Contents
Roald Dahl
Creating Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and The BFG.
Children’s fiction · Tales of the Unexpected
- Born
- 13 September 1916
- Birthplace
- Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales
- Died
- 23 November 1990
More people
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British writer whose children’s stories combine comic invention with danger and reversals of adult power. He also wrote unsettling short fiction for adults, memoir and screenplays.
Early life
Welsh childhood
Born to Norwegian parents and educated at British boarding schools.
First employment
Worked for Shell before the Second World War, including a posting to East Africa.
Career
- 1939–1942
RAF service
Trained as a pilot and flew operationally before injuries ended his flying career.
- 1940s–1950s
Adult stories
Began publishing fiction while working in Washington and after returning to Britain.
- 1960s–1980s
Children’s books
Developed the novels that became his most widely read work.
Selected work
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
A factory visit becomes a sequence of temptations and comic punishments.
The BFG
A child befriends a giant who catches dreams.
Matilda
A gifted girl confronts neglectful parents and a brutal headteacher.
Beyond work
Medical interests
Helped develop a valve after his son’s injury and advocated vaccination after losing a daughter to measles.
Antisemitism
Made antisemitic statements; his family and literary estate later apologised for the harm they caused.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: Carl Van Vechten. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
