Skin

Skin and Other Stories by Roald Dahl

Puffin ; Paperback, 2001

(Illustration by Bill Gregory)

THE AUTHOR

Roald Dahl, who was born in Wales on September 13th 1916 to Norwegian parents, is one of the - if not THE - most successful children's authors in the world. Among his most well-known books :

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)

  James and the Giant Peach (1961)

 Matilda (1988)

 The Witches (1983)

Several of his publications have been adapted for the cinema/the TV. Roald Dahl died on November 23rd 1990.

To learn more about Roald Dahl (there is quite a lot to learn about him), you can visit :

• The official Roald Dahl website (a very well-made website, with lots of contents and illustrations by Roald Dahl's famous associate Quentin Blake) 
• Roald Dahl's page at Puffin Books website

Have you ever heard of Roald Dahl Day ? It takes place every year on Spetember 13th ! To learn more about this event, and the 50th anniversary of James and the Giant Peach, visit the official website of Roald Dahl Day !!

THE BOOK

Puffin's blurb :

" How would you get rid of a murder weapon without causing suspicion? Where would you hide a diamond where no one else would think of looking? What if you found out the tattoo on your back was worth over a million pounds?

You will discover that just about anything is possible in a Roald Dahl story, and here are eleven of his very best. "

http://www.puffin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780141311517,00.html

My opinion :

I bought this book at The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore in Paris (22 rue Saint Paul, Paris 4), who has a very good children's books collection. 

Roald Dahl is really one of the best authors I have ever known, and I enjoyed many of his books in my childhood. I had not read any of his books since then, and I just could not resist the temptation of enjoying Dahl's universe again.

I usually enjoy short stories, and I usually enjoy Dahl's work : this book was perfect for me =) Roald Dahl has a wonderful talent when it comes to telling sories. Skin and Other Stories is about human nature and its darkest, most frightening sides. The stories all have Dahl's stamp, and despite the horror of what is described, you will find yourself smiling/laughing on many occasions =)

I have to admit that I am not very good at describing Dahl's work, because I just love it too much. So all I am going to tell you now is to read as much of his work as you can, whatever your age may be ! He really is an amazing author, you won't regret it ! ^^