Autumn entertainment: Reading short tales

Reading  original version books

Autumn entertainment: Reading short tales 

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Completely unexpected Tales. Roald Dahl. 1986. 404 pages

No one will take the decision for you

I was in November on the library with two books in my hands trying to decide which will be the unputdownable one. Before reading both blurbs, I chose “Completely unexpected tales” because it looked original and maybe impressive.

Plot

This book is made up of 25 well-developed stories, some of them first published in 1954. Even though the vast majority are set in England during the inter-war period or the 1940´s, this is neither a drama nor a war book, it is the most unusual one I have ever read due to the fact that, in each tale, the writer creates an English atmosphere using polite characters and typical English situations as tea time or foxhunting. Furthermore, if you add them a pinch of unease, stir them into a large macabre and awkward situation, sprinkle later with black humour, the result is brilliant and unexpected as the title advances.

Learner's best choice

I am not sure if this strange book would appeal to everybody but its main advantage is that every tale is a different short story. Therefore you can read only one from beginning to end if you are exhausted after a dreadful day and you will not run the risk of setting your reading aside.

An example

What will you do if a little rich man bets you while you are sunbathing in a hotel? The cash prize: a last-year Cadillac, but if you loose, he will take a small thing you can afford to give away such as your little finger. 

To sum up

In spite of the fact that British manners are depicted it a too posh way and maybe it could be repetitive, I recommend this enjoyable reading.                                                                     

Posted by Judit Roger at 13:00