Tales of the Unexpected
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Adults are sleepin on Roald Dahl! This quirky king loves a twisted short story just as much as he loves oompa loompas and giant peaches. Yes, you have to separate the art from the artist because of his rampant antisemitism, which is very annoying because as I outlined in my review of his biography Going Solo, his life was really cool. His morals, not so much.
Tales of the Unexpected is a collection of 24 short stories that Dahl originally published in magazines back when magazines did neat stuff like that. Some stories were adapted into a British television show, which was kind of like the OG Black Mirror.
The stories center on irony and karmic retribution. A lot of them are about bitter wives getting revenge on their loveless, overbearing husbands (Roald, honey, everything okay at home?). The endings are dramatic, warped, and darkly satisfying. My favorites are:
Nunc Dimittis (a man who tries to embarrass his date when he finds out she was talking shit about him)
The Landlady (it involves a dachshund, say less)
Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat (a cheater who is outwitted at her own game)
I originally bought this book at a random bookstore in Boulder because the owner was a bit creepy and I felt pressured to buy something. Upon cracking it open, I realized that I’d already read most of these stories in The Best of Roald Dahl. They are absolutely worth re-reading. I slightly prefer The Best of Roald Dahl because I do think they showcase his *best* and they have a more sinister tone to them that I found both spooky and amusing. But Tales of the Unexpected is also a great way to get a taste of Dahl’s adult content. His work really is timeless and he knew how to captivate an audience. Tales of the Unexpected receives 4 out of 5 flames.
