Roald Dahl was one of the greatest story-tellers of all time. His writing career began with articles for magazines such as The New Yorker. He wrote successful novellas and short stories for adults, such as Tales of the Unexpected, before concentrating on his marvelous children's stories. The first story was James and the Giant Peach. Written in 1960 it was followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Roald Dahl worked from a tiny hut in the pale orchard of the Georgian house in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. He was always brimming with new ideas and his many books continue to bring enormous enjoyment to millions of children and their parents throughout the world.
Page editor
Timofey Golovin
Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales, on 13th September 1916 to Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg. His parents named their son in honor of Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian who had been the first man to reach the South Pole. He was the only boy of five children. His early years were blighted by the tragic deaths of his older sister, Astri, and his father. he loved his mother very much.
Dahl went to school at Llandaff Cathedral School for 2 years, St. Peter's for 4 years, and Repton for the rest of his educational career. At Repton, his English teacher said that he was incapable of putting his thoughts on paper. He describes his years at public schools in Wales and England without nostalgia. He was shocked by the fact that tachers and elder boys were allowed to treat other boysrather cruelly. Dahl especially hated the matron who ruled the school dormitories. These experiences later inspired him to write stories in which children fight against cruel adults and authorities.
At eighteen, instead of entering a university, Dahl joined an expedition to Newfoundland. Returning to England he excepted a position with Shell Oil Company in London. He worked in London for 4 years and then was moved to East Africa. During World War II he served in the Royal Air Forces in Libya, Greece, and Syria. He was shot down in Libya, wounded in Syria, and then posted to Washington as an assistant air attaché to British Security (1942-43). In 1943 he was a wing commander and worked until 1945 for British Security Co-ordination in North America. During his recovery time he met with author C.S. Forrester and started to write.
Dahl first began to write small articles for newspapers and magazines. He wrote his first story for children, The Gremlins, in 1942. The book was not very successful so he continued to write for adults. For 15 years, Dahl wrote adult books.
In 1953 Dahl married the successful and rich actress Patricia Neal. They had one son and four daughters: Olivia, Theo, Tessa, Ophelia, and Lucy. He became interested in writing children's books when he was making up stories for his daughters at bedtime. Dahl established himself as a children's author in 1961 when he published James and the Giant Peach. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published three years later in 1964. This book was very popular and was made into a movie in 1971. Other popular books that were published include Fantastic Fox (1970), The Witches (1983) and Matilda (1988).
Roald Dahl died on 23 November 1990, at the adge of 74. He was buried in the parish church of St Peter and St Paul in Great Missenden - the Buckinghamshire village where today The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre continues his extraordinary mission to amaze generations of children and their parents.
Project
Year 6