Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a Welsh-born English novelist, poet, screenwriter, short-story writer and wartime fighter pilot. He was best known for his children's novels and his children books.

Dahl in 1954

Early life

Dahl was born on 13 September 1916 in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents.^[1] He was educated in England, Llandaff Cathedral School, and then worked in Africa for the Shell Oil Company.^[2] In the Second World War, he was an RAF fighter pilot. It was after an air-crash and "a monumental bash on the head" that he began to write. The crash was the subject of his first published story, "Shot Down Over Libya". He wrote Matilda and The Twits.

Writing

He wanted to become an adult book writer but ended up as a children's book writer. He had a tragic life since his father and oldest sister both died when he was young. Roald Dahl said that the key to his success rested in sympathising with children and realising that to children, parents and school teachers are the enemy.

Dahl wrote many famous children's stories and adult horror stories.^[3] Many of his books and stories have been made into films and television shows all over the world. Among his most popular books are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Witches, The BFG, and Kiss Kiss. Many of his children's books have pictures drawn by Quentin Blake.

Personal life and death

Dahl was married to Patricia Neal from 1953 until they divorced in 1983. They had four daughters (one of whom died before them) and a son. Dahl was married to Felicity Crosland from 1983 until his death. He lived in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. He died on 23 November 1990 in Oxford, from myelodysplastic syndrome, aged 74.

Model Sophie Dahl is his granddaughter.

There is a Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden.^[4]

Books

Title	Year	Scope	Notes
The Gremlins	1943	Children
Sometime Never: A Fable for Supermen	1948	Adult
James and the Giant Peach	1961	Children
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	1964	Children
The Magic Finger	1966	Children	Short book
Fantastic Mr Fox	1970	Children	Short book
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator	1972	Children	Sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Danny, the Champion of the World	1975	Children
The Enormous Crocodile	1978	Children	Short book
My Uncle Oswald	1979	Adult
The Twits	1980	Children	Short book
George's Marvellous Medicine	1981	Children	Short book
The BFG	1982	Children
The Witches	1983	Children
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me	1985	Children	Short book
Matilda	1988	Children
Esio Trot	1990	Children	Short book
The Vicar of Nibbleswick	1991	Children	Short book
The Minpins	1991	Children	Short book

Poems

• Revolting Rhymes
• Dirty Beasts
• Rhyme Stew

Non-fiction

• Boy: Tales of Childhood
• Going Solo