Biography Of Roald Dahl:
Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg. Tragedy struck his family early in life when his older sister, Astri, died of appendicitis at the age of seven, followed by the death of his father when Roald was just four years old. Despite these hardships, Dahl attended Llandaff Cathedral School and later, Repton School in Derbyshire, England.
During World War II, Dahl joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot. He flew combat missions in North Africa and Greece. In 1940, Dahl was seriously injured in a plane crash in Libya, suffering multiple injuries and spinal damage. After his recovery, he was reassigned to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an assistant air attaché.
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| Biography Of Roald Dahl |
After the war, Dahl turned to writing. His first published work was a short story titled “Shot Down Over Libya,” which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1942. He gained recognition for his short stories, which were often published in prestigious magazines like The New Yorker.
Dahl’s breakthrough as a children’s author came in 1961 with the publication of “James and the Giant Peach.” This was followed by a string of successful and critically acclaimed children’s books, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (1964), “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (1970), “The Witches” (1983), and “Matilda” (1988). His stories were known for their whimsical characters, dark humor, and fantastical elements, capturing the imaginations of readers young and old.
In addition to his work as an author, Dahl also wrote screenplays for film and television. He adapted Ian Fleming’s novel “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang” for the screen and wrote the screenplay for the James Bond film “You Only Live Twice” (1967).
Roald Dahl married American actress Patricia Neal in 1953, and they had five children together. Tragically, their son, Theo, suffered severe brain damage at the age of four months when his baby carriage was hit by a taxi in New York City. Dahl was inspired to write the children’s book “The BFG” based on bedtime stories he told Theo during his recovery.
Dahl’s literary achievements were recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Edgar Award for Mystery Writers of America for his story “The Landlady” and the Whitbread Award for “The Witches.” He passed away on November 23, 1990, at the age of 74, leaving behind a rich legacy of timeless children’s literature that continues to enchant readers around the world.