl’s Skin and Other Stories is the perfect book for any young adult and/or adult fan that loves dark humor and mystery. It is hard for me to pick out a favorite story in this collection, but if I had to choose, I would highly recommend reading “Lamb to the Slaughter.” The female protagonist is smart, witty, and so deceiving. I believe this is the most well-known short story written by Dahl, but there is a reason for that notability. This story is brilliant. The major twist in this short story is humorous, dark, and shocking. But mainly, I like this story, because it is so absurd. It would definitely make a good episode for a “getting away with murder”-type of show.
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Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and beloved storytellers. He was born in Wales of Norwegian parents and spent much of his childhood in England. After establishing himself as a writer for adults with short story collections such as Kiss Kiss and Tales of the Unexpected, Roald Dahl began writing children’s stories in 1960 while living with his family in both the U.S. and in England. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.
Roald Dahl’s first children’s story, The Gremlins, was a story about little creatures that were responsible for the various mechanical failures on airplanes. The Gremlins came to the attention of both First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who loved to read the story to her grandchildren, and Walt Disney, with whom Roald Dahl had discussions about the production of a movie.
Roald Dahl was inspired by American culture and by many of the most quintessential American landmarks to write some of his most memorable passages, such as the thrilling final scenes in James and the Giant Peach – when the peach lands on the Empire State Building! Upon the publication ofJames and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl began work on the story that would later be published as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and today, Roald Dahl’s stories are available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate, have sold more than 200 million copies.
Roald Dahl also enjoyed great success for the screenplays he wrote for both the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967 and for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released one year later, which went on to become a beloved family film. Roald Dahl’s popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans.
Two charities have been founded in Roald Dahl’s memory: the first charity, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, created in 1991, focuses on making life better for seriously ill children through the funding of specialist nurses, innovative medical training, hospitals, and individual families across the UK.
The second charity, The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre – a unique cultural, literary and education hub – opened in June 2005 in Great Missenden where Roald Dahl lived and wrote many of his best-loved works. 10% of income from Roald Dahl books and adaptations are donated to the two Roald Dahl charities.
On September 13, 2006, the first national Roald Dahl Day was celebrated, on what would have been the author’s 90th birthday. The event proved such a success that Roald Dahl Day is now marked annually all over the world. September 13, 2016 is Roald Dahl 100, marking 100 years since the birth of the world’s number one storyteller. There will be celebrations for Roald Dahl 100 throughout 2016, delivering a year packed with gloriumptious treats and surprises for everyone.
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1 winner can pick 5 books from the Roald Dahl collection! US Only.
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rants and raves of a bibliophile 