Dahl, Roald 1916–

Dahl, a Welsh-born Englishman, is noted for his tales of grotesque horror. He also writes stories for children. (See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 1-4, rev. ed.)

Perhaps it is because of Dahl's lack of ambition, his indifference to imposing a "vision" on his stories, his lack of obsessions—sexual and otherwise—that he can focus always on the smooth, logical flow of narrative action. Whatever the cause, the stories in his new collection [Selected Stories of Roald Dahl] make clear that … he knows the difference between merely interesting episodes and characters (of which there are many in these stories) and a finished work. [His stories are rather] farfetched but eminently readable and despite their lack of pretension, a great deal more profound in their insight into human nature than much fiction passing as profundity today.

The stories of Roald Dahl … are professional in form and execution—smooth and seamless and totally undisturbing. Dahl writes stories that are almost frightening and almost amusing, crafted along old-fashioned lines of "suspense," peopled with characters who are given proper names and one or two characteristics.