roald dahl biography website

Biography of Roald Dahl, British Novelist

The Memorable Author of Iconic Children's Novels

Ronald Dumont / Getty Images

• Authors & Texts
• Top Picks Lists
• Study Guides
• Best Sellers
• Plays & Drama
• Shakespeare
• Short Stories
• Children's Books

• M.F.A, Dramatic Writing, Arizona State University
• B.A., English Literature, Arizona State University
• B.A., Political Science, Arizona State University

Roald Dahl (September 13, 1916–November 23, 1990) was a British writer. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II , he became a world-famous author, particularly due to his best-selling books for children.

Fast Facts: Roald Dahl

• Known For:  English author of children's novels and adult short stories
• Born:  September 13, 1916 in Cardiff, Wales
• Parents:  Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl ( née  Hesselberg)
• Died:  November 23, 1990 in Oxford, England
• Education:  Repton School
• Selected Works:   James and the Giant Peach (1961), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970), The BFG (1982), Matilda (1988)
• Spouses:  Patricia Neal (m. 1953-1983), Felicity Crosland (m. 1983)
• Children:  Olivia Twenty Dahl, Chantal Sophia "Tessa" Dahl, Theo Matthew Dahl, Ophelia Magdalena Dahl, Lucy Neal Dahl
• Notable Quote:  “Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

Dahl was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1916, in the district of Llandaff. His parents were Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl (née Hesselberg), both of whom were Norwegian immigrants. Harold had originally immigrated from Norway in the 1880s and lived in Cardiff with his French first wife, with whom he had two children (a daughter, Ellen, and a son, Louis) before her death in 1907. Sofie immigrated later and married Harold in 1911. They had five children, Roald and his four sisters Astri, Alfhild, Else, and Asta, all of whom they raised Lutheran. In 1920, Astri died suddenly of appendicitis, and Harold died of pneumonia only weeks later; Sofie was pregnant with Asta at the time. Instead of returning to her family in Norway, she stayed in the UK, wanting to follow her husband’s wishes to give their children an English education.

As a boy, Dahl was sent to an English public boarding school , St. Peter’s. He was intensely unhappy during his time there, but never let his mother know how he felt about it. In 1929, he moved to Repton School in Derbyshire, which he found equally unpleasant due to the culture of intense hazing and the cruelty with which older students dominated and bullied the younger ones; his hatred for corporal punishment stemmed from his school experiences. One of the cruel headmasters he loathed, Geoffrey Fisher, later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the association somewhat soured Dahl on religion.

Surprisingly, he was not noted as a particularly talented writer during his schoolboy days; in fact, many of his evaluations reflected precisely the opposite. He did enjoy literature, as well as sports and photography. Another of his iconic creations was sparked by his schooling experiences: the Cadbury chocolate company occasionally sent samples of new products to be tested by Repton students, and Dahl’s imagination of new chocolate creations would later turn into his famous Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . He graduated in 1934 and took a job with the Shell Petroleum Company; he was sent as an oil supplier to Kenya and Tanganyika (modern-day Tanzania).

World War II Pilot

In 1939, Dahl was first commissioned by the army to lead a platoon of indigenous troops as World War II broke out . Soon after, however, he switched to the Royal Air Force , despite having very little experience as a pilot, and underwent months of training before he was deemed fit for combat in the fall of 1940. His first mission, however, went badly awry. After being given instructions that later proved to be inaccurate, he wound up crashing in the Egyptian desert and suffering serious injuries that took him out of combat for several months. He did manage to return to combat in 1941. During this time, he had five aerial victories, which qualified him as a flying ace, but by September 1941, severe headaches and blackouts led to him being invalided home.

Dahl attempted to qualify as an RAF training officer, but instead wound up accepting the post of assistant air attaché at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. Although unimpressed and uninterested with his diplomatic posting, he became acquainted with C.S. Forester, a British novelist who was tasked with producing Allied propaganda for American audiences. Forester asked Dahl to write down some of his war experiences to be turned into a story, but when he received Dahl’s manuscript, he instead published it as Dahl had written it. He wound up working with other authors, including David Ogilvy and Ian Fleming, to help promote British war interests, and worked in espionage as well, at one point passing information from Washington to Winston Churchill himself.

The knack for children’s stories that would make Dahl famous first appeared during the war as well. In 1943, he published The Gremlins , turning an inside joke in the RAF (“gremlins” were to blame for any aircraft problems) into a popular story that counted Eleanor Roosevelt and Walt Disney among its fans. When the war ended, Dahl had held the rank of wing commander and squadron leader. Several years after the end of the war, in 1953, he married Patricia Neal, an American actress. They had five children: four daughters and one son.

Short Stories (1942-1960)

• "A Piece of Cake" (published as "Shot Down Over Libya," 1942)
• The Gremlins (1943)
• Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying (1946)
• Sometime Never: A Fable for Superman (1948)
• Someone Like You (1953)
• Kiss Kiss (1960)

Dahl’s writing career began in 1942 with his wartime story. Originally, he wrote it with the title “A Piece of Cake,” and it was bought by The Saturday Evening Post for the substantial sum of $1,000. In order to be more dramatic for war propaganda purposes, however, it was renamed “Shot Down Over Libya,” even though Dahl had not, in fact, been shot down, let alone over Libya. His other major contribution to the war effort was The Gremlins , his first work for children. Originally, it was optioned by Walt Disney for an animated film , but a variety of production obstacles (problems with ensuring the rights to the idea of “gremlins” were open, issues with creative control and RAF involvement) led to the project’s eventual abandonment.

As the war came to an end, he kicked off a career writing short stories, mostly for adults and mostly published originally in a variety of American magazines. In the waning years of the war, many of his short stories remained focused on the war, the war effort, and propaganda for the Allies. First published in 1944 in Harper’s Bazaar , “Beware of the Dog” became one of Dahl’s most successful war stories and eventually was loosely adapted into two different movies.

In 1946, Dahl published his first short story collection. Entitled Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying , the collection includes most of his war-era short stories . They’re notably different from the more famous works he’d later write; these stories were clearly rooted in the wartime setting and were more realistic and less quirky. He also tackled his first (of what would only be two) adult novels in 1948. Some Time Never: A Fable for Supermen was a work of dark speculative fiction, combining the premise of his children’s story The Gremlins with a dystopian future imagining worldwide nuclear war. It was largely a failure and has never been reprinted in English. Dahl returned to short stories, publishing two consecutive short story collections: Someone Like You in 1953 and Kiss Kiss in 1960.

Family Struggles and Children’s Stories (1960-1980)

• James and the Giant Peach (1961)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)
• The Magic Finger (1966)
• Twenty-Nine Kisses from Roald Dahl (1969)
• Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970)
• Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972)
• Switch Bitch (1974)
• Danny the Champion of the World (1975)
• The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More (1978)
• The Enormous Crocodile (1978)
• The Best of Roald Dahl (1978)
• My Uncle Oswald (1979)
• Tales of the Unexpected (1979)
• The Twits (1980)
• More Tales of the Unexpected (1980)

The beginning of the decade included some devastating events for Dahl and his family. In 1960, his son Theo’s baby carriage was hit by a car, and Theo nearly died. He suffered from hydrocephalus, so Dahl collaborated with engineer Stanley Wade and neurosurgeon Kenneth Till to invent a valve that could be used to improve treatment. Less than two years later, Dahl's daughter, Olivia, died at age seven from measles encephalitis. As a result, Dahl became a staunch proponent of vaccinations and he also began questioning his faith—a well-known anecdote explained that Dahl was dismayed at an archbishop’s remark that Olivia’s beloved dog could not join her in heaven and began questioning whether or not the Church really was so infallible. In 1965, his wife Patricia suffered three burst cerebral aneurysms during her fifth pregnancy, requiring her to relearn basic skills like walking and talking; she did recover and eventually returned to her acting career.

Meanwhile, Dahl was becoming more and more involved in writing novels for children. James and the Giant Peach , published in 1961, became his first iconic children’s book, and the decade saw several more publications that would go on to endure for years. His 1964 novel, though, would be arguably his most famous: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . The book received two film adaptations, one in 1971 and one in 2005, and a sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator , in 1972. In 1970, Dahl published The Fantastic Mr. Fox , another of his more famous children’s stories.

During this time, Dahl continued to turn out short story collections for adults as well. Between 1960 and 1980, Dahl published eight short story collections, including two “best of” style collections. My Uncle Oswald , published in 1979, was a novel using the same character of the lecherous “Uncle Oswald” who featured in a few of his earlier short stories for adults. He also continuously published new novels for children, which soon surpassed the success of his adult works. In the 1960s, he also briefly worked as a screenwriter, most notably adapting two Ian Fleming novels into films: the James Bond caper You Only Live Twice and the children’s movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang .

Later Stories for Both Audiences (1980-1990)

• George's Marvelous Medicine (1981)
• The BFG (1982)
• The Witches (1983)
• The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (1985)
• Two Fables (1986)
• Matilda (1988)
• Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Country Stories of Roald Dahl (1989)
• Esio Trot (1990)
• The Vicar of Nibbleswick (1991)
• The Minpins (1991)

By the early 1980s, Dahl’s marriage to Neal was falling apart. They divorced in 1983, and Dahl remarried that same year to Felicity d’Abreu Crosland, an ex-girlfriend. Around the same time, he caused some controversy with his remarks centered on Tony Clifton's picture book  God Cried , which depicted the siege of West Beirut by Israel during the 1982 Lebanon War. His comments at the time were widely interpreted as antisemitic , although others in his circle interpreted his anti-Israel comments as non-malicious and more targeted at the conflicts with Israel.

Among his most famous later stories are 1982’s The BFG and 1988’s Matilda . The latter book was adapted into a much-beloved film in 1996, as well as an acclaimed stage musical in 2010 on the West End and 2013 on Broadway. The last book released while Dahl was still alive was Esio Trot , a surprisingly sweet children’s novel about a lonely old man trying to connect with a woman he has fallen in love with from afar.

Literary Styles and Themes

Dahl was far and away best known for his very particular and unique approach to children’s literature . Certain elements in his books are easily traced to his ugly experiences at boarding school during his youth: villainous, terrifying adults in positions of power who hate children, precocious and observant children as protagonists and narrators, school settings, and plenty of imagination. Although the boogeymen of Dahl’s childhood certainly made plenty of appearances—and, crucially, were always defeated by the children—he also tended to write token “good” adults as well.

Despite being famous for writing for children, Dahl’s sense of style is famously a unique hybrid of the whimsical and the gleefully macabre. It’s a distinctively child-centric approach, but one with a subversive undertone to its obvious warmth. The details of his antagonists’ villainy are often described in childlike but nightmarish detail, and the comic threads in stories such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are laced with dark or even violent moments. Gluttony is a particular target for Dahl’s sharply violent retribution, with several notably fat characters in his canon receiving disturbing or violent ends.

Dahl’s language is notable for its playful style and intentional malapropisms . His books are littered with new words of his own invention, often created by switching around letters or mix-and-matching existing sounds to make words that still made sense, even though they weren’t real words. In 2016, for the centenary of Dahl's birth, lexicographer Susan Rennie created  The Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary , a guide to his invented words and their “translations” or meanings.

Near the end of his life, Dahl was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare cancer of the blood, typically affecting older patients, that occurs when blood cells do not “mature” into healthy blood cells. Roald Dahl died on November 23, 1990, in Oxford, England. He was buried at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Great Missenden, in Buckinghamshire, England, in a fittingly unusual fashion: he was buried with some chocolates and wine, pencils, his favorite pool cues, and a power saw. To this day, his grave remains a popular site, where children and adults alike pay tribute by leaving flowers and toys.

Dahl’s legacy largely dwells in the enduring power of his children’s books. Several of his most famous works have been adapted into several different media, from film and television to radio to stage. It’s not just his literary contributions that have continued to have an impact, though. After his death, his widow Felicity continued his charitable work through the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity, which supports children with various illnesses throughout the UK. In 2008, the UK charity Booktrust and Children's Laureate Michael Rosen joined forces to create The Roald Dahl Funny Prize, awarded annually to authors of humorous children's fiction. Dahl’s particular brand of humor and his sophisticated yet approachable voice for children’s fiction have left an indelible mark.

• Boothroyd, Jennifer.  Roald Dahl: A Life of Imagination . Lerner Publications, 2008.
• Shavick, Andrea.  Roald Dahl: The Champion Storyteller . Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Sturrock, Donald.  Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl , Simon & Schuster, 2010.
• Why We Don't Read
• Biography of Ray Bradbury, American Author
• Biography of John Updike, Pulitzer Prize Winning American Author
• Biography of William Golding, British Novelist
• September Themes, Holiday Activities, and Events for the Classroom
• Controversial and Banned Books
• Biography of Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-American Novelist
• 20 Book Activities to Try With Grades 3-5
• Biography of Ernest Hemingway, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize Winning Writer
• Biography of Franz Kafka, Czech Novelist
• Biography of Salman Rushdie, Master of the Modern Allegorical Novel
• Favorite Children's Stories From Asia
• Biography of Truman Capote, American Novelist
• The 12 Best Short Stories for Middle School Students
• Jack London: His Life and Work
• Biography of Christopher Isherwood, Novelist and Essayist

Biography Online

Roald Dahl Biography

Roald Dahl – (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a best selling British children’s author and a flying ace in the Second World War.

Short Bio Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was born in 1916, Cardiff to Norwegian parents. At a young age, his father passed away, and Roald was sent to boarding schools in England. His childhood years left a lasting impression on Roald, and he later serialised these in his autobiography – Boy .

These times were generally unhappy for Roald; he recounts the excessive strictness, corporal punishment and fear amongst the boys. The brutal canning meted out to boys by both staff, and ‘prefects’ particularly stuck in the mind of the young Dahl.

“All through my school life I was appalled by the fact that masters and senior boys were allowed quite literally to wound other boys, and sometimes very severely.” Roald Dahl

He recounted the fear and pain in great detail. He also mentioned a friend who was flogged – by the then headmaster of Repton, leaving a trail of blood. Roald wrote this headmaster went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury and this is one incident that turned him away from religion and God.

Roald Dahl never really fitted in with the public school ethos of discipline and fags. Fags were young boys who would serve elder prefects – for example, Roald wryly wrote how he was chosen to be the favoured ‘bog warmer’ of his prefect. – His job was to sit on an outside toilet to warm it up for his prefect. Despite excelling at sports, Roald later turned down the opportunity to be a prefect as he admitted he could not agree with the general principles.

The only glimpses of happiness were in the school holidays when he visited the beautiful Norwegian Fjords of his parents’ homeland and also towards the end of his school career when he got his first motorbike.

On leaving school, Roald got a job with Shell Petroleum company and in 1934 he was transferred to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. He enjoyed his job and made good progress. However, on the outbreak of war in August 1939, he soon joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter ace. He gained little training in an old Tiger Moth before being flung into brutal dogfights.

On an early flying mission, Roald Dahl crashed on route to Egypt. He was badly injured and was blinded for several weeks. By February 1941, he was discharged from hospital and was transferred to the Greek Campaign. This was a fight against overwhelming odds as the British forces were outnumbered with only a few aircraft to defend against the German invasion. Roald Dahl was one of the few airmen to survive the bitter dog fighting and was evacuated to Egypt before the fall of Athens. During that time he shot down numerous enemy aircraft, though the exact number was difficult to ascertain. His official figure was confirmed as 5, though this was likely to be more.

After a medical condition, Dahl was invalided back to Britain. For the remainder of the war, he was given a job writing propaganda for the allies. He also supplied intelligence to the British Security Coordination which was part of MI6.

After the war, Dahl began to concentrate more on writing as a career. His first successful story was an account of his crash in Egypt – “A Piece of Cake” – initially published as “Shot down over Libya”. This led to his first children’s book – Gremlins, commissioned by Walt Disney.

He went on to create some of the most memorable children’s books. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda . They set a new tone for children’s books. They often featured a dark sense of humour, grave injustice and grotesque figures (often fat e.g. Augustus Gloop, Bruce Bogtrotter).

“Fairy tales have always got to have something a bit scary for children – as long as you make them laugh as well.” – Roald Dahl

Using elements of semi-autobiography his stories often featured a divide between one or two good people against people who were abusing their positions of power. In books such as Danny The Champion of the World , he introduces elements of class conflict and the triumph of the underdog. His books often had unexpected endings.

In the 1960s, Dahl acquired an old-fashioned gypsy caravan which he parked in his garden where he lived in Great Missenden, Oxfordshire. He used this caravan to write some of his children’s books.

He also wrote short adult short stories, and in the 1960s he also wrote two successful screenplays – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the James Bond film – You Only Live Twice. But, it is primarily for his best selling children’s books that he is remembered. In a poll commissioned by Canon UK, Canon was considered Britain’s greatest storyteller – above both Dickens and J.K.Rowling.

He married Patricia Neal on 2 July 1953 in New York. They had five children during their 30-year marriage.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “ Roald Dahl “, Oxford, UK www.biographyonline.net , 22nd Jan. 2010. Last updated 18 February 2018.

Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl

Storyteller: The Authorized Biography of Roald Dahl at Amazon

Related pages

Accessibility links

• Skip to content
• Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation
• Skip to bbc.co.uk search
• Accessibility Help
• Wales Arts home
• People and genres
• Photo galleries
• Books and literature
• Children's arts
• Musical theatre
• Stage and screen
• Visual arts
• Full site A-Z index
• Children's arts
• Roald Dahl biography

Last updated: 02 February 2010

The best-selling author of children's books including The BFG, The Witches and Matilda.

Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Cardiff, in 1916. His Norwegian parents Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl named him after the explorer Roald Amundsen.

At the age of three, Roald's seven-year-old sister Astri died, just weeks before his father succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 57. Harald wanted his children educated in British schools, so Sofie remained in the country to bring up her six children.

At the age of nine Roald was sent to the Cathedral School in Llandaff, which was a largely unhappy time. Thereafter he was sent to a series of private schools, where he developed interests in literature and photography.

Although his mother expected him to attend university, after school he joined the Shell oil company, where from 1938 he worked in the east African republic of Tanganyika (later Tanzania). During World War Two he served as a fighter pilot, a period documented in another autobiography, Going Solo (1986).

A near fatal crash in north Africa in September 1940, during which he was erroneously sent into no-man's land, inspired Dahl's first published short story, Shot Down Over Libya (1942). He also served in Greece and Syria, ending the war as a Wing Commander.

He began writing after being transferred to Washington as an Assistant Air Attaché, and was soon published by the Saturday Evening Post. However, he was to find greater success as a children's author, with early popular titles including James And The Giant Peach (1961), Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (1964), Fantastic Mr Fox (1970) and Danny The Champion Of The World (1975).

Often illustrated by Quentin Blake, Dahl's children's fiction is most often told from a child's point of view, and usually involve adult villains such as witches or evil relatives. This darkness also appeared in his often macabre short stories for adults, of which he wrote over 60. The most famous of these collections, Tales Of The Unexpected, became a successful TV series.

Dahl also wrote screenplays, for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, and he adapted his own novel for the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

But it is for his children's books that Dahl will always be most remembered, with books such as The Twits (1980), The BFG (1982), The Witches (1983) and Matilda (1988) being essential reading for children.

Roald Dahl died in 1990 at his home in Buckinghamshire, where he is buried. A museum in Great Missenden, honouring his life and work, opened in 2005. His books are widely loved to this day by successive generations of children, and remain fondly remembered by adults.

An animated film based on Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox was released in UK cinemas on 23 October 2009.

In February 2010 the film, directed by Wes Anderson and featuring the voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep, was nominated for two Academy Awards: best Animated Feature Film and best Music (Original Score).

Bookmark this page:

• Stumbleupon

What are these?

• Roald Dahl's school days
• Dahl's daughter Ophelia on his writing
• Dahl's wives on meeting the author

Elsewhere on the BBC

• A look at the fantastic sets of Mr Fox
• Newsround: Fantastic Mr Fox trailer
• Profile on BBC Local
• In pictures: Roald Dahl museum
• BBC Four: Roald Dahl audio interviews
• Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff

Elsewhere on the web

• Roald Dahl's official website
• Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
• Roald Dahl Foundation

BBC Radio 4

The best new books, interviews and lost masterpieces.

Search term:

BBC navigation

• Northern Ireland
• Full A-Z of BBC sites

You're using the Internet Explorer 6 browser to view the BBC website. Our site will work much better if you change to a more modern browser. It's free, quick and easy. Find out more about upgrading your browser here…

• Mobile site
• Terms of Use
• About the BBC
• Contact the BBC
• Parental Guidance

BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.

• World Biography

Roald Dahl Biography

Born: September 13, 1916 Llandaff, South Wales Died: November 23, 1990 Oxford, England Welsh author

A writer of both children's fiction and short stories for adults, Roald Dahl is best known as the author of the 1964 children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (he also wrote the script for the 1971 movie version). Dahl has been described as a master of story construction with a remarkable ability to weave a tale.

A young troublemaker

Roald Dahl was born September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, South Wales, United Kingdom, to Norwegian parents. He spent his childhood summers visiting his grandparents in Oslo, Norway. He was a mischievous child, full of energy, and from an early age he proved himself skilled at finding trouble. His earliest memory was of pedaling to school at a very fast speed on his tricycle, with his two sisters struggling to keep up as he whizzed around curves on two wheels.

After his father died when Dahl was four, his mother followed her late husband's wish that Dahl be sent to English schools. Dahl first attended Llandaff Cathedral School, where he began a series of unfortunate adventures in school. After he and several other students were severely beaten by the principal for placing a dead mouse in a storekeeper's candy jar, Dahl's mother moved him to St. Peter's Boarding School and later to Repton, an excellent private school. Dahl would later describe his school years as "days of horrors" filled with "rules, rules and still more rules that had to be obeyed," which inspired much of his gruesome fiction. Though not a good student, his mother nevertheless offered him the option of attending Oxford or Cambridge University when he finished school. His reply, recorded in his book about his childhood called Boy: Tales of Childhood, was, "No, thank you. I want to go straight from school to work for a company that will send me to wonderful faraway places like Africa or China."

The birth of a writer

After graduating from Repton, Dahl took a position with the Shell Oil Company in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Africa. In 1939 he joined a Royal Air Force training squadron in Nairobi, Kenya, serving as a fighter pilot in the Mediterranean during World War II (1939–45). Dahl suffered severe head injuries in a plane crash near Alexandria, Egypt. Upon recovering he was sent to Washington, D.C., to be an assistant air attache (a technical expert who advises government representatives). There Dahl began his writing career, publishing a short story in the Saturday Evening Post. Soon his stories appeared in many other magazines. Dahl told Willa Petschek in a New York Times Book Review profile that "as I went on, the stories became less and less realistic and more fantastic. But becoming a writer was pure fluke. Without being asked to, I doubt if I'd ever have thought of it."

In 1943 Dahl wrote his first children's story, The Gremlins, and invented a new term in the process. Gremlins were small creatures that lived on fighter planes and bombers and were responsible for all crashes. Through the 1940s and into the 1950s Dahl continued as a short story writer for adults, establishing his reputation as a writer of deathly tales with unexpected twists. His stories earned him three Edgar Allan Poe Awards from the Mystery Writers of America.

Inspired by his children

In 1953 Dahl married Hollywood actress Patricia Neal, star of such movies as The Fountainhead and, later, Hud, for which she won an Academy Award. Although the marriage did not survive, it produced five children. As soon as the children were old enough, Dahl began making up stories for them each night before they went to bed. These stories became the basis for his career as a children's writer, which began seriously with the publication of James and the Giant Peach in 1961. It tells the fantastic tale of a young boy who travels thousands of miles in a house-sized peach with as strange a group of companions as can be found in a children's book. Dahl insisted that having to invent stories night after night was perfect practice for his trade, telling the New York Times Book Review : "Children are … highly critical. And they lose interest so quickly. You have to keep things ticking along. And if you think a child is getting bored, you must think up something that jolts it back. Something that tickles. You have to know what children like."

Controversy

One way that Dahl delighted his readers was to take often vicious revenge on cruel adults who had harmed children, as in Matilda (1988). But even some innocent adults received rough treatment, such as the parents killed in a car crash in The Witches (1983). Many critics have objected to the rough treatment of adults. However, Dahl explained in the New York Times Book Review that the children who wrote to him always "pick out the most gruesome events as the favorite parts of the books.… They don't relate it to life. They enjoy the fantasy." He also said that his "nastiness" was payback. "Beastly people must be punished."

In Trust Your Children: Voices Against Censorship in Children's Literature, Dahl said that adults may be disturbed by his books "because they are not quite as aware as I am that children are different from adults. Children are much more vulgar than grownups. They have a coarser sense of humor. They are basically more cruel." Dahl often commented that the key to his success with children was that he joined with them against adults.

"The writer for children must be a jokey sort of a fellow," Dahl once told Writer. "He must like simple tricks and jokes and riddles and other childish things. He must be … inventive. He must have a really first-class plot."

Why a writer?

Dahl's children's fiction is known for its sudden turns into the fantastic, its fast-moving pace, and its decidedly harsh treatment of any adults foolish enough to cause trouble for the young heroes and heroines. Similarly, his adult fiction often relied on a sudden twist that threw light on what had been happening in the story.

Looking back on his years as a writer in Boy: Tales of Childhood, Dahl contended that "two hours of writing fiction leaves this particular writer absolutely drained. For those two hours he has been miles away, he has been somewhere else, in a different place with totally different people, and the effort of swimming back into normal surroundings is very great. It is almost a shock.… A person is a fool to become a writer. His only [reward] is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it."

Roald Dahl died in Oxford, England, on November 23, 1990.

For More Information

Dahl, Roald. Boy: Tales of Childhood. New York: Farrar, Straus, 1984.

Dahl, Roald. Going Solo. New York: Farrar, Straus, 1986.

Dahl, Roald. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. New York: Knopf, 1977.

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:.

FAMOUS AUTHORS

Roald Dahl was a British novelist, writer of short stories, screen writer and fighter pilot. He was born in Wales in 13th September 1916. Before writing he also served in the Air Force and fought in the World War two. He was a flying ace and also an intelligence agent. Known as one of the greatest storytellers for children, he was in the list of ‘The 50 greatest British writers since 1945’.

Dahl went to The Cathedral School where corporal punishment was common. He also became victim to it several times for his mischievousness. As his father had considered English schools to be the best even after his death his mother abided by his wishes. He was then put into boarding school in England named Saint Peters. His time in Saint Peters is mentioned in his autobiography ‘Boy: Tales of Childhood’. In 1929 Dahl was shifted to Repton School in Derbyshire. This was where his writing skills first became noticed by his English teacher who said:

“I have never met anybody who so persistently writes words meaning the exact opposite of what is intended.”

While he was studying at Repton, the chocolate company ‘Cadbury’ would send boxes of chocolate to there to get tasted. This is where Dahl took inspiration for his most notable work ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ which was published in 1963. Taking inspiration from his life incidence and people he met is very common in his writings. Another example of such inspiration is in his book ‘The Witches’ published in 1983 in which the main character is a Norwegian boy.

In 1934 he started working at the Shell Petroleum Company. After training two years in the UK he transferred to Kenya and then Daar-es-Salaam where he lived a very luxurious life due to his job. After serving in the Second World War, he married Patricia Neal in 1953. They remained married for thirty years and had five children after which they got divorced. His married life was filled with many unfortunate incidences such as the terrible accident of his four month old son and death of his seven years old daughter. His five had three burst cerebral aneurysms while pregnant for the fifth time. After his divorce Dahl married Felicity Crosland.

Dahl’s books involve imagination and fantasy and they were humorous too. His first book for children was ‘The Gremlins’. His book most loved by children is ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. This was made into two films; one was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ in 1971 and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ in 2005. Another famous work is ‘Matilda’ published in 1988 which was made into a movie in 1988. Some other books of Dahl are Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) and the movie in 2009, ‘The Minpins’ (1991), ‘The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me’ (1985). Some short story collections are ‘Roald Book of Ghost Stories’ (1983), ‘Two Fables’ (1986), ‘The Roald Dahl Treasury’ (1997).

Roald Dahl died on 23rd November 1990 due to a blood disease in Oxford, England. There is a Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery opened in his honor.

Buy Books by Roald Dahl

Recent Posts

• 10 Famous Russian Authors You Must Read
• 10 Famous Indian Authors You Must Read
• 10 Famous Canadian Authors You Must Read
• Top 10 Christian Authors You Must Read
• 10 Best Graphic Novels Of All Time
• 10 Best Adult Coloring Books Of All Time
• 10 Best Adventure Books of All Time
• 10 Best Mystery Books of All Time
• 10 Best Science Fiction Books Of All Time
• 12 Best Nonfiction Books of All Times
• Top 10 Greatest Romance Authors of All Time
• 10 Famous Science Fiction Authors You Must Be Reading
• Top 10 Famous Romance Novels of All Time
• 10 Best Children’s Books of All Time
• 10 Influential Black Authors You Should Read
• 16 Stimulating WorkPlaces of Famous Authors
• The Joy of Books

15 Best Roald Dahl Books for Kids and Adults Alike

Explore imaginary worlds and expand horizons with the best books from this well-renowned author.

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

The beloved author is back in the headlines recently for controversial reasons, though. Some of his books, including iconic titles like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach,” are being rewritten by Puffin Books.

This action has been met with much criticism from other beloved children’s book authors including Judy Blume . “I think if Roald Dahl was around, you would be hearing what he thinks about that. Whatever he is, whatever he’s accused of being, there’s a lot of truth there,” she said . “But the books are the books. Kids still love the books, and they love them the way he wrote them. So I don’t believe in that.”

Regardless of your take on the current controversy, one thing is for sure: Roald Dahl wrote classics that have shaped the childhoods of countless readers. We rounded up the best of the best Roald Dahl books you should absolutely have on your bookshelf.

Puffin Books Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Probably the most famous of the Roald Dahl books, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a story that spans multiple generations.

Originally written back in 1964, the story of the honest Charlie Bucket and the four other mischievous children who get to visit Willy Wonka’s factory still resonates with audiences today — because of the timeless tome, yes, but also due to its several film adaptations, including the most recent one starring Johnny Depp.

More: Roald Dahl Wrote 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' During the 'Most Difficult Years of His Life'

Puffin Books Matilda

Is there anything more magical than the classic tale of “Matilda?” An Amazon Teacher’s Pick, this story describes the life of a sweet, exceptional young girl with parents who don’t understand her. It’s available in many formats, including an audiobook read by Kate Winslet. It’s the perfect complement to the new musical that’s currently streaming on Netflix.

imusti The Witches

The first time you met the witches serves as a core memory for many millennials. This classic novel by Roald Dahl speaks to children (and children-at-heart) from any generation. Not your average fairy tale, this one is a bit scary and focuses on the story of The Grand High Witch, her coven, and what they do to children who don’t behave.

Puffin Books James and the Giant Peach

Poor James — his parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros and he’s forced to move in with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. It’s no fun at all there, until one day, when he drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree. Strange things happen and life starts to take an exciting turn for young James. This “peachy” scented edition makes the adventure even more fun.

Puffin Books The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Another classic Roald Dahl book, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” (now also a charming Wes Anderson claymation film by the same name) tells the story of Mr. Fox himself. The sly main character has been stealing from the three meanest farmers around. They’re on a mission to catch him, but Mr. Fox is determined to win at any cost. He has a fantastic plan to get away with it, too.

Puffin Books The Twits

The Twits is Roald Dahl’s story about a gross couple. No, literally: They’re smelly, nasty, and downright mean. They love to play jokes on each other and also treat their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Womps, poorly. But the Muggle-Womps have had enough and are ready to strike back against the Twits.

imusti Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

If you loved “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” you’ll love this follow-up Roald Dahl book.

“Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator” picks up where the first book left off. It details the story of Charlie’s adventure with his family and Willy Wonka, who are all traveling inside the Great Glass Elevator, a thousand feet above the chocolate factory. They can see the whole world below them — but they're not alone.

Everyman's Library The BFG

Another beloved classic book from Roald Dahl, “The BFG” is also a fan-favorite film . It’s the heart-warming tale of Sophie who is snatched from her orphanage bed by the BFG, short for Big Friendly Giant. Sophie is initially afraid that the BFG will eat her, but she ends up joining forces to battle some less gentle giants who threaten the children of Earth.

Puffin Books Danny the Champion of the World

Another unique child experience masterfully described by Roald Dahl, Danny is one of a kind. He lives in a van, is the youngest master car mechanic around, and his best friend is his dad. One night though, Danny discovers a shocking secret that his father never told him and everything seems to change.

Viking Books for Young Readers The Magic Finger

“The Magic Finger” depicts the story of the Gregg family who loves to hunt. Their next-door neighbor, a special little girl, does not like it at all. When she gets angry, she can’t help herself when she turns her magic finger on the Gregg family. Before they know it, they’re transformed in a big way.

Viking Books for Young Readers Going Solo

This Roald Dahl book is actually an autobiographical account of the life of the writer himself before he became the author that we know and love today.

It details his exploits as a World War II pilot, including the daring deeds and fantastic adventures you might not know about this beloved author.

Puffin Books Skin and Other Stories

One of Roald Dahl’s lesser-known books, “Skin and Other Stories” is still one worth having on your bookshelf. It’s a collection of eleven short stories that ask provocative questions. How would you get rid of a murder weapon? Where would you hide a diamond? Roald Dahl gives his spin on these mysterious topics (and more!) in this interesting book.

Puffin Books George's Marvelous Medicine

Another classic often shared in elementary schools, teachers and children alike love “George’s Marvelous Medicine.”

George is with his grandma — who is a horribly grouchy grandma. He takes it upon himself to make a special medicine for her to cure her of this grouchiness. Similar to most Roald Dahl books, hilarity ensues, and the outcome isn’t exactly what George initially expected.

Puffin Books The Enormous Crocodile

Another great use of character development by Road Dahl, this book tells the story of The Enormous Crocodile. He is incredibly hungry and equally greedy. Of course, he loves to eat children, too. He thinks he can’t be stopped, but other animals in the jungle have something to say about that. Soon the Enormous Crocodile learns a lesson he won’t forget.

Penguin Group Roald Dahl 15-Book Box Set

Want to grab all of the essential Roald Dahl books at once? Look no further. This great set of Roald Dahl classics includes many on our list, like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Twits,” and more of the best Roald Dahl books that deserve a spot on your shelf.

Katie McBroom is an award-winning content creator and freelance writer. Prior to contributing to Biography, she served as Content Editor for Google and Beauty Editor for Best Products. Her work has also appeared in publications including CNN, WWD, Business Insider, Forbes, and Men's Health, among others.

8 Revelations from Britney Spears' Memoir

Jada Pinkett Smith’s New Memoir Shocks In More Way

The Best Books About Philosophers

12 Best Prime Day Book Deals to Read Now

10 Best True Crime Books

The Best Memoirs by Musicians

The Best Celebrity-Narrated Books on Audible

The Best Books About Activists to Inspire You

The Best Books About Founding Fathers

The Best Books About Inventors

Best Books About Scientists

Roald Dahl Fans

Fan site for author Roald Dahl (1916-1990)

Welcome to Roald Dahl Fans.com!

This fan website is dedicated to Roald Dahl (1916-1990), one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors. Not only did he create such memorable characters as Willy Wonka , Danny the Champion of the World , and The BFG , but he also had a very successful career writing short stories for adults. This website is devoted to both types of his writing and features resources for everyone from young readers to school teachers to older devotees.

Journalists: If you need a Dahl expert for an interview, just let me know . You can also reach me on Mastodon .

Recent News

• The Roald Dahl rewrite kerfuffle March 5, 2023
• Missing instructions for your Lagoon Game? March 5, 2023
• Don’t try this at home! November 9, 2022
• Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse December 23, 2020
• Dahl family apology for anti-Semitic comments December 13, 2020
• Roald Dahl’s “The Twits” Online September 6, 2020
• Guide to Collecting Dahl First Editions July 10, 2020
• Roald Dahl Stories – with Andy Copps and John Kirk July 5, 2020
• James and the Giant Peach, with Taika and Friends June 21, 2020
• “Gremlins… A Warning!” June 21, 2020
• More news posts…

Recently Updated

• Billy and the Minpins
• James and the Giant Peach
• Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
• Danny the Champion of the World
• Revolting Rhymes
• Dirty Beasts
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Magic Finger

• Español NEW

Roald Dahl facts for kids

Roald Dahl (September 13, 1916 – November 23, 1990) was a British novelist , short-story writer , poet , screenwriter , and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has been called "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century."

Dahl's short stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, often darkly comic mood. His works for children include James and the Giant Peach , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Matilda , The Witches , Fantastic Mr Fox , The BFG , The Twits , The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me , and George's Marvellous Medicine . His adult works include Tales of the Unexpected .

Repton School

After school, fighter pilot, diplomat, writer, and intelligence officer, post-war life, children's fiction, screenplays, recognitions and awards, roald dahl quotes, interesting facts about roald dahl, writing roles, presenting roles, non-presenting appearances, publications.

Roald Dahl was born in 1916 at Villa Marie, Fairwater Road, in Llandaff , Cardiff , Wales , to Norwegians Harald Dahl (1863–1920) and Sofie Magdalene Dahl ( née Hesselberg) (1885–1967). Dahl's father, a wealthy shipbroker, had immigrated to the UK from Sarpsborg. Dahl was named after Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen . His first language was Norwegian, which he spoke at home.

In 1920, when Roald was 3, his older sister Astri died from appendicitis . Several weeks later, his father died of pneumonia at age 57. Later that year, his youngest sister, Asta, was born. Dahl's mother decided to remain in Wales instead of returning to Norway to live with relatives, as her husband had wanted their children to be educated in English schools, which he considered the world's best.

Dahl first attended The Cathedral School, Llandaff. When he was eight, he and four of his friends were punished by the headmaster after putting a dead mouse in a jar of gobstoppers at the local sweet shop, which was owned by a "mean and loathsome" old woman named Mrs. Pratchett. The five boys named their prank the "Great Mouse Plot of 1924." He later used this and other childhood experiences when he wrote about the everlasting gobstopper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

Dahl was transferred to St Peter's boarding school in Weston-super-Mare . He did not like it there, but he did not tell his mother this in his weekly letters to her.

Beginning in 1929, when he was 13, Dahl attended Repton School in Derbyshire. He was never seen as a talented writer in his school years; however, Roald loved literature and photography. He often carried a camera with him wherever he went. Dahl was exceptionally tall, reaching 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) in adult life. He played sports including cricket , football , and golf , and was made captain of the squash team.

During his years at Repton, the Cadbury chocolate company occasionally sent boxes of new chocolates to the school to be tested by the students. Dahl dreamed of inventing a new chocolate bar that would win the praise of Mr. Cadbury himself; this inspired him in writing his third children's book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), and to refer to chocolate in other children's books.

While he was at Repton School, Dahl noticed and disliked the way that older boys were cruel to younger boys. He later wrote about these times in Boy: Tales of Childhood . Some people believe that this is why many of his children's stories are not as happy as most stories. They usually feature adult villains of the child characters. Usually, there are good adults and bad adults in his stories. In Boy: Tales of Childhood , he also wrote about the pleasant times he spent with his mother's family on summer holidays during his childhood and adolescent years.

After finishing his schooling, in August 1934 Dahl crossed the Atlantic on the RMS  Nova Scotia and hiked through Newfoundland with the Public Schools Exploring Society. He also worked for the Shell Petroleum Company. After two years of training, he was assigned to live in Mombasa , Kenya, then to Dar es Salaam in the British colony of Tanganyika (now part of Tanzania). He had a cook and personal servants.

In November 1939, Dahl joined the Royal Air Force as an aircraftman. After his training was complete, he was commissioned as a pilot officer on August 24, 1940. He was judged ready to join a squadron and face the enemy.

On September 19, 1940, Dahl crashed in his aircraft on the territory of Libya. Dahl's skull was fractured and his nose was smashed; he was temporarily blinded. He managed to drag himself away from the blazing wreckage and lost consciousness. It was later revealed that he had mistakenly been sent to the no man's land between the Allied and Italian forces. He wrote about the crash in his first published work.

Dahl had a record of five aerial victories, which qualified him as a flying ace . It is most likely that he scored more than those victories on April 20, 1941, when 22 German aircraft were shot down.

After being sent home because of migraines from his injuries, Dahl was posted to an RAF training camp in Uxbridge . He tried to recover his health enough to become an instructor. In late March 1942, while in London, he met the Under-Secretary of State for Air, Major Harold Balfour, at his club. Impressed by Dahl's war record and his ability to speak well, Balfour appointed Roald as assistant air attaché at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.

During the war, Dahl supplied intelligence from Washington to Prime Minister Winston Churchill . Toward the end of the war, Dahl wrote some of the history of the secret organization.

Dahl married American actress Patricia Neal on July 2, 1953, at Trinity Church in New York City. Their marriage lasted for 30 years and they had five children:

• Olivia Twenty (1955–1962);
• Chantal Sophia "Tessa" (born 1957), who became an author and was the mother of the author, cookbook writer, and former model Sophie Dahl (after whom Sophie in The BFG is named).;
• Theo Matthew (born 1960);
• Ophelia Magdalena (born 1964);
• Lucy Neal (born 1965).

Dahl worked with hydraulic engineer Stanley Wade and London's Great Ormond Street Hospital neurosurgeon Kenneth Till to develop the "Wade-Dahl-Till" (or WDT) valve, a device to improve the shunt used to lessen the pressure of hydrocephalus. He did this because his four-month-old son Theo suffered from hydrocephalus after his baby carriage was hit by a taxicab in New York City. The WDT valve has been used successfully on almost 3,000 children around the world.

In 1962, Dahl lost his daughter Olivia. She died of measles encephalitis at age seven. Three years later, his wife Patricia Neal suffered three burst cerebral aneurysms while pregnant with their fifth child, Lucy. Dahl took care of his wife while she re-learned how to talk and walk.

In 1983, Patricia Neal and Dahl divorced, and Dahl married Felicity d'Abreu Crosland, known as Liccy. She was a set designer that had worked with Patricia.

Dahl titled his first work "A Piece of Cake." It was the story of his wartime adventures. The Saturday Evening Post purchased it for $1,000 ($17,910 in 2024) and published it under the title "Shot Down Over Libya."

His first children's book was The Gremlins , published in 1943, about mischievous little creatures that were part of Royal Air Force folklore. The RAF pilots blamed the gremlins for all the problems with the aircraft. Dahl went on to write some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Matilda , James and the Giant Peach , The Witches , Fantastic Mr. Fox , The BFG , The Twits , and George's Marvellous Medicine . Tim Burton , Steven Spielberg , and Scarlett Johansson say that they have been positively influenced by Roald Dahl's stories.

Dahl also wrote morbid short stories for adults, which often blended humor and innocence with surprising plot twists. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories.

The last book published in his lifetime, Esio Trot , released in January 1990, marked a change in style for the author. Unlike other Dahl works (which often feature tyrannical adults and heroic/magical children), it is the story of an old, lonely man trying to make a connection with a woman he has loved from afar.

Dahl's children's works are usually told from the point of view of a child. They typically involve adult villains who hate and mistreat children, and feature at least one "good" adult to counteract the villain(s). Dahl also features characters who are very fat; they are usually children.

Dahl encouraged his children and his readers to let their imaginations run free. He was famous for his inventive, playful use of language, which was a key element of his writing. He built his new words on familiar sounds. Lexicographer Susan Rennie describes it this way: "You know that something lickswishy and delumptious is good to eat, whereas something uckyslush or rotsome is definitely not!"

For a short time in the 1960s, Dahl wrote screenplays. Two, the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , were adaptations of novels by Ian Fleming. Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was rewritten by David Seltzer and changed to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). Dahl did not like the film. He was angry because the story was changed too much. He said it placed too much emphasis on Willie Wonka and not enough on Charlie.

In his younger days, Roald was an avid reader. He loved fantastic tales of heroism and triumph. His favorite authors were Rudyard Kipling , Charles Dickens , William Makepeace Thackeray , Lewis Carroll , and Frederick Marryat . Their works made a lasting mark on his life and writing.

Dahl said that his mother and her stories also had a strong influence on his writing. She used to tell him traditional Norwegian myths and legends from her native homeland. This helped him to like ghost stories. He based the grandmother character in The Witches on his mother as a tribute .

In 1961, Dahl hosted and wrote for a science fiction and horror television anthology series called Way Out . He also wrote for the satirical BBC comedy show That Was the Week That Was . Between 1979 and 1988, Tales of the Unexpected aired on ITV . The series was originally based on Dahl's short stories.

Death and legacy

Roald Dahl died on November 23, 1990, at the age of 74 of a rare cancer of the blood, myelodysplastic syndrome , in Oxford . He was buried in the cemetery at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden , Buckinghamshire , England. Today, children continue to leave toys and flowers by his grave.

In September 2021, Netflix purchased the Roald Dahl Story Company in a deal worth more than $686 million (£500 million). This is equal to $741 million in 2024.

Some landmarks or items that have been named in honor of Roald Dahl include:

• The Roald Dahl Children's Gallery ,
• The main-belt asteroid 6223 Dahl, discovered by Czech astronomer Antonín Mrkos,
• The Roald Dahl Plass ,
• Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity,
• The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Center ,
• The Roald Dahl Funny Prize,
• "Roald Dahl Day", the anniversary of Dahl's September 13 birthday (celebrated in Africa, the United Kingdom, and Latin America),
• A set of four postage stamps in 2010, and
• A set of six postage stamps in 2012.

• Sixteenth of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 ( The Times )
• One of the world's best-selling fiction authors
• Britain's favorite author (2000)
• On the list of Amazon 's top five best-selling children's authors on the online store (2016)
• The greatest storyteller of all time, ranking ahead of Dickens , Shakespeare , Rowling and Spielberg (2017 UK poll)
• The top-earning dead celebrity ( Forbes 2021)
• "Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
• "Life is more fun if you play games."
• "A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
• So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install a lovely bookshelf on the wall. Then fill the shelves with lots of books."
• "Having power is not nearly as important as what you choose to do with it."
• "If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books."
• Dahl wrote many of his stories in a little shed at the bottom of his garden.
• He never learned to type. He wrote in a red book with a pencil.
• Dahl invented over 250 new and fun words. There is a dictionary (the Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary) that lists his words.
• Many of Dahl’s characters were based on people he had met in real life.
• In 1971, a real man named Willy Wonka wrote to Roald Dahl. He was a postman in Nebraska .
• His nickname in the Royal Air Force (RAF) was "Lofty."
• The famous book James and the Giant Peach was originally going to be called James and the Giant Cherry .

Filmography

• This page was last modified on 23 January 2024, at 22:12. Suggest an edit .

Roald Dahl Biography

Roald Dahl, a British novelist, poet, screenwriter, and short-story writer, is widely recognized as one of the greatest children’s storytellers of the 20th century. After a successful career as a wartime fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force, Dahl turned to writing and enchanted readers with his amazing and humorous stories for children. His best-selling books have been published in over 60 languages, captivating audiences worldwide. While his children’s fiction showcased imaginative plots and playful word coinages, his adult fiction gained acclaim for its unexpected twists and turns. Dahl’s works, including beloved novels like “Matilda” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” have been adapted into successful films and stage plays. Even after his passing, his legacy lives on, inspiring aspiring authors and bringing joy to both children and adults across the globe.

Quick Facts

• British Celebrities Born In September
• Died At Age: 74
• Spouse/Ex-: Felicity Crosland (m. 1983), Patricia Neal (m.1953–1983)
• Father: Harald Dahl
• Mother: Sofie Magdalene Dahl (née Hesselberg)
• Siblings: Alfhild, Astri, Else
• Children: Lucy Dahl, Olivia Twenty Dahl, Ophelia Dahl, Tessa Dahl, Theo Matthew Dahl
• Born Country: Wales
• Quotes By Roald Dahl
• Height: 6’6″ (198 cm), 6’6″ Males
• Died on: November 23, 1990
• Place of death: Oxford, England
• Cause of Death: Myelodysplastic Syndrome
• City: Cardiff, Wales
• Education: Cathedral School, St Peter’s, Weston-super-Mare, Repton School
• 1954 – Edgar Award for Best Short Story
• 1959 – Edgar Award for Best Short Story
• 1980 – Edgar Award for Best Short Story
• 1983 – World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement
• 1993 – CableACE Award for International Children’s Programming Special or Series

Childhood & Early Life

Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, to Norwegian emigrants Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl. After his eldest sister Astri’s death in 1920, his father passed away a few weeks later. Thereafter, his mother stayed back in Wales to get her kids educated at British schools as per Harald’s wish, instead of returning to Norway.

He went to ‘The Cathedral School,’ Llandaff, but due to his mischievous nature, his mother sent him to British-boarding ‘St. Peter’s Preparatory School,’ Weston-super-Mare in 1925. In 1929, he shifted to ‘Repton School,’ Derbyshire where he showed more interest in sports, exceling in football, squash, and fives. He also showed interest in literature and photography.

After completing his schooling in 1934, he took up a job in ‘Shell Petroleum Company’ in Mombasa, Kenya, after two years of training in the UK. Subsequently, he was transferred to Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania. To accomplish his adventurous dreams, he entered the ‘Royal Air Force’ in 1939 as an aircraftsman. Upon completing his training in Nairobi, Kenya, he became an acting pilot officer.

During his term in the Mediterranean in 1940, his plane crashed in Fouka, Libya, injuring his spine and skull, crushing his nose, and blinding him for days. He underwent hip replacement surgery and six spinal surgeries. Following his treatment for months in the hospital, he was discharged in 1941 and resumed his flying duties in Athens, Greece. However, his recurring blinding headaches forced him to leave RAF and return to Britain.

In 1942, he went to Washington DC and became an assistant air attaché in the British Embassy. During his stay in Washington DC, he met novelist C.S. Forester and started his writing career with a short story for ‘The Saturday Evening Post.’ His first children’s picture book ‘The Gremlins’ was published in 1943, followed by a collection of his war stories ‘Over To You’ in 1946. His novel ‘Sometime Never’ was published in 1948.

Apart from writing marvelous stories for kids, he also became an established short-story writer for adults. His books, written for adults, were full of unexpected twists and dark humor. He released his autobiographies ‘Boy: Tales of Childhood’ and ‘Going Solo’ in 1984 and 1986 respectively. He turned down the Order of the British Empire (OBE) during the 1986 ‘New Year Honours.’ It was reported that he turned down the honor as he wanted a knighthood.

Major Works

His second collection of short stories ‘Someone Like You,’ released in 1953, became a huge success. In 1960, he developed a device called ‘Wade-Dahl-Till (WDT) valve’ which helped in treating thousands of children suffering from hydrocephalus. The device helped reduce the cranial pressure. His fourth book ‘Kiss Kiss,’ a collection of short stories, released in 1960. It became a ‘New York Times’ bestseller. A short story titled ‘Pig’ became particularly popular. Some of his best-selling children’s stories include ‘James and the Giant Peach,’ ‘The Twits,’ ‘Matilda,’ ‘The Witches,’ ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine,’ ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ ‘The BFG,’ ‘The Magic Finger,’ and ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.’ His highly acclaimed short story and novel collection for adults include ‘Tales of the Unexpected,’ ‘The Smoker,’ ‘My Uncle Oswald,’ ‘Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories,’ and ‘The Landlady.’

Awards & Achievements

His short stories—‘Someone Like You’ (1954), ‘The Landlady’ (1959), and ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ (1980)—won him three ‘Edgar Allan Poe Awards’ from the ‘Mystery Writers of America.’ In 1983, he received the ‘Whitbread Children’s Book Award’ for ‘The Witches.’ He also received the ‘World Fantasy Award’ for ‘Life Achievement.’ ‘The British Book Awards’ honored him with the ‘Children’s Author of the Year’ in 1990. In 2008, he was ranked 16th on the list of ‘50 greatest British writers since 1945’ by ‘The Times.’

Personal Life & Legacy

He married Patricia Neal, an Oscar-winning Hollywood actress, in 1953 at ‘Trinity Church,’ New York City. The couple had five children – daughter Olivia Twenty (1955), daughter Chantal Tessa (1957), son Theo Matthew (1960), daughter Ophelia Magdalena (1964), and daughter Lucy Neal (1965). In 1960, his four-month old son Theo was severely injured when a taxi hit his baby carriage, leaving him with a brain injury called hydrocephalus. He recovered after undergoing a number of surgeries. In 1962, his eldest daughter Olivia died due to measles encephalitis. He later wrote an open letter ‘Measles: A Dangerous Illness,’ requesting parents to get their kids vaccinated. Patricia suffered three near-fatal strokes in 1965. He stood by her during her rehabilitation and helped her recover completely. Roald and Patricia divorced in 1983. Soon after, he married Felicity ‘Liccy’ Crosland at Brixton Town Hall, South London. He died on November 23, 1990, at Oxford, England after suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood disease. He was given a Viking funeral. His mortal remains were buried at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. His body was buried along with his snooker cues, chocolates, power saw, some good burgundy, and HB pencils. Some of his culinary delights—‘Bird Pie,’ ‘Hot Frogs,’ and ‘Lickable Wallpaper’— were included in ‘Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes’ (1994) by his widow Felicity. The Oval Basin plaza, a modern landmark of Cardiff Bay, was renamed ‘Roald Dahl Plass’ in 2002. ‘Plass’ signifies ‘place’ or ‘square’ in Norwegian language. In 2005, Cherie Blair, wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, inaugurated ‘Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre’ in his hometown, Great Missenden. In 2008, author Michael Rosen launched the ‘Roald Dahl Funny Prize,’ in association with ‘BookTrust,’ as initiative to honor writers promoting humor and laughter through children’s fiction. Africa, UK, and Latin America celebrate September 13, his birth anniversary, as ‘Roald Dahl Day.’ In 2010, ‘Gibraltar Post’ released a set of four stamps featuring four of Dahl’s books, while a set of six stamps was issued by ‘Royal Mail’ in 2012.

This children’s book author used to write with a pencil on yellow paper. He was fluent in three languages – English, Swahili, and Norwegian. He maintained a diary since the age of eight.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• DIGITAL MAGAZINE

MOST POPULAR

13 phizz-whizzing facts about Roald Dahl

We’ve put together some fantastic facts about roald dahl’s life, and boy are there some humdingers….

13th September 2020 marks what would have been Roald Dahl’s 104th birthday!

To celebrate all the brilliant books , playful poems and witty words he gave us over the years, we’ve put together some fantastic facts about the author’s life, and boy are there some humdingers…

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Roald Dahl primary resource ? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Roald Dahl facts

1. dahl wrote many of his stories in a little shed at the bottom of his garden.

Known as his ‘writing hut’, Dahl sat in a battered old armchair and penned famous tales such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

2. He was a fighter pilot in World War II 

During a flight in a Gloster Gladiator (fighter plane) in 1940 over Libya, Dahl crash landed in the desert and survived – all because he’d been given the wrong directions!

3. Dahl wrote for around four hours every single day

From 10am – 12pm, and then 4pm – 6pm

4. He never learned how to type

Instead, Dahl preferred to do all his writing in an old red book in pencil.

5. When Roald Dahl died in 1990, he was buried with some of his favourite things

Including a power drill, chocolate, snooker cues and of course, his HB pencils.

6. There are strange mementos still sitting in his writing hut

These include a huge ball made of old chocolate wrappers, and a piece of hip bone that he had to have removed!

Quentin Blake illustrated many of Dahl’s much loved books over the years.

7. dahl was a spy.

During World War II he passed intelligence to MI6 from Washington.

8. Dahl invented over 250 new words

There’s even an official Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary to help you tell your snozzcumbers from your snozzberries.

9. Many of Dahl’s characters were based on people he’d met in real life

The grandmother in The Witches is said to be based on Dahl’s mother, and the little girl in The BFG was named after his granddaughter, Sophie. 

10. Dahl was born in Wales, but his parents were Norwegian

As a child, Roald spoke fluent Norwegian and English. He’s even named after the famous Norwegian polar explorer, Roald Amundson.

11. Writing wasn’t his strong point at school

– according to his teachers, anyway!

12. In 1971, a real man named Willy Wonka wrote to Roald Dahl

He was a postman from Nebraska.

13. Roald Dahl was a giant!

Okay, not quite like the ones in his stories, but he was 6 foot 6 inches tall! This earned him the nickname ‘Lofty’ when he served in the RAF.

Which is your favourite Roald Dahl book? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

Leave a comment.

Your comment will be checked and approved shortly.

WELL DONE, YOUR COMMENT HAS BEEN ADDED!

Nice facts and my favourite book is... The BFG

George’s Marvellous Medicine, because it’s SO funny!

Esio Trot is my favourite, because it just is!

its very creative!

thx for the facts

I got the whole collection of Roald Dahl books yesterday, I've already read two and love them! My favourite is Matilda though!

My favorite book: The witches and Charlie and the chocolate factory

I all most read every book he has

Thank you and very interesting

i love roald dahl

The fantastic Mr fox

The Fantastic Mr Fox

Ilove reading his books so much

James and giant peach

wow i did not know that

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii coooooooooolllllllllllllll

My favourite book was the twits

Love the info

I like this info

I love this facts but they can be shorter

I like Matilda

Thanks for the info

he is a auspicious author and i am a fan of him

Fantastic Mr.Fox !!!!

I like matilda

easy to find.

The Twits is my favorite book

My favrourite is Danny The Campion of The world so far. I found out the arthor Roald Dahl when I was in the Op-shop.

My favourite Roal Dahl book is Matilda

My dog is called Sophie my favorite is the bfg

I love Roald Dahl! Matilda is my favourite. And to think writing wasn’t his strong point at school?!

I don't have a favorite because all of them are TRULY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved roald dahl's books , and I have always wanted to meet him. But sadly, he has already past away.

#1 fan roald dahl my 3 favourite books are the twits, matilda and james and the jient peach love you roald xoxoxo

We like the BFG because there are amazing twists about the story.

i love reading Roald Dahl books my fav book is the witches :) :] ps. i love you Roald Dahl

Brilliant I love his books

I love all of Roald Dahls books

the bfg is my favourite. and the little girl is called sophie because his granddaughter sophie used to call him the bfs.

#1 fan! My favourite book is Mischief and Mayham. Your the BEST Roald Dahl.

Roald Dahl is AWESOME! My favourite book is Mischief and Mayham.

My favourite book is CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Well done Roald Dahl

I love Matilda

Love the facts

I love Roald Dahl

My favorite is Matilda because I like the adventure, the Trunchbull and her super power.

love love love thease amazing books so cool

my favourite is the BFG

I love Roald Dahl books, especially The BFG and Matilda

my favourites are probably The BFG because it is so entertaining and funny. next is Matilda because it has so much in it!

All his books are the MOST BEST BOOKS EVER

BFG because its funny and intresting

I have Roald Dahl audio books... all of them!

My favourite Roald Dahl stories are The witches and The BFG

wow that is a lot of facts about one of my fave author Roald Dahl!!!!! :)

My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - because i like chocolate, my dad doesn't like the umpa-lumpas

He is my most favourite author of all times.

I love Matilda!

bfg its awesome

I think number 12 is super cool

my favourite book is the BFG

My fav is Matilda.

Great facts

My favourite book of roald dahl is the witches because it teaches us to not go with strangers.

my favorite roald dahl book is the twits

my favourite Roald Dahl book is the BFG. Fun fact I was born in the same month as Roald Dahl...SEPTEMBER!!!

All of them and thank you for the facts

he was the greatest story teller but how did he die?

I love Roald Daul books!

Matilda is awsome

my favarrite book is the bfg

This is amazing and cool to learn facts about Ronald Dahl !.

cool facts i love it

I like the BFG because he says silly words and blows dreams i wondered where dreams came from.

i like esio trot

my favourite book is danny the champion of the world

BEST FACTS EVER!!!

Amazing Roald dahl is one of my favorite authors eve!!!!

I love Matilda.

My favourite Roald Dahl book is Georges Marvellous Medicine!

Loved his books ( especially the bfg) I knew most of these facts but the others were great to know

James and the giant peach!!!

Matilda is my favourite book

Charlie and the chocolate factory

My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Im planning to become a storyteller when I grow up.

I love the BFG!

My favourite book is the BFG

I really like the book Matilda. I like the way Dahl put the characters together. Miss Trunchbull is super freaky and cool at the same time:-)

I love the BFG because of all the hilarious words!

My favourite Roald Dahl book is Charlie and the chocolate factory because it is all about chocolate and I love chocolate.

My favourite book by Roald Dahl is the bfg

Favourite book? How can I choose just one? The BFG is wonderful but Danny the Champion of the World also holds a special place in my heart! A grown up child of 40!

Roal Dhal is an amazing author. My favorite Roal Dhal book is Matilda.

he is 100 today and i went to school first day and i did not know he died in 1990

My favourite Roald Dahl book is Matilda because it is funny and enjoyable and i love reading just like her

the twits is my fav

CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR

More like books.

Win magical new tale, The Night Spinner!

Uncover a festive mystery in Mistletoe and Murder!

Win: new series from the creator of Dork Diaries!

Check Out Middle School Dog’s Best Friend!

Sign up to our newsletter

Get uplifting news, exclusive offers, inspiring stories and activities to help you and your family explore and learn delivered straight to your inbox.

You will receive our UK newsletter. Change region

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

COUNTRY * Australia Ireland New Zealand United Kingdom Other

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and will receive emails from us about news, offers, activities and partner offers.

You're all signed up! Back to subscription site

Type whatever you want to search

More Results

You’re leaving natgeokids.com to visit another website!

Ask a parent or guardian to check it out first and remember to stay safe online.

You're leaving our kids' pages to visit a page for grown-ups!

Be sure to check if your parent or guardian is okay with this first.