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Tales Of
Innocence
PERFECT for fans of Roald Dahl.
Think you know Dahl? Think again. There's still a whole world of Dahl to discover in a newly collected book of his deliciously dark tales for adults . . .
What makes us innocent and how do we come to lose it? Featuring the autobiographical stories telling of Roald Dahl's boyhood and youth as well as four further tales of innocence betrayed, Dahl touches on the joys and horrors of growing up.
Among other stories, you'll read about the wager that destroys a girl's faith in her father, the landlady who has plans for her unsuspecting young guest and the commuter who is horrified to discover that a fellow passenger once bullied him at school.
Featuring extraordinary cover art by Charming Baker, whose paintings echo the dark and twisted world of Dahl's short stories.
Roald Dahl reveals even more about the darker side of human nature in seven other centenary editions: Lust, Madness, Cruelty, Deception, Trickery, War and Fear.
Think you know Dahl? Think again. There's still a whole world of Dahl to discover in a newly collected book of his deliciously dark tales for adults . . .
What makes us innocent and how do we come to lose it? Featuring the autobiographical stories telling of Roald Dahl's boyhood and youth as well as four further tales of innocence betrayed, Dahl touches on the joys and horrors of growing up.
Among other stories, you'll read about the wager that destroys a girl's faith in her father, the landlady who has plans for her unsuspecting young guest and the commuter who is horrified to discover that a fellow passenger once bullied him at school.
Featuring extraordinary cover art by Charming Baker, whose paintings echo the dark and twisted world of Dahl's short stories.
Roald Dahl reveals even more about the darker side of human nature in seven other centenary editions: Lust, Madness, Cruelty, Deception, Trickery, War and Fear.
274 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2017
48 people are currently reading
1352 people want to read
About the author
Roald Dahl
1,217 books26.7k followersRoald 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
March 3, 2024
Innocence is one of eight centenary editions of Dahl’s short stories for adults, grouped together by theme, and collects three short stories—all published in the 50’s—that explore the loss or betrayal of innocence, sandwiched between two autobiographical pieces about Dahl’s own boyhood and youth.
Each piece (some much more subtly than others) touches upon the joys and horrors of growing up, and how innocence can be lost on the way. Despite Dahl being rather self-deprecating about his own non-fiction in Lucky Break (“Nonfiction (…) doesn’t interest me. (…) For me, the pleasure of writing comes with inventing stories.”), I found the two autobiographical inclusions to be what elevated this particular collection from the other ones I’ve read so far—the only thing more interesting than Dahl’s fictional stories are the ones from his own life, which of course often bled into his fiction. He hung out with FDR and Walt Disney, spoke Swahili, and fought in WWII… what a colorful character he was, and what a life he led!
Boy · ★★★★½
Taking up over half the collection, this is a charming autobiographical collection of scenes from Dahl’s own boyhood and youth, and it does much to contextualize the fictional short stories that follow, and to showcase when and where the seeds for his later work were sown—for instance, testing chocolate bars in boarding school provided, by his own admission, the inspiration for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Despite corporal punishment featuring several times, and despite being brought up by a widowed, single mother with many other children and all the hardships that entails, Dahl paints a rich, joyous picture of what seems, by all accounts, to have been a rather wonderful childhood—it made me nostalgic for growing up in a bygone time I’ve never known.
Taste · ★★★
The narrator is invited to a dinner party, where the host and a gourmet guest will routinely bet on whether the latter can name the wine they’re drinking… but this time the rather distasteful gourmet wishes to significantly raise the stakes, much to the host’s daughter’s horror. It was a short yet suspenseful tale, with lovely descriptive language that made me wish for a refined palate, but it wasn’t at all what I expected after the lenghty autobiographical piece that opened the collection. I’m not entirely sure where it fits into the titular theme, although I suppose that the host sure seems innocent in the sense of naive, not to mention the daughter who stands to lose her innocence if her father loses the bet—but it’s a bit of a stretch, and it could just as well have been included in Deception.
Gallopping Foxley · ★★★½
A man in his early 60’s, very set in, and content with, his commuting routine, finds his mornings disrupted by a new arrival on his habitual train—a man, he comes to realize, who used to torment him at school. Some of the scenes the narrator remembers once he finally places the face he found so inexplicably disagreeable as soon as he first set eyes on it are straight out of Dahl’s own childhood, and were related in Boy, and knowing that he actually experienced it made this story feel a lot more immediate. The ending came as an anti-climatic but fun surprise after such a dark and uncomfortable tale, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
The Landlady · ★★★★½
It will take you less than ten minutes to read this deliciously subtle horror story, now one of my all-time favorites by Dahl—it fills the reader with a mounting, bizarre sense of dread, and I found it so evocative despite its brevity that I could almost taste the cyanide the sweet, accommodating landlady put into her unfortunate new tenant’s tea. I suppose the ending counts as an open one, but the conclusion is very strongly implied—it’s very much a “show, don’t tell” kind of story, and all the better for it.
Lucky Break · ★★½
Similar but more concise than Boy, this non-fiction piece opens with the five qualities Dahl believes one should possess in order to become a fiction writer, and then soon turns into an autobiographical piece focused on the events that led him to become a reader first, and a writer by coincidence—the titular lucky break. It was a good piece to bookend the collection with after starting with Boy, but it does get rather repetitive.
—————
My other reviews of Dahl's centenary editions of tales for adults (work in progress):
Cruelty: Tales of Malice and Greed · ★★★ [2.95]
Deception: Tales of Intrigue and Lies · ★★★ [3.4]
Fear: Tales of Terror and Suspense · ★★★ [2.89]
Innocence: Tales of Youth and Guile · ★★★★ [3.6]
Lust: Tales of Craving and Desire · ★★ [1.8]
Madness: Tales of Fear and Unreason · ★★★★ [3.6]
Trickery: Tales of Deceit and Cunning
War: Tales of Conflict and Strife
Each piece (some much more subtly than others) touches upon the joys and horrors of growing up, and how innocence can be lost on the way. Despite Dahl being rather self-deprecating about his own non-fiction in Lucky Break (“Nonfiction (…) doesn’t interest me. (…) For me, the pleasure of writing comes with inventing stories.”), I found the two autobiographical inclusions to be what elevated this particular collection from the other ones I’ve read so far—the only thing more interesting than Dahl’s fictional stories are the ones from his own life, which of course often bled into his fiction. He hung out with FDR and Walt Disney, spoke Swahili, and fought in WWII… what a colorful character he was, and what a life he led!
Boy · ★★★★½
Taking up over half the collection, this is a charming autobiographical collection of scenes from Dahl’s own boyhood and youth, and it does much to contextualize the fictional short stories that follow, and to showcase when and where the seeds for his later work were sown—for instance, testing chocolate bars in boarding school provided, by his own admission, the inspiration for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Despite corporal punishment featuring several times, and despite being brought up by a widowed, single mother with many other children and all the hardships that entails, Dahl paints a rich, joyous picture of what seems, by all accounts, to have been a rather wonderful childhood—it made me nostalgic for growing up in a bygone time I’ve never known.
Taste · ★★★
The narrator is invited to a dinner party, where the host and a gourmet guest will routinely bet on whether the latter can name the wine they’re drinking… but this time the rather distasteful gourmet wishes to significantly raise the stakes, much to the host’s daughter’s horror. It was a short yet suspenseful tale, with lovely descriptive language that made me wish for a refined palate, but it wasn’t at all what I expected after the lenghty autobiographical piece that opened the collection. I’m not entirely sure where it fits into the titular theme, although I suppose that the host sure seems innocent in the sense of naive, not to mention the daughter who stands to lose her innocence if her father loses the bet—but it’s a bit of a stretch, and it could just as well have been included in Deception.
Gallopping Foxley · ★★★½
A man in his early 60’s, very set in, and content with, his commuting routine, finds his mornings disrupted by a new arrival on his habitual train—a man, he comes to realize, who used to torment him at school. Some of the scenes the narrator remembers once he finally places the face he found so inexplicably disagreeable as soon as he first set eyes on it are straight out of Dahl’s own childhood, and were related in Boy, and knowing that he actually experienced it made this story feel a lot more immediate. The ending came as an anti-climatic but fun surprise after such a dark and uncomfortable tale, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
The Landlady · ★★★★½
It will take you less than ten minutes to read this deliciously subtle horror story, now one of my all-time favorites by Dahl—it fills the reader with a mounting, bizarre sense of dread, and I found it so evocative despite its brevity that I could almost taste the cyanide the sweet, accommodating landlady put into her unfortunate new tenant’s tea. I suppose the ending counts as an open one, but the conclusion is very strongly implied—it’s very much a “show, don’t tell” kind of story, and all the better for it.
Lucky Break · ★★½
Similar but more concise than Boy, this non-fiction piece opens with the five qualities Dahl believes one should possess in order to become a fiction writer, and then soon turns into an autobiographical piece focused on the events that led him to become a reader first, and a writer by coincidence—the titular lucky break. It was a good piece to bookend the collection with after starting with Boy, but it does get rather repetitive.
—————
My other reviews of Dahl's centenary editions of tales for adults (work in progress):
Cruelty: Tales of Malice and Greed · ★★★ [2.95]
Deception: Tales of Intrigue and Lies · ★★★ [3.4]
Fear: Tales of Terror and Suspense · ★★★ [2.89]
Innocence: Tales of Youth and Guile · ★★★★ [3.6]
Lust: Tales of Craving and Desire · ★★ [1.8]
Madness: Tales of Fear and Unreason · ★★★★ [3.6]
Trickery: Tales of Deceit and Cunning
War: Tales of Conflict and Strife
September 1, 2018
I was always worried that Dahl's stories for adults would not hold up to his fantastic works for children; how wrong I was!
Innocence is a masterfully compiled collection. Beginning with "Boy" - Dahl's very own tale of innocence - this really contextualises the short stories that follow. The grotesque theme of public school caning is a dominant feature and thanks to "Boy" you completely understand why. Dahl's own life - and his writing about his own life - is as rich and fascinating as his works of fiction, yet he is so self-deprecating about his non-fiction in "Lucky Break."
The shorts "Taste" and "Galloping Foxley" are so remarkably entertaining, despite their very short length; highly suspenseful yet featuring that classic Dahl dry humour, making them utterly memorable. Whilst "The Landlady" is perhaps memorable for other reasons, being incredibly dark and disturbing yet so unmistakably Dahl.
He is a clear master of his craft.
Innocence is a masterfully compiled collection. Beginning with "Boy" - Dahl's very own tale of innocence - this really contextualises the short stories that follow. The grotesque theme of public school caning is a dominant feature and thanks to "Boy" you completely understand why. Dahl's own life - and his writing about his own life - is as rich and fascinating as his works of fiction, yet he is so self-deprecating about his non-fiction in "Lucky Break."
The shorts "Taste" and "Galloping Foxley" are so remarkably entertaining, despite their very short length; highly suspenseful yet featuring that classic Dahl dry humour, making them utterly memorable. Whilst "The Landlady" is perhaps memorable for other reasons, being incredibly dark and disturbing yet so unmistakably Dahl.
He is a clear master of his craft.
February 27, 2020
Love it, as always
April 14, 2019
I’ve read almost all of Dahl’s short stories, including the ones in this book. What I haven’t read was Boy. And since this book began with Boy, I now have a much better understanding of his life, and how it has contributed to his storytelling.
His stories are always enjoyable and never disappoint. He totally deserves that title, World’s No. 1 Storyteller.
His stories are always enjoyable and never disappoint. He totally deserves that title, World’s No. 1 Storyteller.
January 2, 2018
How am I only the 19th person to review this book on Goodreads? Do people just not want to read these collections? Because I was fascinated as soon as I heard about them. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Dahl's stories about his childhood and his life at school with both friends and foes. I will admit that the collection gets slightly repetitive towards the end, but that can easily be overlooked. It contains both an autobiographical account as well as, I believe, some short stories published in newspapers by Dahl himself. You can definitely see where the inspiration for many of his famous novels comes from just by reading Innocence. I own 3 more of these collections (Trickery, War and Fear), and will hopefully enjoy those too.
3.5 stars :)
3.5 stars :)
February 9, 2025
I love Roald Dahl’s writing. I definitely understand how his childhood led to stories like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate factory, and James and the Giant Peach (sad connotation). The couple of bonus short stories were crazy as well. Not 5 stars bc I didn’t really need to hear quite so many details about hitting young boys with a cane in UK boarding schools.
Goodreads says this is fiction but it’s like 75% non fiction so I choose to disagree.
Goodreads says this is fiction but it’s like 75% non fiction so I choose to disagree.
August 11, 2017
Without making sweeping generalisations most people have childhood memories that contain Roald Dahl. Many of us will have read at least one of his books, seen one of the film adaptations. Some of us may have memories of devouring all of the books of his they could find, one after the other.
I had read Boy years ago and retained a blurred memory of having loved the tales of his childhood, though I wouldn’t have been able to tell you any of those stories. As I read, the memories came back, this time with them, the overwhelming sense of creative mastery. The stories foretell the inspiration behind those works of genius still to come. The testing of chocolate in boarding school sowing the seeds of inspiration for the iconic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or the mouse in the gobstobbers perhaps the idea behind The Witches.
What is clear from this collection is that the reader becomes aware they are reading work from a fine story teller, one who has indeed mastered the craft. Every part of Boy is fascinating, from the history of how his parents met to how he gained the opportunity to go to Africa through his work. He is quite open with how joyous some memories are, and how difficult other periods of his life were to endure.
The other stories in the collection are also interesting to read. The theme of innocence is threaded throughout. This could be the innocence of a bullying victim, the innocence judged on outward appearance or innocence assumed to be lacking in another. Having read Boy first, the inspiration for some of the short stories or indeed on one occasion the possible inspiration for Boy, is apparent. I’m sure there was some cathartic quality to some of the writing but also a lesson being told – ‘this happened to me, just like possibly did to you. I’m still ok, I’ve made a success of my life and you can too’.
There are hints of the darker tones that thread throughout his other novels. Adept at show not tell, undercurrents of threat and malice are generated by the reader, whist the story itself may on first appearance be innocent. This should come as no surprise to most readers familiar with Roald Dahl. He is famous not just for his children’s stories but also for his adult fiction such as Tales of the Unexpected and the memorable short story Lamb to the Slaughter. Even his children’s books feature threatening enemies, warnings of the results of being spoiled and situations that boarder on child neglect.
Innocence is part of a new collection being reissued by Penguin. Together with Fear, Trickery and War the quartet has been curated with further works by Dahl and by authors he admired and given covers featuring striking artwork by Charming Baker.
Reading Innocence reawakened in me the love of Roald Dahl’s work. Granted this wasn’t love that was very dormant as I am now at the stage of encouraging my children to read his work, or at least have it read to them. As I read more of Boy and the other short stories I realised just how important his stories were to my childhood and the millions of other children who have read his books over the years. The genius of storytelling is, to me, to be able to engage a diverse audience, to hold them rapt, whatever their background. To have your stories told for decades after they were written and for new audiences to fall in love with them. To be able to draw a reader completely into a world that they are immersed. I hate to use the word genius lightly but in Roald Dahl’s case it is a title to which is justly warranted. Innocence is a glimpse into that genius, one that made me want to re-read more of his tales. Highly recommended.
I had read Boy years ago and retained a blurred memory of having loved the tales of his childhood, though I wouldn’t have been able to tell you any of those stories. As I read, the memories came back, this time with them, the overwhelming sense of creative mastery. The stories foretell the inspiration behind those works of genius still to come. The testing of chocolate in boarding school sowing the seeds of inspiration for the iconic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or the mouse in the gobstobbers perhaps the idea behind The Witches.
What is clear from this collection is that the reader becomes aware they are reading work from a fine story teller, one who has indeed mastered the craft. Every part of Boy is fascinating, from the history of how his parents met to how he gained the opportunity to go to Africa through his work. He is quite open with how joyous some memories are, and how difficult other periods of his life were to endure.
The other stories in the collection are also interesting to read. The theme of innocence is threaded throughout. This could be the innocence of a bullying victim, the innocence judged on outward appearance or innocence assumed to be lacking in another. Having read Boy first, the inspiration for some of the short stories or indeed on one occasion the possible inspiration for Boy, is apparent. I’m sure there was some cathartic quality to some of the writing but also a lesson being told – ‘this happened to me, just like possibly did to you. I’m still ok, I’ve made a success of my life and you can too’.
There are hints of the darker tones that thread throughout his other novels. Adept at show not tell, undercurrents of threat and malice are generated by the reader, whist the story itself may on first appearance be innocent. This should come as no surprise to most readers familiar with Roald Dahl. He is famous not just for his children’s stories but also for his adult fiction such as Tales of the Unexpected and the memorable short story Lamb to the Slaughter. Even his children’s books feature threatening enemies, warnings of the results of being spoiled and situations that boarder on child neglect.
Innocence is part of a new collection being reissued by Penguin. Together with Fear, Trickery and War the quartet has been curated with further works by Dahl and by authors he admired and given covers featuring striking artwork by Charming Baker.
Reading Innocence reawakened in me the love of Roald Dahl’s work. Granted this wasn’t love that was very dormant as I am now at the stage of encouraging my children to read his work, or at least have it read to them. As I read more of Boy and the other short stories I realised just how important his stories were to my childhood and the millions of other children who have read his books over the years. The genius of storytelling is, to me, to be able to engage a diverse audience, to hold them rapt, whatever their background. To have your stories told for decades after they were written and for new audiences to fall in love with them. To be able to draw a reader completely into a world that they are immersed. I hate to use the word genius lightly but in Roald Dahl’s case it is a title to which is justly warranted. Innocence is a glimpse into that genius, one that made me want to re-read more of his tales. Highly recommended.
June 23, 2022
It is a refreshing shift of genre from Roald Dahl. I love his child literature books, especially Matilda. Even then, I know he is capable of wide range of book genres and this is one good example of it.
Classic might be intimidating, but this one is not. The writing is straightforward, but full of meaning. Though it is not complex, this book boldly speaks about the theme of innocence through stages of life.
What still left as mystery to me is the author's statement that this is not his autobiography. A rather odd statement because this book is a piece of his life. My take is because the events being retold does not necessarily revolves around him, but rather a combinations of events (both fictional and non fiction ones) crafted beautifully into a book.
It is a beautiful book. Perhaps rather ironic, considering the book's whole theme. I find it fresh and captivating, though there are several moments where I get wildly spooked while talking about human nature.
My only objections i guess is the plotting. I guess its a bit scattered because it alternates between fiction and non fiction ones. This might be preferential, but the book is still pretty wholesome.
Classic might be intimidating, but this one is not. The writing is straightforward, but full of meaning. Though it is not complex, this book boldly speaks about the theme of innocence through stages of life.
What still left as mystery to me is the author's statement that this is not his autobiography. A rather odd statement because this book is a piece of his life. My take is because the events being retold does not necessarily revolves around him, but rather a combinations of events (both fictional and non fiction ones) crafted beautifully into a book.
It is a beautiful book. Perhaps rather ironic, considering the book's whole theme. I find it fresh and captivating, though there are several moments where I get wildly spooked while talking about human nature.
My only objections i guess is the plotting. I guess its a bit scattered because it alternates between fiction and non fiction ones. This might be preferential, but the book is still pretty wholesome.
September 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It is very well written and just seems to flow really well. Another great example of the good old days not really being the good old days unless you were lucky enough to be born into the right family. I felt like giving him a high five when the writing he did by chance was published. While I think the pendulum has swing too far in the opposite direction, it certainly needed to swing away form the situation in schools back in the day. A great read.
April 1, 2020
"A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom".
November 20, 2020
The more I learn about the life of Roald Dahl, the more the fascination grows for such a colourful character. His storytelling remains sublime in every tale.
November 25, 2023
Boy was by far the highlight of this collection. But by the end, the graphic descriptions of being caned by Bowsers and teachers started to get really repetitive.
January 28, 2021
It's so weird whenever I read a Roald Dahl book I feel I've read it before. This was an origin book which has influenced some of his work and it was interesting how it all unfolded. Roald Dahl has a very endearing way of writing, where I have nothing in common with him, and sometimes of things which I wouldn't normally be interested in too, but he uses a certain thread of humanity to weave it together. A very good choice and read.
October 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐ Kivoja kertomuksia Dahlin lapsuudesta ja formatiivisista muistoista. Samalla hauska katsaus varsin erilaiseen aikakauteen ja koulumaailmaan. Lopussa myös pari novellia, joissa näkyy oikean elämän inspiraatiot
September 13, 2017
Innocence features autobiographical stories in Boy which tells of Dahl's own childhood and of the relationship he had with his family. There are also tantalising glimpses of the burgeoning writer in various references to those seeds of ideas which would germinate in later years and become stories we recognise.
There are four other short stories in this book which Dahl had published in various publications. All reiterate the theme of Innocence :
Taste in The New Yorker in 1951
Galloping Foxley in Town & Country in 1953
The Landlady in The New Yorker in 1959
Lucky Break in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar in 1977
March 24, 2018
Disappointed that most of this book is actually 'Boy'. I thought it was a collection of short stories rather than an autobiography.
January 3, 2021
A collection of 5 stories, 2 being autobiographical and the rest being fictional.
1. Boy
The first autobiography of the lot. Up there with the best autobiographies I’ve ever read.
Tells the tale of how his father ended up in France and then Wales, how his mother coped with his father’s and sister’s deaths, how he thought he’d ‘murdered’ a Mrs Pratchett, his life at school, his time in Norway on summer holidays, and how he ended up working for Shell.
One of the notable parts of this autobiography is Roald Dahl sharing about life at St Peter’s and Repton. Education now may be different to how it was back then, but goodness me, the hypocrisy of the headmasters were ridiculous. They ran these schools like bullies, one such example is caning students even due to minor things.
Can’t really blame Dahl for doubting the existence of God because of what he had witnessed the supposedly men of God did as headmasters. The very same headmasters went on to become archbishops!
2. Taste
This short story tells the tale of innocence and seemingly utter foolishness of a man. I was on the edge of my seat reading the latter parts of this story.
The narrator and his wife went for dinner at the house of their friend, Mike Schofield. They were joined by Mike’s wife and daughter, and Richard Pratt, a gourmet. This Richard Pratt was a man who describes wine he tastes with amusing words.
Throughout dinner, Richard tried to converse with Mike’s daughter, Louise, but his attempt was fruitless.
Usually at the Schofields, Mike and Richard will bet on the name of the wine they’re drinking.
After the second course of dinner has been consumed, Mike went to retrieve a claret from his study. He told Richard that guessing the name of such claret is difficult. They settled on a bet. Richard wants Mike’s daughter’s hand in marriage, to the horror of Mike’s wife and daughter. Mike kept his composure and felt way beyond confident that Richard will lose the bet. Mike wants two of Richard’s houses if he wins.
Much is at stake. One that has sipped many fine wine and has a good taste might actually be a distasteful person.
3. Galloping Foxley
A story about a man recalling memories of a bully he knew while at Repton. It’s got that autobiographical feel to it. It could even be inspired by a true story.
William Perkins was on the train to Cannon Street station as he always has been every week for the last 36 years. He enjoyed his routine, observing the people around him and even seeing some familiar faces frequently. Perhaps it’s fair to say the routine kept his life organised.
One morning, taking the same train, he noticed a handsome man, probably around his age. He thought to himself, this man looks familiar, but he just can’t recall who it may be. He kept stealing looks at the man but still he can’t make out who it is. The next time he was on the train, the very same man is here yet again, this time in the same compartment as him.
This time, he thought about the cane the man brought with him. It occurred to him that this man is Galloping Foxley! This brought a recalling of his memories from nearly 50 years ago.
How did it all started? Back in 1907, William’s father was dropping him off at a station. William was heading to Repton. The station was hectic! In the middle of it, Foxley was rushing through the crowd and pushed William’s father with force. William’s father is a courteous man, and he didn’t take this push lightly. He quickly grabbed hold of Foxley and asked him, ‘Don’t they teach you better manners than that at this school, young man?’. And from that moment onwards, Galloping Foxley tormented William Perkins throughout their time at Repton.
Now now, fast forward to the present. Is the man with the cane Galloping Foxley? I’ll leave it here. 😉
4. The Landlady
I had read this in Deception, no point leaving another review here.
5. Lucky Break
An autobiography smaller than Boy. The first couple of pages really don’t feel relevant to how he started writing, but a good read nonetheless.
We wouldn’t have all these stories to read if it weren’t for C.S. Forester visiting Roald Dahl in Washington after the second world war.
1. Boy
The first autobiography of the lot. Up there with the best autobiographies I’ve ever read.
Tells the tale of how his father ended up in France and then Wales, how his mother coped with his father’s and sister’s deaths, how he thought he’d ‘murdered’ a Mrs Pratchett, his life at school, his time in Norway on summer holidays, and how he ended up working for Shell.
One of the notable parts of this autobiography is Roald Dahl sharing about life at St Peter’s and Repton. Education now may be different to how it was back then, but goodness me, the hypocrisy of the headmasters were ridiculous. They ran these schools like bullies, one such example is caning students even due to minor things.
Can’t really blame Dahl for doubting the existence of God because of what he had witnessed the supposedly men of God did as headmasters. The very same headmasters went on to become archbishops!
2. Taste
This short story tells the tale of innocence and seemingly utter foolishness of a man. I was on the edge of my seat reading the latter parts of this story.
The narrator and his wife went for dinner at the house of their friend, Mike Schofield. They were joined by Mike’s wife and daughter, and Richard Pratt, a gourmet. This Richard Pratt was a man who describes wine he tastes with amusing words.
Throughout dinner, Richard tried to converse with Mike’s daughter, Louise, but his attempt was fruitless.
Usually at the Schofields, Mike and Richard will bet on the name of the wine they’re drinking.
After the second course of dinner has been consumed, Mike went to retrieve a claret from his study. He told Richard that guessing the name of such claret is difficult. They settled on a bet. Richard wants Mike’s daughter’s hand in marriage, to the horror of Mike’s wife and daughter. Mike kept his composure and felt way beyond confident that Richard will lose the bet. Mike wants two of Richard’s houses if he wins.
Much is at stake. One that has sipped many fine wine and has a good taste might actually be a distasteful person.
3. Galloping Foxley
A story about a man recalling memories of a bully he knew while at Repton. It’s got that autobiographical feel to it. It could even be inspired by a true story.
William Perkins was on the train to Cannon Street station as he always has been every week for the last 36 years. He enjoyed his routine, observing the people around him and even seeing some familiar faces frequently. Perhaps it’s fair to say the routine kept his life organised.
One morning, taking the same train, he noticed a handsome man, probably around his age. He thought to himself, this man looks familiar, but he just can’t recall who it may be. He kept stealing looks at the man but still he can’t make out who it is. The next time he was on the train, the very same man is here yet again, this time in the same compartment as him.
This time, he thought about the cane the man brought with him. It occurred to him that this man is Galloping Foxley! This brought a recalling of his memories from nearly 50 years ago.
How did it all started? Back in 1907, William’s father was dropping him off at a station. William was heading to Repton. The station was hectic! In the middle of it, Foxley was rushing through the crowd and pushed William’s father with force. William’s father is a courteous man, and he didn’t take this push lightly. He quickly grabbed hold of Foxley and asked him, ‘Don’t they teach you better manners than that at this school, young man?’. And from that moment onwards, Galloping Foxley tormented William Perkins throughout their time at Repton.
Now now, fast forward to the present. Is the man with the cane Galloping Foxley? I’ll leave it here. 😉
4. The Landlady
I had read this in Deception, no point leaving another review here.
5. Lucky Break
An autobiography smaller than Boy. The first couple of pages really don’t feel relevant to how he started writing, but a good read nonetheless.
We wouldn’t have all these stories to read if it weren’t for C.S. Forester visiting Roald Dahl in Washington after the second world war.
December 18, 2022
Roald Dahl. I bought this book because i remembered the discontented feeling left in my heart when i failed to finish reading one of his book of short stories many years back. probably before i was 18.
so when i caught sight of this 8 book collection of his, i decided to buy 1/8 and wondered how it would make me feel.
Innocence - chosen because i wanted something not too heavy to read.
it turned out to be one of the most exciting autobiography books i’ve read. about 80% of this book is about his life and the rest are fictions by Dahl which i think he wrote based on his experiences.
that’s why some of the stories compiled in this book are repetitive.
nevertheless, im glad to read his book again. he left me with the mysterious feeling i felt years back when i read some of his short stories.
his experience shared in this book when he was in Repton and the school before it, is what made my heart unsettled with how, back on those eras, such unfair and heartless teachers/headmasters could call themselves ‘educators’ and how bullying was a trend on those days. sigh.
but yeah, what an interesting life Dahl had lived. perhaps, that’s one of the reasons he’s labelled as world’s #1 storyteller.
of course, recommended!
so when i caught sight of this 8 book collection of his, i decided to buy 1/8 and wondered how it would make me feel.
Innocence - chosen because i wanted something not too heavy to read.
it turned out to be one of the most exciting autobiography books i’ve read. about 80% of this book is about his life and the rest are fictions by Dahl which i think he wrote based on his experiences.
that’s why some of the stories compiled in this book are repetitive.
nevertheless, im glad to read his book again. he left me with the mysterious feeling i felt years back when i read some of his short stories.
his experience shared in this book when he was in Repton and the school before it, is what made my heart unsettled with how, back on those eras, such unfair and heartless teachers/headmasters could call themselves ‘educators’ and how bullying was a trend on those days. sigh.
but yeah, what an interesting life Dahl had lived. perhaps, that’s one of the reasons he’s labelled as world’s #1 storyteller.
of course, recommended!
April 20, 2024
This is the 5th of a collection of 8 compiled short stories by Roald Dahl - most of which so far I have loved. However the premise for “Innocence” is a little different - there are only three short stories, an essay by Dahl on how the vocation of him being a writer came to be and the bulk of the book are excerpts from “Boy” - an autobiographical interpretation of his early years.
I found “Boy” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ a joy to read, so warm with many funny relics. For those who don’t know Dahl was born to Norwegian parents in Wales (when I read his books as a child I was convinced that Roald was a Welsh name don’t come for me 🏴)and I loved the cross-cultural accounts of a childhood in the British private schooling system and summers in the Norwegian countryside.
So wanted this to be the first of the Dahl short story collections to be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and if it was to be merited alone on “Boy” it would. The short stories were penned in Dahl’s gloriously sinister style, which for me didn’t fit the theme of “innocence”. All of the endings were a bit oblique and left at the readers interpretation, which at the end of every short story of the book is a bit annoying. The finishing essay was such an entertaining read but felt a bit monotonous as many of the themes of “Boy” were repeated.
I found “Boy” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ a joy to read, so warm with many funny relics. For those who don’t know Dahl was born to Norwegian parents in Wales (when I read his books as a child I was convinced that Roald was a Welsh name don’t come for me 🏴)and I loved the cross-cultural accounts of a childhood in the British private schooling system and summers in the Norwegian countryside.
So wanted this to be the first of the Dahl short story collections to be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and if it was to be merited alone on “Boy” it would. The short stories were penned in Dahl’s gloriously sinister style, which for me didn’t fit the theme of “innocence”. All of the endings were a bit oblique and left at the readers interpretation, which at the end of every short story of the book is a bit annoying. The finishing essay was such an entertaining read but felt a bit monotonous as many of the themes of “Boy” were repeated.
May 30, 2020
Roald Dahl sates he does not like to write non-fiction- which is probably why the beginning of this book is written so direct, and plainly. "Innocence" is a combination of autobiography and a few short stories, starting with the former. The inclusion of the fictional pieces provide a juxtaposition that really highlights his talents as a fiction writer providing the rich detail and imagery that the first section did not.
The autobiographic content provides insight into Dahl's story writing success. The old adage, "write what you know" applies here. He has actually experienced many of the elements that appear in his later fiction work (abuse at boarding school, tyrannical adults, an obsession with candy...). The fictional stories are included for the reader to draw these parallels between his life and his story telling.
The last chapter circles back to his autobiography where he details how he came to be a writer. It is a journey that seems both unlikely and destined. Definitely worth a read, especially for aspiring writers.
The autobiographic content provides insight into Dahl's story writing success. The old adage, "write what you know" applies here. He has actually experienced many of the elements that appear in his later fiction work (abuse at boarding school, tyrannical adults, an obsession with candy...). The fictional stories are included for the reader to draw these parallels between his life and his story telling.
The last chapter circles back to his autobiography where he details how he came to be a writer. It is a journey that seems both unlikely and destined. Definitely worth a read, especially for aspiring writers.
May 25, 2021
First ever book by Roald Dahl that I have ever read!
I’ve fallen in love with the way he writes his stories and it instantly, somehow, reminded me of Kate Dicamillo. Maybe its due to the tone of playfulness. Its a shame I haven’t read of his children books yet! I’ve watched movies based on them though and I have to say I love how quirky the plot are yet enjoyable. I bet the books are much better hehe.
In this book we get to read stories and autobiographies by him on how one loses their innocence. This is not a newly written story. Its just a compilation of stories written by him which focuses on losing innocence.
The two autobiographies excrept in this book were quite similar but the second one was more focused towards his life as an adult. Its great that I got to know how Dahl became an author. Such an inspiring and delightful story.
The other 3 stories were great too and I love reading them. I loved the revelation at the end of every story. There is no denying he is a talented writer indeed. He knows how build up a story despite it being a short one.
I’ve fallen in love with the way he writes his stories and it instantly, somehow, reminded me of Kate Dicamillo. Maybe its due to the tone of playfulness. Its a shame I haven’t read of his children books yet! I’ve watched movies based on them though and I have to say I love how quirky the plot are yet enjoyable. I bet the books are much better hehe.
In this book we get to read stories and autobiographies by him on how one loses their innocence. This is not a newly written story. Its just a compilation of stories written by him which focuses on losing innocence.
The two autobiographies excrept in this book were quite similar but the second one was more focused towards his life as an adult. Its great that I got to know how Dahl became an author. Such an inspiring and delightful story.
The other 3 stories were great too and I love reading them. I loved the revelation at the end of every story. There is no denying he is a talented writer indeed. He knows how build up a story despite it being a short one.
May 27, 2021
In this book, there are two autobiographical stories and three fictional ones and I'm going to review them one by one.
1. Boy - pretty much about the author's childhood and the treatment of kids in boarding school which was pretty terrible as they're only children.
2. Taste - a father who broke his daughter's trust by thinking he could win against another man on a huge bet.
3. Galloping Foxley - about a man who encountered his own bully from his childhood. Was he really the person who bullied him before? You have to find out yourself *winks*
4. The Landlady - a young man who feels the attraction to stay at one humble place owned by an ancient kind hearted lady who has plans that he doesn't know anything about.
5. Lucky Break - the author revealed how he became an author of children books which actually started pretty interesting and non fictitious.
My personal favourite would be The Landlady because it is very ominous until the end. Had to give 4/5 because I wasn't really enjoyed one of the fictional stories.
1. Boy - pretty much about the author's childhood and the treatment of kids in boarding school which was pretty terrible as they're only children.
2. Taste - a father who broke his daughter's trust by thinking he could win against another man on a huge bet.
3. Galloping Foxley - about a man who encountered his own bully from his childhood. Was he really the person who bullied him before? You have to find out yourself *winks*
4. The Landlady - a young man who feels the attraction to stay at one humble place owned by an ancient kind hearted lady who has plans that he doesn't know anything about.
5. Lucky Break - the author revealed how he became an author of children books which actually started pretty interesting and non fictitious.
My personal favourite would be The Landlady because it is very ominous until the end. Had to give 4/5 because I wasn't really enjoyed one of the fictional stories.
January 16, 2021
This book is my first Roald Dahl read and I loved it. I’d always thought he was a writer of children’s stories but now through this book I know he also wrote stories for adults.
‘Boy’, Dahl’s autobiography of his formative years and coming of age, first published in 1984, takes up more than half of the book. The story spans from his birth and his school years to his first job and overseas posting, with reminiscences of the adventures and mischiefs of his growing-up years, his close bond with his mother, whom he wrote to weekly when he was away from home, and more. It is for me a fascinating read.
Besides ‘Boy’, four other stories make up the rest of the book. These deal with how innocence could be lost through the challenges of growing up. These stories demonstrate Dahl’s finesse in penning stories that hold one’s attention with an unexpected twist at the end.. He’s indeed a consummate storyteller.
‘Boy’, Dahl’s autobiography of his formative years and coming of age, first published in 1984, takes up more than half of the book. The story spans from his birth and his school years to his first job and overseas posting, with reminiscences of the adventures and mischiefs of his growing-up years, his close bond with his mother, whom he wrote to weekly when he was away from home, and more. It is for me a fascinating read.
Besides ‘Boy’, four other stories make up the rest of the book. These deal with how innocence could be lost through the challenges of growing up. These stories demonstrate Dahl’s finesse in penning stories that hold one’s attention with an unexpected twist at the end.. He’s indeed a consummate storyteller.
February 17, 2024
Although I loved the first two-thirds of this book, which is a well organized, chronological memoir, it slips a bit by including some short stories that in some cases are interesting because they relate to Dahl’s autobiography, but in others seem totally arbitrary choices.
Much more frustrating is the decision to include bad grainy photographs of microscopic hand-scrawled fragments ripped from Dahl’s letters and journals. Even under a magnifying glass, trying to decipher the scrawly, badly reproduced cursive writing is a real irritant. Put fewer of these in the book, and make them at least legible!
Lastly, even at 270 pages, the book is endlessly repetitive about beatings at British boy’s schools. You’ll be reading more or less the same paragraphs concerning beatings with a cane three or four times in this book.
Much more frustrating is the decision to include bad grainy photographs of microscopic hand-scrawled fragments ripped from Dahl’s letters and journals. Even under a magnifying glass, trying to decipher the scrawly, badly reproduced cursive writing is a real irritant. Put fewer of these in the book, and make them at least legible!
Lastly, even at 270 pages, the book is endlessly repetitive about beatings at British boy’s schools. You’ll be reading more or less the same paragraphs concerning beatings with a cane three or four times in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2021
Innocence contained a few short stories written by Roald Dahl. The first part was a story about the author's childhood memories. It was very interesting as it showed a glimpse of his childhood time which I found fascinating. I even smiled as I read it because somehow it also reminded me of my own childhood memory. Reading the story, made me walk through the memory lane of my own. The fun fact is I just know that he is the author of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory! Of course, he also tells the story of how he got the idea for the famous book in the first part. Rest of the part I will not write it here as I don't want to become a spoiler but I promised you, this book definitely worth your time to read.
I totally enjoyed this book <3
I totally enjoyed this book <3
January 28, 2023
Roald Dahl was a master of the short story form, and in this collection some of his stories about innocence and guile have been collected together and republished. The choice of stories, focussing on school days, actually make some of the themes repetitive, so I wonder if these works would be better read in their origial collections rather than this one - although, on the other hand, the autobiographical material from Boy sits nicely alongside some of his fictional short stories, allowing th ereader to see the semi-autobiographical nature of much of his work.
Only one of these stories was new to me, but I hadn't read any of them in years, and it was good to read them again.
Roald Dahl doesn't disappoint.
Only one of these stories was new to me, but I hadn't read any of them in years, and it was good to read them again.
Roald Dahl doesn't disappoint.
September 10, 2018
The largest part of this book is given over to Roald Dahl’s autobiographical book Boy which I had previously read but some years ago now. If anything I enjoyed this re-reading far more, being charmed all over again by the stories from childhood that would work their way into his books for children. brilliant to read the flashes of inspiration as he plundered his own memories of mice and gobstoppers and chocolate tasting to create the wonders of The Witches and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The illustrations that accompany the stories give us more hints and a glimpse at the author’s Norwegian heritage.
January 27, 2019
Today I took refuge on my sofa from the nasty cold rain outside and treated myself to the first of several books of Roald Dahl’s short stories, recently reissued in thematic collections by Penguin. Like most people, I suspect, I read lots of Dahl when I was small but never progressed to his writing for adults. This particular collection, with its themes of childhood and naivete, includes Dahl’s autobiography Boy (written for children), as well as a group of other short stories (for grown-ups), some of which reflect his own experiences through a fictional lens...
For the review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/01/27/i...
For the review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/01/27/i...
July 2, 2019
I read in English but will write in bahasa
aku suka banget, kukira Roald Dahl jago nulis children story doang, tapi kalo ini tuh lebih ke biografi dia nya sendiri
dari kecil, sekolah pindah2, sampe pertama kali bikin cerita dan orang2 pada suka
semuanya meaningfull, berasa terbang ke Britania Raya zaman sebelum WW2, klasik banget, emaknya sih keren bangeeeett paraaahh gimana dia usaha banget biar Roald Dahl bisa sekolah di sekolah terbaik kkk
ini tuh ga ada puncaknya, kek biografi lainnya, tapi karena dia bisa banget bawa ceritanya jadi ga bosen dan terus penasaran baca lanjutannya, indeed he's a great storyteller
btw sekolah Roald Dahl ceuk akumah kek pesantren WQWQWQWQ
aku suka banget, kukira Roald Dahl jago nulis children story doang, tapi kalo ini tuh lebih ke biografi dia nya sendiri
dari kecil, sekolah pindah2, sampe pertama kali bikin cerita dan orang2 pada suka
semuanya meaningfull, berasa terbang ke Britania Raya zaman sebelum WW2, klasik banget, emaknya sih keren bangeeeett paraaahh gimana dia usaha banget biar Roald Dahl bisa sekolah di sekolah terbaik kkk
ini tuh ga ada puncaknya, kek biografi lainnya, tapi karena dia bisa banget bawa ceritanya jadi ga bosen dan terus penasaran baca lanjutannya, indeed he's a great storyteller
btw sekolah Roald Dahl ceuk akumah kek pesantren WQWQWQWQ
January 17, 2021
I began my life post-army by reading a series of classic literature works. Interspersed between these works were a collection of little-known pieces by Dahl. To be precise, this was an anthology of 'adult works' (simply stories without Dahl's characteristic fantasical elements), across a spectrum of seven topics. But not to be wrong, Dahl still retains his trademark ability to captivate his reader from page to page, simply by creating the most intriguing plots.
'Innocence' deals loosely with stories of boyhood, and growing up, many of them taken from Dahl's own autobiography (Boy).
This is a secret treasure for my friends who grew up on Dahl's writing and long exhausted their supply of his books read.
'Innocence' deals loosely with stories of boyhood, and growing up, many of them taken from Dahl's own autobiography (Boy).
This is a secret treasure for my friends who grew up on Dahl's writing and long exhausted their supply of his books read.
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