On this Halloween weekend I think it is appropriate to celebrate Roald Dahl, (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990).  British novelist, short story writer, fighter ace and screenwriter.

Not only was guy an insanely prolific writer, he was stylish and tall, 6'6" tall.

Best known for his children’s fiction, e.g. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and The Fabulous Mr. Fox, Roald was a controversial figure in his day and did not receive the accolades he was due until later in his career.  One of his books in particular The Witches has been banned both by Christian and by Wiccan movements for its depiction of witches. No matter what they say, in my estimation the guy was a veritable genius.  Certainly, Stephen King must have been influenced by his writing.

"Dahl's children's tales are usually told from the point of view of a child. They typically involve adult villans and villanesses who hate and mistreat children, and feature at least one "good" adult to counteract the villain(s). Biographers say that these stock characters are likely a reference to the abuse that Dahl stated that he experienced in the boarding schools he attended. They usually contain a lot of black humor and grotesque scenarios, including gruesome violence." Wikipedia.  

Some say these stories were inspired by his own personal and harrowing tales from boarding school 

This year a new "biography” was written about Dahl’s life and career.  He was a complicated person, a celebrated fighter pilot, company man (Shell Oil), intelligence officer, husband (his first wife Actress Patricia Neal) father and writer.  He liked living a stylish and lavish life rubbing shoulders with the literati of the time and Hollywood celebrities. Dahl is also known for a long list of screen plays, some of which are based on his children’s literature.

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Hats off to a tall (6’7”) force in the art world; John Baldessari. John’s exhibition “Pure Beauty” opened on October 20th at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I must say that I am by no means among the cognoscenti of the art world, although I do enjoy the occasional diversion from day to day life offered by a good exhibition. I will leave the sophisticated commentary to the New York Times, but I thought it worthy of a shout out to a fellow tall man (who will turn 80 next year!) and is still in the game. I think John we have a shirt that will fit him… Cheers, John!

I am waiting with baited breath for tall man, Stephen King’s(he’s 6’4” tall by the way) new short story collection Full Dark, No Starsto be released on November 9^th.  I have my hard cover copy on order.  I have a kindle and an i-pod so I could get the electronic version but for me there is still something more sacred about a hard cover.  So, I’m coughing up the dough and waiting for it to arrive from Amazon on November 9^th.

I am a literary snob, and a sucker for a long short story and Stephen King is the master of that form (think Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Misery).  His books are literary masterpieces, albeit contemporary, entertaining themes.  The guy is no slouch, he is productive beyond belief, not only has he produced a record number of stories and novels but he has produced off-spring that seem to be in lock-step with is talent and work ethic.  Check out his tall son, Joseph Hillstrom King, aka Joe Hill’swork, it will not disappoint (he’s also a tall drink of water).  I just wonder what these super tall writers are wearing.

So, if you are a fan of SK or if you like the short story form, line up and get your copy of  Full Dark, No Stars,  Amazonis selling it at a discount.

Publisher’s Weekly Review Below

Eerie twists of fate drive the four longish stories in King’s first collection since Just After Sunset (2008). In “1922,” a farmer murders his wife to retain the family land she hopes to sell, then watches his life unravel hideously as the consequences of the killing suggest a near-supernatural revenge. “Big Driver” tells of an otherwise ordinary woman who discovers her extraordinary capacity for retribution after she is raped and left for dead. “A Good Marriage” explores the aftermath of a wife’s discovery of her milquetoast husband’s sinister secret life, while “Fair Extension,” the book’s most disturbing story, follows the relationship between a man and the best friend on whom he preternaturally shifts all his bad luck and misfortune. As in Different Seasons (1982), King takes a mostly nonfantastic approach to grim themes. Now, as then, these tales show how a skilled storyteller with a good tale to tell can make unsettling fiction compulsively readable. (Nov.) (c) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.