The Umbrella Man and Other Stories

The Umbrella Man and Other Stories

Collects the adult short stories written by Roald Dahl before his embarking to the world of children's fiction, including entries that are appropriate for teen readers and that feature humorous, fast-paced plotlines and surprise twist endings. Grade 7 Up-Readers who were turned on to chapter books with the magic of Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) and the wondrous James and the Giant Peach (1961, both Knopf) will be interested to discover that Dahl began his writing career composing adult short stories?macabre, ironic tales that were translated into scripts for a popular TV series. This collection, based on those tales, is perfect for teen sensibilities. These poisonous gems reflect a British black humor sniping at greedy, pretentious folk. The language is precise, without an extraneous adjective; "The Landlady" is indeed "terribly nice" and Lady Turton of "Neck" prances and snorts like a barely restrained high-strung filly. Teachers looking for examples of irony need look no further than "Parson's Pleasure," in which an overeager antique collector gets exactly what he asks for. Feminists may be a bit offended; Dahl's antipathy for the female sex is rather evident throughout the stories. Wife and family are often an encumbrance in his world. "Royal Jelly" stars a father who is overinvolved in the caring for and feeding of his new offspring; it is a delicious morsel to serve to grown up "Goosebumps" fans. This baker's dozen is a treat for all YA collections. Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gr. 8^-12. The best pieces in this collection of 13 short stories, compiled from Dahl's early anthologies for adults, showcase Dahl's twisted wit and penchant for irony. Very few of the tales here have intrinsic YA appeal, but name recognition will surely attract some teenage readers, particularly those who regularly read adult books. The stories with the biggest pull are the gruesome ones: a man makes minor bets that may win him an opponent's finger; a young man checks into a bed-and-breakfast run by a woman whose not-so-harmless hobby is taxidermy; and a father tries to fatten his sickly infant with large doses of royal jelly from his beehives. The other selections range from wry to sentimental to amusing and are occasionally spiced with sweet revenge. Because there's no unifying theme, this will be tough to booktalk, but several of the stories will make excellent read-alouds. Randy Meyer A baker's dozen of barbed, witty, obliquely macabre short stories, most drawn fromor at least previously published inTales of the Unexpected (1979, 1990). Additionally, there is a heart-rending wartime story of a young Greek orphan adopted by a beleaguered RAF squadron, a hilarious tale of two airheads who decide to make a fortune from grateful socialites by punching a gossip columnist in the nose, and ``The Great Automatic Grammatizator,'' a period piece about a primitive computer that whips out hugely profitable novels and stories in minutes. Nearly every story ends with a twist: a scam revealed or going wrong; a sinister revelation; or, as in the final entry, ``Neck,'' a sudden conclusion that derails carefully established expectations. Several stories show their age in dated details, or are slow to develop, and younger fans may find many of the conversations as tedious as the lengthy, satirically exact speeches about bees, wine, and antique furniture. Still, this sampler of Dahl's writing at least conveys a sense of his versatility. (Short stories. 13+) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Roald Dahl  (1916-1990) was born in Wales of Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood in England and, at age eighteen, went to work for the Shell Oil Company in Africa. When World War II broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. At the age of twenty-six he moved to Washington, D.C., and it was there he began to write. His first short story, which recounted his adventures in the war, was bought by  The Saturday Evening Post , and so began a long and illustrious career. After establishing himself as a writer for adults, Roald Dahl began writing children’s stories in 1960 while living in England with his family. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated. Roald Dahl is now considered one of the most beloved storytellers of our time. Although he passed away in 1990, his popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including  James and the Giant Peach ,  Matilda ,  The BFG , and  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , delight an ever-growing legion of fans. Learn more about Roald Dahl on the official Roald Dahl Web site:  www.roalddahl.com [These] are contes cruels in that slick, O. Henry mode that made Dahl's reputation in the early part of his writing career. They are smoothly done but often unpleasant as well as unsettling. Nearly all the cha