Has anyone read any Roald Dahl?

Question

I have heard that he wrote horror, is it any good, and what would you recommend.

Answer 1

I havent read nor heard of horror by Dahl.

But his books are amazing. I suppose thy are slightly dark in places, think Charlie and the choc factory.

He didnt agree with the first film that was made cos Wonka wasnt evil enough. Fact.

Answer 2

Well here's information which may serve ur purpose. Roald Dahl is an excellent short story writer. U must read him and may start with his "Tales of the unexpected". All his stories have savage twists at the end which I find entertaining. He wrote a few for children but I haven't read them. He has no horror stories of his own. There is a collection called "Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost stories". Those stories are not written by him. That's a collection of Ghost stories selected by him. I have that book, but it's not worth reading. I didn't find those stories horrifying. I also have read Dracula, Poe etc. I don't find them chilling. I dont think english authors can write good ghost stories, the real scary ones. I stay absolutely alone and in spite of that if those stories couldn't scare me, then they r not good horror stories. Writing "OMG How horrible" 10 times every page, doesn't make good horror stories, and thats what they all do when it comes to writing Horror stories.

Answer 3

Roald Dahl is a children's writer, James and the Giant Peach, BFG etc. Don't know if he wrote any horror. He used to introduce a programme on the tele called Tales of the Unexpected, but I am not sure if he wrote any of them, they were more supernatural and mystery than horror

Answer 4

Roald Dahl (born in Wales of Norwegian parents) wrote two very different kinds of fiction (which are not so very different at all if you look at them closely). He is best known today for his children's books, in particular "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which has been made into a movie twice. His other children's works include "James and the Giant Peach," "Matilda," "The Twits," "The BFG" (Big Friendly Giant), and many more. His children's work is all slightly dark, with a morbidly humourous twist and an element of the macbre, if not grotesque, about it. Truly delightful work.

In addition, Dahl wrote fiction for adults, which was also dark, morbidly humourous, and macabre if not grotesque. It is most assuredly not horror in the modern vein (King, Koontz, etc.); it's subtle, twisted, and deft, and if it is eventually shocking it's in a very low-key, almost light-hearted way.

A great book to start with (look for it used; I'd start with Powell's, http://www.powells.com -- Web site of the world's best bookstore -- but that's because I live in Portland, OR and can go there in person) is "Kiss Kiss," which has among other things my personal favorite Dahl story, "Pig."

Dahl also wrote several episodes for Alfred Hitchcock's TV series, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," including what is probably the best-remembered show, "Lamb to the Slaughter." In this story, a woman murders her cheating husband by whacking him on the head with a frozen leg of lamb. The story defines "dramatic irony" from that point on.

If Powell's can't locate any copies of used Dahl books, you can try http://www.alibris.com -- I bought my copy of "Kiss Kiss" from them several years ago.

Wonderful stuff, incredibly witty and very, very twisted, like a Tim Burton film of an Oscar Wilde play...

Answer 5

As far as I know Roald Dahl only wrote books for children, though some have scary or nasty characters and situations in them like 'The Witches'. He also wrote 2 autobiographical books 'Boy' and 'Going Solo' which are at a suitable reading level for kids but are terrific.

He is one of my favourite children's authors, though I found 'James and the Giant Peach' to be too scary when I was little.

Answer 6

Yes, I've read all his books.

The books you are referring to are in his collection for adults, such as Kiss, Kiss and Switch, B****, some of which featured in the Tales of the Unexpected. He writes a wide range of stories, mostly not horror, but great nonetheless. (He has many more than 3 adult books!!)

He is a wonderful, wonderful writer and is my all time favourite. Don't overlook his children's books, either, every one is a piece of art. Check out The Witches - horror for young readers and great for adults, too. They are great books to introduce children to read. Most of his books have illustrations by Quentin Blake and the stories are so engaging you will be reading them long after the kids have fallen asleep.

Don'' forget Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life.... Fabulous! My best recommendation is to buy the collection of books that you find in those book leaflets that come through your door.

Like Stephen King, many of his stories have been translated to the screen. Oh, he also wrote Matilda with Sophie Dahl as the starring character.

Enjoy, because you will!!

Answer 7

Roald Dahl wrote children's fiction and an autobiography called Boy. He wrote mnay novels my favourite as a child wer:

The BFG, big friendly giant
Matilda
Essiotrot
The Witches (at the age of 7 this scared me half to death)
The twits was my all time favourite

There are so many to choose from andIi know that waterstones sells them all, as I am buying my niece the collection

Answer 8

Roald Dahl is perhaps one of the finest 20th century childrens writers. Most recently the brilliant Charlie and the chocolate factory film was made and is a pretty accurate copy of the book.

Answer 9

I've read every single one of his childrens books.

It wasn't until years later that I found out he wrote adult fiction (all you got in the childrens books was a list of his other childrens books) and I've read a couple of adult short stories.

I've now got a boxed set called 'The Best of Roald Dahl' which I intend to read soon.

Answer 10

His kids' books are the best I've ever read - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Danny the Champion of the World, Fantastic Mr Fox and so on. I haven't read his stuff for adults but I believe 'Tales of the Unexpected' was meant to be pretty creepy. They were adapted for TV in the mid-1970s and I remember being very scared by them, but I was about 6 at the time and was scared of my own shadow.