Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a highly acclaimed British author, born in Wales in 1916 to Norwegian parents. He was educated at Repton and later enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) where he became a flying ace. After a crash and some severe headaches, he returned home and started his writing career. Dahl is known for his exceptional work in fantasy, mystery, and horror novels and short stories for both children and adults. His fame grew during the 1940s with his prominent works, and he became one of the bestselling authors worldwide.

Dahl's writing career spanned over a few decades, and he wrote around 19 children's books. His first published work, Shot Down Over Libya, was inspired by his meeting with C.S. Forester, which propelled him to explore his career as a writer. His first children's book, The Gremlins, was about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create 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 BFG, and many others.

Apart from his children's books, Dahl had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humor and a surprise ending. Many of his stories were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy, and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories, and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories brought him three Edgar Awards, including for the collection Someone Like You, the story "The Landlady," and the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin." Dahl passed away in November 1990, leaving behind a legacy of timeless stories that continue to be read and loved by children all over the world.