Skin

Book Name : Skin
Author : Roald Dahl

What is it about : A collection of short (roughly 15 pages each) stories, all with a slight twist in the end. These stories ranged from a priceless piece of painting (in the form of a tattoo) on a poor man back and how it eventually went on show; a murder committed with a leg of your favourite lamb; an injured pilot out-smarting the nurse and hospital staff and a happy ending for a kind-hearted surgeon when he found his lost treasure in one of the patients.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author demonstrated the full range of skills and techniques in good English story writing - telling these short stores from different stand points through first person, a fly-on-the-wall observer and the classic "once upon a time in Africa...". The story which deserved my pouring the most compliments was the one involving two men trying to drug down the whole wood full of pheasants with laugh-bursting (loud!) consequences ! This one (The Champion Of The World) would stay in my memory for a long time to come.

Would I recommend this book to you : You want a book to humour you, fascinate you, amuse you, this is the one. Read it on a short train ride, between sipping your martini's during a sunset relaxation or too eager to read through the whole lot in one sitting - take your pick !