Author Focus: Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a British writer best known for his children's literature including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and for becoming a bestselling author world-wide. He was born September 13th, 1916 in Cardiff, Wales to Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl, Norwegian immigrants to Wales. Roald had three sisters, one of whom died when Dahl was three. His father died only weeks later of pneumonia. After getting in trouble at school with four friends, he went to boarding school in England. In school Roald was not believed to be a talented writer. Although he could have gone on to be educated at Oxford or Cambridge he chose to go to work in faraway places after graduating from high school. He worked for Shell Oil in Africa, went on an expedition to Newfoundland, as a fighter pilot during World War II. A crash and serious injuries sent him to Washington where he met C.S. Forrester, a famous author who encouraged Roald to write.

Roald Dahl was named after the Norwegian hero Roald Amundsen, a polar explorer.
When only eight years old Roald and four friends were caned after putting a mouse in a candy jar of gobstoppers in a sweet shop owned by Mrs. Pratchett. They called it the Great Mouse Plot of 1924.
Roald Dahl wrote about his time at boarding school in his autobiography titled Boy: Tales of Childhood.
While in school Cadbury often sent new chocolates for the students to try. Roald was one of the students at the school at the time and he dreamed of inventing a new chocolate bar that Mr. Cadbury would love.
In his early writing career Roald Dahl wrote stories and articles for magazines such as The New Yorker, and in the publication Saturday Evening Post.
Roald's early writing was geared towards adult readers.
Roald Dahl's first children's book was The Gremlins, published in 1942. Because it wasn't very successful Roald returned to writing for adults.
In 1953 Roald Dahl's bestselling collection of short stories titled Someone Like You was published.
Roald Dahl married Patricia Neal in 1953. She was an Academy Award winning actress. They had five children together.
Roald Dahl's children's book titled James and the Giant Peach was published in 1961 and this book established him as a children's writer.
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published in 1964.
Roald Dahl's wife had several brain hemorrhages in the 1960s and he stayed by her side through the long recovery.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was adapted for film in 1971 as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and again in 2005.
James and the Giant Peach was adapted for film in 1996.
Roald Dahl wrote many children's stories including The Magic Finger (1966), Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970), Charlie and the Glass Elevator (1972), Danny, the Champion of the World (1975), The Enormous Crocodile (1978), The Twits (1980), George's Marvelous Medicine (1981), The BFG (1982), The Witches (1983), The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (1985), Matilda (1988), Esio Trot (1989), The Vicar of Nibbleswicke (1990), and The Minpins (1991).
Roald Dahl also wrote children's poetry, non-fiction, film scripts, short story collections, television scripts, plays, a radio serial, and adult fiction novels.
Roald Dahl died on November 23rd, 1990 at the age of 74 from a blood disease. He was buried with several items, including burgundy and chocolate, and HB pencils.