No of Pages: 31 | Reading Time: < 30 Mins

If you’re looking for something nice and short to read, then this one is for you. Parson’s Pleasure first appeared in Esquire Magazine in April 1958. It was later included as part of Roald Dahl’s short story collection Kiss Kiss published in 1960 by American publishing house, Alfred A. Knopf.

In Parson’s Pleasure, Roald Dahl tells an interesting story of Mr. Boggis, a knowledgeable antiques dealer with a few dirty tricks up his sleeves. Mr. Boggis owns a small shop in London and loves to explore the countryside in search of bargains. On these trips, he would pose as a clergyman intending to deceive unsuspecting homeowners into selling their rare commodities, which he often acquires at unreasonably low prices to resell at handsome profits. The beginning of the story is slow, but quickly picks up when Mr. Boggis starts coming across unique pieces of furniture and meets unusual characters along the way.

“It couldn’t be true, not possibly! But the longer he stared, the more true it began to seem.”

Parson’s Pleasure, Roald Dahl

This is another one of Roald Dahl’s work that is nicely written and engaging. It’s a brilliant story with a surprising ending. It serves as a great reminder to never fully trust a stranger, no matter what he wears!