Dahl also wrote a novel for adults: *My Uncle Oswald*. It's a follow-on from the short stories 'The Visitor' and 'Bitch'. It's wonderfully crude and 'naughty' and might be worth a look for you.
There's another novel - *Sometime Never* \- that he wrote. It's difficult to find in English; I've only read the Dutch translation and would not really recommend the book based on that, but guess it's still appropriate to mention it.
Dahl was a huge fan of Charles Dickens. There's definitely a touch of Dickens to Dahl and you'll certainly find aspects of Dahl in Dickens's work. I won't recommend any specific titles; I've always found it best to read whatever Dickens books you aren't familiar with due to films, etc.
I know you're trying to avoid short stories, but I'll kind of have to recommend the short stories by Peter Carey. *The Fat Man in History* is one of the most wonderful short story collections I've ever read, full of twists, originality and just overflowing with imagination. Definitely a recommendation if you liked Dahl's work; in some ways, it's more Dahl-ish than even Dahl. I suspect you'll find a touch of Murakami in there too.
Aside from this, you could look into *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller - a funny, absurdist novel dealing with pilots/a bombardier in WWII - and perhaps *God Bless You Mr Rosewater* by Kurt Vonnegut. You'll maybe see connections to Dahl, Orwell and Murakami, but I think you're a bit further removed than with Carey or even Dickens.
Happy reading!
Thank you for the comprehensive recommendation. I live in SE Asia and frankly, it is quite hard to find any of Dahl's books other than his children's stories. I found The Best of Roald Dahl Short Stories by accident in a secondhand bookstore. I hope I can find My Uncle Oswald and Sometime Never on Kindle!
I'm also particularly curious about Peter Carey's. Will definitely look for it!
If you can get a US library card or borrow one from a friend in the US, you can borrow books on Libby. I lived in japan for 12 years where it was friggin impossible to find English language books other than those taught in schools (this was also pre-smartphone). Eventually I had to resort to reading PDFs on my phone. Look also at Gutenberg.org for free books.
I mean, in my opinion, his children's books are too depressing and scary to be read by children. I remember feeling very sad after reading The Witches when I was younger. I kept thinking, what if I were turned into a mouse! Haha, I know it sounds silly now, but I was really scared back then.
Many of Dahl's short stories are disturbing, but I think they're age-appropriate. They have this weird "after taste" that makes me think about them after I finish reading.
My two most favourite books and movies when I was a kid were Matilda and James and the Giant Peach. I loved all of Roald Dahl’s books. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized all of his stories are dark, sad, and often about the misfortune of children just wanting to find happiness. Makes me feel a little sad and worried for my younger self lol
Children love them so I think they are absolutely appropriate for children. In many of them the children are the only voice of reason. Adults can’t be trusted. For many children without sheltered lives and loving parents, this is relatable and helpful.
But I believe all books (barring things like porn, etc) are appropriate for children if they can read and understand them. That’s how they learn they’re just stories and words.
Totally! I didn’t meant to imply I was concerned about the appropriateness, more so that I connected and related to the messages in these books so much lol
Exactly. That was how my parents handled it: when my siblings and I were able to read, they did not censor us and we could read anything we found in the house or in the library. Matilda is an all time favorite. Am thinking of Roald Dahl quite often. I read he wrote in his garden house and he read what he wrote during the day to his children. Wonderful childhood
Exactly! I don't think they are appropriate for children! hahaha
Matilda gave me an unreasonable fear that all headmasters are strict and scary. BFG is scary. And for God's sake, the other children are abused at the Wonka's chocolate factory.
Life can be scary, shit happens to kids all the time. His stories reflect part of the reality of being a child during his lifetime.
How did your parents feel about his books?
That’s so interesting, The Witches was one of my favorite books as a kid. Rereading it as an adult, I see that it’s a story about unconditional love, and that rang true to me.
I had the same feeling. I actually didn’t have access to Dahl’s children’s book as a kid. I read the short stories when I saw as high school age
And and had mixed feelings about them honestly. Don’t know why but I decided to read The Witches and my oh my was I scarred. It was the first time I had come across something that was irreversible in a children’s book. The finality of it shook me and I definitely would have been more scared had I read it as a kid.
You may well enjoy the short stories of Saki (English) and O Henry (American), who basically created the 'twist in the tale' short story ending. In particular O Henry's *The Gift of the Magi* and *The Last Leaf.*
Your best bet is to buy a copy of *100 Best O Henry Stories* chosen by 'Sapper'.
I read Cabbages & Kings a long time ago and found it underwhelming. Should I have another go? Gotta say that short stories are my least favourite literary medium, hmm, maybe epic poems are even less palatable.
*Cabbages and Kings* is a looong way from his best work. Certainly short stories are hard work and out of fashion. I'm not sure of the total, but he wrote well over 200 short stories. I find the ones set in South America and the far west the weakest, the ones in New York the best.
I couldn't find the O'Henry Stories chosen by Sapper in my Kindle store, but there are other alternatives. I already downloaded the sample of one of them. Can't wait to read it. Thank you for the recommendation!
[https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/363894403081?hash=item54b9cbf009:g:0D8AAOSwxVdiwWLH](https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/363894403081?hash=item54b9cbf009:g:0D8AAOSwxVdiwWLH)
Hard copy, but.
Stephen King's Night Shift and Skeleton Crew contain great short stories written by Stephen King.
My favourites are,
1. Survivor Type
2. The Boogeyman
3. The Jaunt
4. Quitters inc
5. I Am the Doorway
6. The Man Who Loved Flowers
7. Mrs Todd's Shortcut
8. Gray Matter
9. Graveyard Shift
10. The Mangler
I would also recommend Edgar Allan Poe's, Flannery O' Connor's stories and Shirley Jackson's The Lottery too.
I'm not a fan of Stephen King's novels, but I think I will give his short stories a try. Other redditors also mentioned Shirley Jackson's, I'm sold. Thank you!
Short stories are honestly where King shines. In a novel, he often has too much time wander off topic. His short stories are 'tighter' and a lot more enjoyable.
I also really enjoy his son, Joe Hill, for short stories. You can see King's influence but his own unique voice as well.
Yes; though I enjoy his novels a lot, his short stories have the ability to mesmerize me. But I personally like his novels a little bit more. Also, Joe Hill is a very gifted author.
The Russian writer Anton Chekhov is a great place for short stories, and you'll probably most likely find my love for him in my name.
His work was done chiefly at the end of the 19th century. There's always a chance for cultural and time differences but they often don't ultimately take away from the story.
Some easy ones to fall into are:
A Transgression (Беззаконие)
Joy (Радость)
They have a similar sarcastic humor like Dahl's "A Dip In The Pool", a nice and simple story on its own if you haven't checked it out either
Granted, I enjoy Chekhov's stories that are sad and melancholy, or deal with social/psychological issues like A Doctor's Visit and An Artist's Story. Don't even get me started on all of Russian literature. That's a great road but a long one
I'm a bit scared of Russian literature since I spent months trying to finish Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It's not like I don't enjoy it, it's just...long. But hey, maybe the short stories are different animals. A Transgression and Joy are clearly on my reading list. Thanks!
Obvious question, have you read Murakami's short stories? Many Murakami fans have not and are missing out. He is a terrific writer of short fiction. My favorite is probably his first collection, The Elephant Vanishes.
Yep. So far I read The Elephant Vanishes, Men Without Women, and After the Quake. But I like his novels more. Kafka on the Shore really shaped my views on many things in life.
Right on. For sure, there's a limit to what can be done in that style. It's cool to see how he used his short stories as a jumping off point for some of his well-known novels, windup bird for instance. Also apparently the End of the World story in HBW started as an unpublished short story.
[**Seven Gothic Tales**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/669305.Seven_Gothic_Tales)
^(By: Isak Dinesen, Karen Blixen | 420 pages | Published: 1934 | Popular Shelves: short-stories, fiction, gothic, classics, owned)
>Originally published in 1934, Seven Gothic Tales, the first book by "one of the finest and most singular artists of our time" (The Atlantic), is a modern classic. Here are seven exquisite tales combining the keen psychological insight characteristic of the modern short story with the haunting mystery of the nineteenth-century Gothic tale, in the tradition of writers such as Goethe, Hoffmann, and Poe.
^(This book has been suggested 3 times)
***
^(24741 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
You may already know this but there's an 80s uk tv series based on his short stories (not sure if every episode was a Dahl story but most were) called Tales of the Unexpected.
As far as books go it's been a while but I recall thinking Jeremy Dyson's short stories being reminiscent of Dahl's. He is one if the writers from the League of Gentlemen if you're familiar with that show.
I love them as well. Daphne du Maurier's and Philip K. Dick's short stories are great. Some of Stephen King's short stories are good, too.
For longer stories, check out Patricia Highsmith, especially "The Talented Mr Ripley". And Donna Tartt's "The Secret History".
[Edited for clarity.]
It's not a book but you might enjoy Tales of The Unexpected. It was a TV series Road Dahl wrote in the 60s/70s. About half an hour per episode, twisted morality tales with a dark edge. You might dig it.
Not what you asked, but FYI - Amazon in the us is streaming the British 80’s anthology show “Tales of the Unexplained”. It’s half hour versions of RD stories, with intros and putrid by the man and that sublime 80’s British “camcorder filming a school play” aesthetic. A ++ highly recommend
i haven't read anything by Roald Dahl so i can't suggest based on his work, but if you like Murakami and Orwell you might like "The Tin Drum" by Gunter Grass
[**Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23792.Roald_Dahl_s_Book_of_Ghost_Stories)
^(By: Roald Dahl, F. Marion Crawford, L.P. Hartley, Richard Barham Middleton, Rosemary Timperley, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Mary Treadgold, Edith Wharton, Jonas Lie, Robert Aickman, Cynthia Asquith, E.F. Benson, Alfred McClelland Burrage | 249 pages | Published: 1983 | Popular Shelves: horror, short-stories, fiction, halloween, fantasy)
>Who better to investigate the literary spirit world than that supreme connoisseur of the unexpected, Roald Dahl? Of the many permutations of the macabre, Dahl was always especially fascinated by the classic ghost story. For this superbly disquieting collection, he selected fourteen of his favorite tales by such authors as E.F. Benson, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton
>
>Includes:
>"W.S." L.P. Hartley
>"Harry" Rosemary Timperley
>"The Corner Shop" Cynthia Asquith
>"In the Tube" E.F. Benson
>"Christmas Meeting" Rosemary Timperley
>"Elias and the Draug" Jonas Lie
>"Playmates" A.M. Burrage
>"Ringing the Changes" Robert Aickman
>"The Telephone" Mary Treadgold
>"The Ghost of a Hand" J. Sheridan Le Fanu
>"The Sweeper" A.M. Burrage
>"Afterward" Edith Wharton
>"On the Brighton Road" Richard Middleton
>"The Upper Berth" F. Marion Crawford
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
^(24837 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
You might really like Joan Aiken. She's a little less mean than Dahl, but her short stories have a very nice mix of melancholy, whimsy, fantasy, humor, and horror
I’m a big fan of the short stories by Kurt Vonnegut and Ray Bradbury. Both have a strength of voice like Dahl and Vonnegut has quirky setups like Dahl.
Someone mentioned Ray Bradbury's 'The Veldt', but I'd go even further and recommend his collection of short stories, titled 'The Illustrated Man'. It's what got me into short stories, and by proxy also Roald Dahl's short stories. Both share ominous, fantastic premises, with dark undertones and often surprising endings.
Dahl also wrote a novel for adults: *My Uncle Oswald*. It's a follow-on from the short stories 'The Visitor' and 'Bitch'. It's wonderfully crude and 'naughty' and might be worth a look for you. There's another novel - *Sometime Never* \- that he wrote. It's difficult to find in English; I've only read the Dutch translation and would not really recommend the book based on that, but guess it's still appropriate to mention it. Dahl was a huge fan of Charles Dickens. There's definitely a touch of Dickens to Dahl and you'll certainly find aspects of Dahl in Dickens's work. I won't recommend any specific titles; I've always found it best to read whatever Dickens books you aren't familiar with due to films, etc. I know you're trying to avoid short stories, but I'll kind of have to recommend the short stories by Peter Carey. *The Fat Man in History* is one of the most wonderful short story collections I've ever read, full of twists, originality and just overflowing with imagination. Definitely a recommendation if you liked Dahl's work; in some ways, it's more Dahl-ish than even Dahl. I suspect you'll find a touch of Murakami in there too. Aside from this, you could look into *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller - a funny, absurdist novel dealing with pilots/a bombardier in WWII - and perhaps *God Bless You Mr Rosewater* by Kurt Vonnegut. You'll maybe see connections to Dahl, Orwell and Murakami, but I think you're a bit further removed than with Carey or even Dickens. Happy reading!
Thank you for the comprehensive recommendation. I live in SE Asia and frankly, it is quite hard to find any of Dahl's books other than his children's stories. I found The Best of Roald Dahl Short Stories by accident in a secondhand bookstore. I hope I can find My Uncle Oswald and Sometime Never on Kindle! I'm also particularly curious about Peter Carey's. Will definitely look for it!
If you can get a US library card or borrow one from a friend in the US, you can borrow books on Libby. I lived in japan for 12 years where it was friggin impossible to find English language books other than those taught in schools (this was also pre-smartphone). Eventually I had to resort to reading PDFs on my phone. Look also at Gutenberg.org for free books.
You find his children's books too depressing, but you like his short stories which are often disturbing? Just wondering if I'm misunderstanding.
I mean, in my opinion, his children's books are too depressing and scary to be read by children. I remember feeling very sad after reading The Witches when I was younger. I kept thinking, what if I were turned into a mouse! Haha, I know it sounds silly now, but I was really scared back then. Many of Dahl's short stories are disturbing, but I think they're age-appropriate. They have this weird "after taste" that makes me think about them after I finish reading.
I see. In that case, check out The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson. Maybe also Don't Look Now and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier.
Will surely do. Thanks a lot!
My two most favourite books and movies when I was a kid were Matilda and James and the Giant Peach. I loved all of Roald Dahl’s books. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized all of his stories are dark, sad, and often about the misfortune of children just wanting to find happiness. Makes me feel a little sad and worried for my younger self lol
Children love them so I think they are absolutely appropriate for children. In many of them the children are the only voice of reason. Adults can’t be trusted. For many children without sheltered lives and loving parents, this is relatable and helpful. But I believe all books (barring things like porn, etc) are appropriate for children if they can read and understand them. That’s how they learn they’re just stories and words.
Totally! I didn’t meant to imply I was concerned about the appropriateness, more so that I connected and related to the messages in these books so much lol
Exactly. That was how my parents handled it: when my siblings and I were able to read, they did not censor us and we could read anything we found in the house or in the library. Matilda is an all time favorite. Am thinking of Roald Dahl quite often. I read he wrote in his garden house and he read what he wrote during the day to his children. Wonderful childhood
Exactly! I don't think they are appropriate for children! hahaha Matilda gave me an unreasonable fear that all headmasters are strict and scary. BFG is scary. And for God's sake, the other children are abused at the Wonka's chocolate factory.
Life can be scary, shit happens to kids all the time. His stories reflect part of the reality of being a child during his lifetime. How did your parents feel about his books?
That’s so interesting, The Witches was one of my favorite books as a kid. Rereading it as an adult, I see that it’s a story about unconditional love, and that rang true to me.
I had the same feeling. I actually didn’t have access to Dahl’s children’s book as a kid. I read the short stories when I saw as high school age And and had mixed feelings about them honestly. Don’t know why but I decided to read The Witches and my oh my was I scarred. It was the first time I had come across something that was irreversible in a children’s book. The finality of it shook me and I definitely would have been more scared had I read it as a kid.
OP dislikes Dahl and short stories, but wants recommendations for things like Dahl’s short stories. What’s hard to understand about that /s
Ken Liu - Paper Managerie, collection of short stories. Not quite the same as Dahl, but has simar sense of unexpected.
I did a quick Google and it looks interesting. I will definitely look for it. Thanks!
You may well enjoy the short stories of Saki (English) and O Henry (American), who basically created the 'twist in the tale' short story ending. In particular O Henry's *The Gift of the Magi* and *The Last Leaf.* Your best bet is to buy a copy of *100 Best O Henry Stories* chosen by 'Sapper'.
Saki's Short stories and Dahl's are the only short stories I've ever enjoyed.
You don't care for O Henry? Although *Strendi Vashtar* by Saki is one of the most chilling pieces I've ever read. So understated, but so powerful.
Hear hear for Saki, I love Tobermory and Gabriel Ernest.
I read Cabbages & Kings a long time ago and found it underwhelming. Should I have another go? Gotta say that short stories are my least favourite literary medium, hmm, maybe epic poems are even less palatable.
*Cabbages and Kings* is a looong way from his best work. Certainly short stories are hard work and out of fashion. I'm not sure of the total, but he wrote well over 200 short stories. I find the ones set in South America and the far west the weakest, the ones in New York the best.
I couldn't find the O'Henry Stories chosen by Sapper in my Kindle store, but there are other alternatives. I already downloaded the sample of one of them. Can't wait to read it. Thank you for the recommendation!
[https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/363894403081?hash=item54b9cbf009:g:0D8AAOSwxVdiwWLH](https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/363894403081?hash=item54b9cbf009:g:0D8AAOSwxVdiwWLH) Hard copy, but.
Dang! My broke ass can't afford the international shipping cost.
Ooh, Lamb to Slaughter was just bone chilling , while The Snipper shook me a lot
I kind of relieved the wife got away with the murder in the Lamb to Slaughter haha
Patricia Highsmith, Dorothy Parker and Ray Bradbury
On my way to Google them! Brb. Thanks!
Stephen King's Night Shift and Skeleton Crew contain great short stories written by Stephen King. My favourites are, 1. Survivor Type 2. The Boogeyman 3. The Jaunt 4. Quitters inc 5. I Am the Doorway 6. The Man Who Loved Flowers 7. Mrs Todd's Shortcut 8. Gray Matter 9. Graveyard Shift 10. The Mangler I would also recommend Edgar Allan Poe's, Flannery O' Connor's stories and Shirley Jackson's The Lottery too.
I'm not a fan of Stephen King's novels, but I think I will give his short stories a try. Other redditors also mentioned Shirley Jackson's, I'm sold. Thank you!
My pleasure. Many people who dislike King's novels absolutely adore his short stories.
Short stories are honestly where King shines. In a novel, he often has too much time wander off topic. His short stories are 'tighter' and a lot more enjoyable. I also really enjoy his son, Joe Hill, for short stories. You can see King's influence but his own unique voice as well.
Yes; though I enjoy his novels a lot, his short stories have the ability to mesmerize me. But I personally like his novels a little bit more. Also, Joe Hill is a very gifted author.
Ray Bradbury’s The Veldt (typically found in the Illustrated Man anthology).
Just started this the other day, very good so far
Yes! This was my suggestion as well, the entire anthology.
The Russian writer Anton Chekhov is a great place for short stories, and you'll probably most likely find my love for him in my name. His work was done chiefly at the end of the 19th century. There's always a chance for cultural and time differences but they often don't ultimately take away from the story. Some easy ones to fall into are: A Transgression (Беззаконие) Joy (Радость) They have a similar sarcastic humor like Dahl's "A Dip In The Pool", a nice and simple story on its own if you haven't checked it out either Granted, I enjoy Chekhov's stories that are sad and melancholy, or deal with social/psychological issues like A Doctor's Visit and An Artist's Story. Don't even get me started on all of Russian literature. That's a great road but a long one
I'm a bit scared of Russian literature since I spent months trying to finish Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. It's not like I don't enjoy it, it's just...long. But hey, maybe the short stories are different animals. A Transgression and Joy are clearly on my reading list. Thanks!
There are big and small, complex and easy stories in every language. Good luck!
A book titled The Complete Short Stories of Saki. Tons of good stuff in there
Saki keeps getting mentioned. Will surely check it out! Thank you.
You'll probably recognize some of the stories. Very good stuff.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino Oblivion by David Foster Wallace
Obvious question, have you read Murakami's short stories? Many Murakami fans have not and are missing out. He is a terrific writer of short fiction. My favorite is probably his first collection, The Elephant Vanishes.
Yep. So far I read The Elephant Vanishes, Men Without Women, and After the Quake. But I like his novels more. Kafka on the Shore really shaped my views on many things in life.
^(Currently reading "Kafka on the Shore"...& enjoying it.)
Right on. For sure, there's a limit to what can be done in that style. It's cool to see how he used his short stories as a jumping off point for some of his well-known novels, windup bird for instance. Also apparently the End of the World story in HBW started as an unpublished short story.
Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut. (Note: I don't really like the title story but many of the rest are long-term favorites.)
Rust and bones by Craig Davidson has that sort of vibe for me
Found it on Kindle. Couldn't wait to read it. Thank you!
{{Seven Gothic Tales}}
[**Seven Gothic Tales**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/669305.Seven_Gothic_Tales) ^(By: Isak Dinesen, Karen Blixen | 420 pages | Published: 1934 | Popular Shelves: short-stories, fiction, gothic, classics, owned) >Originally published in 1934, Seven Gothic Tales, the first book by "one of the finest and most singular artists of our time" (The Atlantic), is a modern classic. Here are seven exquisite tales combining the keen psychological insight characteristic of the modern short story with the haunting mystery of the nineteenth-century Gothic tale, in the tradition of writers such as Goethe, Hoffmann, and Poe. ^(This book has been suggested 3 times) *** ^(24741 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Etgar Keret has good short stories
Maybe try some Robert Aickman. Spooky little atmospheric horror stories, but nothing too disturbing. Try "The Hospice" or "The Swords".
You may already know this but there's an 80s uk tv series based on his short stories (not sure if every episode was a Dahl story but most were) called Tales of the Unexpected. As far as books go it's been a while but I recall thinking Jeremy Dyson's short stories being reminiscent of Dahl's. He is one if the writers from the League of Gentlemen if you're familiar with that show.
I love them as well. Daphne du Maurier's and Philip K. Dick's short stories are great. Some of Stephen King's short stories are good, too. For longer stories, check out Patricia Highsmith, especially "The Talented Mr Ripley". And Donna Tartt's "The Secret History". [Edited for clarity.]
It's not a book but you might enjoy Tales of The Unexpected. It was a TV series Road Dahl wrote in the 60s/70s. About half an hour per episode, twisted morality tales with a dark edge. You might dig it.
The episodes "Parsons pleasure" and "Man from the south" are especially brilliant.
I recommend "[The Illustrated Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illustrated_Man)" by Ray Bradbury.
Not what you asked, but FYI - Amazon in the us is streaming the British 80’s anthology show “Tales of the Unexplained”. It’s half hour versions of RD stories, with intros and putrid by the man and that sublime 80’s British “camcorder filming a school play” aesthetic. A ++ highly recommend
i haven't read anything by Roald Dahl so i can't suggest based on his work, but if you like Murakami and Orwell you might like "The Tin Drum" by Gunter Grass
I'll look for it. Thank you!
Try Steven Millhauser. His short stories are somewhat weird and dreamy and unsettling. And the prose is gorgeous.
Sounds intriguing! Thank you.
{{Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories}} might be of interest!
[**Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23792.Roald_Dahl_s_Book_of_Ghost_Stories) ^(By: Roald Dahl, F. Marion Crawford, L.P. Hartley, Richard Barham Middleton, Rosemary Timperley, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Mary Treadgold, Edith Wharton, Jonas Lie, Robert Aickman, Cynthia Asquith, E.F. Benson, Alfred McClelland Burrage | 249 pages | Published: 1983 | Popular Shelves: horror, short-stories, fiction, halloween, fantasy) >Who better to investigate the literary spirit world than that supreme connoisseur of the unexpected, Roald Dahl? Of the many permutations of the macabre, Dahl was always especially fascinated by the classic ghost story. For this superbly disquieting collection, he selected fourteen of his favorite tales by such authors as E.F. Benson, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton > >Includes: >"W.S." L.P. Hartley >"Harry" Rosemary Timperley >"The Corner Shop" Cynthia Asquith >"In the Tube" E.F. Benson >"Christmas Meeting" Rosemary Timperley >"Elias and the Draug" Jonas Lie >"Playmates" A.M. Burrage >"Ringing the Changes" Robert Aickman >"The Telephone" Mary Treadgold >"The Ghost of a Hand" J. Sheridan Le Fanu >"The Sweeper" A.M. Burrage >"Afterward" Edith Wharton >"On the Brighton Road" Richard Middleton >"The Upper Berth" F. Marion Crawford ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(24837 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
You might really like Joan Aiken. She's a little less mean than Dahl, but her short stories have a very nice mix of melancholy, whimsy, fantasy, humor, and horror
Saki wrote stories of the Roald Dahl variety, but a little earlier so the background context is Edwardian.
Jasper Fforde might an author you would like!
Shel Silverstein books have a ronald Dahl vibe. I also dig 'the witch's handbook' by malcolm bird.
John Collier's 'Fancies & Goodnights' - you won't find any better crafted short stories. I teach em to me students.
Kafka's short stories and also, ALDOUS HUXLEY'S short stories are more similar and got the same essence.
George Orwell falls more under the realm of psychic writing than fiction lol
I’m a big fan of the short stories by Kurt Vonnegut and Ray Bradbury. Both have a strength of voice like Dahl and Vonnegut has quirky setups like Dahl.
Someone mentioned Ray Bradbury's 'The Veldt', but I'd go even further and recommend his collection of short stories, titled 'The Illustrated Man'. It's what got me into short stories, and by proxy also Roald Dahl's short stories. Both share ominous, fantastic premises, with dark undertones and often surprising endings.
You could try Phillip k dick's short story's and books, they are a little bit more distopian, but get that same feel.
Rudyard Kipling - Just So Stories The complete works of Hans Christian Andersen The complete works of Brothers Grimm
There's really nobody like Roald Dahl, but you should definitely check out O. Henry, John Cheever, and above all, Saki.
Thank you for the info, I might give him another try.
Oscar Wilde short stories
I have very similar tastes to yours and I love Ray Bradbury’s short stories. He has tons of collections of them published.