Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Hitch-Hiker and Other Short Stories

Rate this book
Lire en anglais Collection dirigée par Henri Yvinec
Cette collection s'adresse à tous ceux qui désirent découvrir ou redécouvrir le plaisir de lire dans leur langue d'origine les oeuvres des plus grands auteurs contemporains.
Notes en anglais en regard du texte, lexique bilingue en fin de volume dispensent d'un recours fastidieux au dictionnaire.

Roald Dahl -The Hitch-hiker and Other Short Stories
présentées par Chantal Yvinec Avec Roald Dahl, maître de l'humour noir, l'étrange n'est jamais loin, comme en témoignent les cinq nouvelles de ce recueil :
-The Hitch-hiker
-Death of an Old Man
-Taste
-The Way up to Heaven
-Dip in the Pool

www.roalddahl.com      

214 pages, Pocket Book

First published January 1, 1997

7 people are currently reading
268 people want to read

About the author

Roald Dahl

1,475 books26.7k followers
Roald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
48 (22%)
4 stars
83 (39%)
3 stars
65 (30%)
2 stars
12 (5%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Nikki.
360 reviews
April 24, 2015
I like the way this piece is written, it flows and it reads like a conversation it doesn't have a select narrator it kind of unwinds the story as the more it progresses. Although I did find it confusing as to knowing what was happening I loved unwrapping it slowly like this, I wish more story's unwound so softly and subtly it's keeps your imagination whirring. I think this is more of a story for older children as it has a few contexts that the younger audience might not completely understand. I love the way the driver thought back to a time when he himself was a hitchhiker and how he felt when only the rusty old cars or the jam packed ones would stop and this kind of compels him to pick up people now in the position he was in. I love the way both the driver and the hiker are very different but neither really judges the other for it, the language between them is formal from the drivers point and informal from the hiker the slang passed between makes this piece more conversationist. I love that when the driver finally found out the hikers well profession he didn't immediately judge, ok he got a little annoyed at his property being taken off him without him realising but who honestly wouldn't? Then he kind of let it go, at the end of the story it seemed they were new found friends that were happy to be with one another but admittedly at the beginning and judging by the title I thought that the hiker was going to be some hacked up killer or something just as sinister, I'm glad that I was proven wrong though.

Overall this book was intriguing, interesting and kind of mysterious, well until the middle where you could then read by where it was going to go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for adre   .
86 reviews
January 6, 2023
libro de clase no cuenta pero the second lead un chulo creído m acabó cayendo bien 1 gran carterista
2 reviews
December 10, 2025
great variety of stories. some are lighter than others but all are lovely to read
Profile Image for Yen Dua Hai.
10 reviews1 follower
August 30, 2024
An easy read for me, that triumphs Roald Dahl as a master of writing. He did not need "expensive" wording to tell a compelling story. His stories are like stories of your grand dad, telling it by the fireplace, to his dear grand children. The story teller is such a hero to the kid, he knows the world and stories. I was happy to read this book when I was in France and had nothing to entertain.
1 review
January 21, 2015
M Bryan
Roald Dahl's Story
The Hitchhiker.
I think this story is very interesting , because its written in a compelling way. It's also written in the way readers
Can read it with a narrative voice, which I think most children and adult would be interested by the different tones of voice and the slang, formal and informal language that's in it.
A few vital and important points are: eg , - Fast , expensive , flashy cars , but you can't go over the speed limit.

-- The penalty you can get by breaking the law.
-- He was not judgemental , regardless of the strange looks of the hitchhiker.

I like the way it is written in different languages and narrated to make it most interesting to readers.
I enjoyed reading this story, even though I hate reading. It gave me the interest to find out what's next.

I would recommend this story to all ages because its quite funny and made me laugh.
It also taught me a couple of facts.
1 review
January 21, 2015
The story is about a man who is hitching a ride.
My opinion about the book is that I didn't like it.
If I had to have a favourite character it would be the hitch hiker.
The story didn't keep me guessing for that long .
If I had to have a favourite part of the story it would be when the hitch hiker stealing things.
The story didn't have me want to keep turning the pages.
My dislikes about the story's is I found it boring.
My opinion to make the book better would be to add some more action and adding something wanting you turn over to the next page like make the hitch-hiker a woman who is on the run and she needs help but no one wants the help .
I would recommend it to people who like to read it would be more for 30+ who like to read .
1 review
January 21, 2015
I think the history it's very intriguing from the moment you start reading it. I like the all meaning because is a common life scenario that could happen to anybody. I like the main character on it because is a person with dreams and desires likes any other person.
I was a bit disappointed at the middle end of the book because it was obvious but I would recommend it for people that like to travel .
All the characters in the book could be a person that you meet a day to day basis or perhaps your next door neighbours.
A good view of the character the driver,the hitch-hiker and the police officer .They all very well described on the history.
When you are reading it , you could imagine the situation in your head so easily you could read it.
1 review
January 21, 2015
The book is mainly all about the Hitchhiker by RoaldDahl.
I do not particularly like the book.
None of them are my favourite character because there is so many arguments and so many questions
In it and answers. Some of the story keep me guessing.
I had no favourite part of the book and because I do not understand some of the words
and keep on guessing them.
The story did not grip me or keep me turning the pages.
I do not like conjuring tricks.
The reason why it did not work for me is so many difficult word used in the story.
Yes I do find it difficult to care about the main character and I did not work out why.
Some of them are scary for me or focused on a theme I didn't find interesting.
The type of reader I recommend the book to is older readers because it was not for me.
1 review
January 21, 2015
This book is about a hitchhiker and a driver of a very expensive car .And the journey they had together,as the story unfolds.I liked this book,because you never quite knew what way the plot was going to turn next. My favourite character was the old man .At first you thought he was a simple hitchhiker,but then you find out their is more to him than meets the eye.It was the sort of story that kept you guessing till it gets near the end . My favourite part was when you found out more about the hitchhiker.I was keen to finish the book,I think this would be a good read.As it has it's unexpected twist and turns.
1 review
January 21, 2015
The book is about a cop pulling over two men in a car, which one of them he describ him as looking like a rat. Who seem very crafty.The way the rat face man was full of talk. He was also my favourite character. Quick but good at what he does. You wouldn't even know he was doing it. There fore he gave himself a nickname. Yes the story kept me wanting more of what will happened next. The way the cop had spit on the car when it was running down, it was un bearable to think about it. But a very long story.
Profile Image for Danna.
755 reviews
September 23, 2014
Roald Dahl is probably my favorite childhood author. Now I have read the story "The Hitch Hiker" online, and so I went on and bought the whole book. I must say that even now when I'm a little older - I simply love this man's writing! He was amazing, brilliant, he captures emotions and just like a painter, painted a picture. His characters are so vivid and lively, as if you are standing right there next to him. No doubt he is one of the great authors of the modern world, and of the 20th century.
1 review
January 21, 2015
My opinion is I didn't think I was going to like the book at first because I thought the story gets of to a slow start up until the first two paragraphs.
But eventually I thought the story really picks up and gets really exciting.
You don't want to put the book down because you want to find out how the story ends.

I would recommend the hitchhiker by Roald Dahl because I think it's worth reading.



1 review
January 21, 2015
It is about two men.
It is about a new car.
It is about a hitchhiker and his job.

People will be interested in the book because it you guessing about the story.

Other readers would be gripped in the story and they would keep turning
The pages to the end of story.

Yes I would recommend that people should read the book
Because it is very funny.
1 review
January 21, 2015
I read a story abut a hitchhiker he was driving a nice BMW.
It was dark blue long wheelbase.
The story was a nice book to read but it needs more action.
In the story book some people might find it boring to read.




Profile Image for Emy Majors.
30 reviews
February 13, 2015
I particularly some what liked this book and some what didn't. Roald Dahl used certain word in certain parts of the story that made the reader think something different was happening than what really was.
Profile Image for Ashe.
46 reviews
August 9, 2015
* The narrator who read the audio version (YouTube) added to the suspense & the accents were spot on.
*The plot twist can be a bit predictable for adults. I loved it nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.