This is arguably Dahl’s most famous short story. Mary Maloney is a gentle, loving, and heavily pregnant wife who spends her evenings waiting for her husband, Patrick, a police detective. One night, Patrick comes home early and, without looking at her, tells Mary that he is leaving her. He gives no real reason, but his cold, detached tone shatters her.
Below is a chapter-by-chapter summary (resumen por capítulos) of the key stories in the collection: taste and other tales resumen por capitulos
The story follows Mrs. Foster as she prepares for a six-week trip to Paris to visit her daughter and grandchildren. She is terrified of missing her flight. Her husband, knowing this, dawdles, refuses to hurry, and at the last minute, says he cannot find his keys to the front door – which he has deliberately hidden. After a frantic half-hour, he “finds” them. Mrs. Foster makes her flight but is deeply shaken. This is arguably Dahl’s most famous short story
This story is a darkly comic satire of high-society artists and critics. Sir Basil Turton is a famous portrait painter, wealthy and celebrated. His wife, Lady Turton, is elegant but bored. The narrator, John Bannister, is a journalist and friend of the family. He gives no real reason, but his cold,
The perfect crime; the vulnerability of domesticity turned sinister.
At a dinner party, the critic Thomas Royce is present. Sir Basil asks for his honest opinion. Royce, a brilliant but cruel man, looks at the painting and says nothing. He refuses to comment. This enrages Sir Basil, who insists. Finally, Royce says, “It’s a remarkable painting, Basil. But it has one defect… The neck is too long.” Sir Basil flies into a rage, accusing Royce of jealousy and philistinism.