Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was born on the 13th of September 1916 at Villa Marie, Fairwater Road, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. His parents were Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl, both Norwegian immigrants who had settled in Britain during the 1880s. The family spoke Norwegian as their first language within the home. They raised their children in Norway's Lutheran state church and baptized them at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff. Roald's father worked as a wealthy shipbroker before his death from pneumonia in 1920 when Roald was only three years old. His sister Astri died of appendicitis just weeks earlier at age seven. The family fortune assessed for probate reached £158,917,10s. 0d., which allowed his mother to keep the family in Wales rather than returning to Norway.
At age eight, Dahl participated in what he called the Great Mouse Plot of 1924 alongside four friends. They placed a dead mouse inside a jar of gobstoppers at Mrs Pratchett's sweet shop located at 11 High Street. The shop owner was described by Dahl as mean and loathsome. All five boys received canings from the headmaster after the prank was discovered. This incident inspired the character Miss Trunchbull in Matilda and the fictional Everlasting Gobstopper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Later that year, Dahl transferred to St Peter's boarding school in Weston-super-Mare where he experienced significant unhappiness despite writing weekly letters to his mother. He never revealed his distress during those correspondence until decades later when she shared them publicly on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.
In November 1939, Roald Dahl joined the Royal Air Force with service number 774022. After flight training in Kenya and Iraq, he flew obsolete Gloster Gladiators assigned to No. 80 Squadron RAF. On the 19th of September 1940, while attempting to land near Mersa Matruh due to low fuel and darkness, his aircraft crashed into a boulder. His skull fractured and nose smashed while he temporarily lost sight. He managed to drag himself away from wreckage before losing consciousness completely.
Dahl remained blind for six weeks following massive brain swelling. During recovery at Alexandria hospital, he fell in love with nurse Mary Welland. An inquiry later revealed he had been sent to the wrong airstrip located between Allied and Italian forces. Despite this trauma, he returned to active duty flying Hawker Hurricanes over Greece in April 1941. He shot down two Junkers Ju 88 bombers within days of resuming combat operations. By May, German forces pressed toward Athens causing evacuation back to Egypt where his squadron reassembled in Haifa.
The head injury sustained during that crash became central to how Dahl viewed his own creative abilities. He often stated that writing career began after the monumental bash on his head when plane came down. Some researchers suggest mild frontal lobe damage may have released inhibitions normally holding people back. Others argue literary potential existed long before accident occurred through weekly letters home packed full of entertaining stories written during boarding school years.
After being invalided home due to severe headaches causing blackouts, Dahl met Major Harold Balfour at a London club in late March 1942. Impressed by war record and conversational skills, Balfour appointed him assistant air attaché at British Embassy in Washington D.C. Dahl arrived in Halifax Canada on the 14th of April then took sleeper train to Montreal before reaching Washington one week later. He shared house with another attaché at 1610 34th Street NW in Georgetown but quickly disliked assignment feeling it ungodly unimportant compared to wartime experiences.
While stationed there he met novelist C.S. Forester who worked for British Ministry of Information producing propaganda aimed at American audiences. The Saturday Evening Post asked Forester write story based on Dahl's flying experiences so Forester requested RAF anecdotes from Dahl himself. After reading what Dahl provided magazine published exactly as written despite minor changes made original manuscript. Originally titled A Piece of Cake article appeared under Shot Down Over Libya title making sound more dramatic though Dahl never actually shot down plane. Published first issue dated the 1st of August 1942 earned US$1,000 payment.
This diplomatic posting introduced Dahl to espionage activities conducted by Canadian spymaster William Stephenson known codename Intrepid. During conflict period Dahl supplied intelligence directly to Prime Minister Winston Churchill helping navigate relationship between FDR and British leadership. He also provided information to Stephenson organization called British Security Coordination part MI6 network. Once sent back Britain supposedly misconduct reasons Stephenson promptly returned him Washington promotion granting wing commander rank.
Roald Dahl's first children's book The Gremlins published 1943 featured mischievous creatures blamed aircraft problems during Royal Air Force folklore. Protagonist Gus joined forces gremlins against common enemy Hitler Nazis while stationed British Embassy Washington sending copy First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt read grandchildren commissioned Walt Disney film never produced. Subsequent works included Charlie and Chocolate Factory Matilda James Giant Peach The Witches Fantastic Mr Fox BFG Twits George Marvellous Medicine Danny Champion World.
His stories typically involve adult villains hating mistreating children featuring at least one good adult counteracting evil forces possibly referencing abuse experienced boarding schools attended. Children triumph over old greedy wicked according to critics like Amanda Craig who noted unequivocal stance regarding kind young versus greedy wicked Anna Leskiewicz wrote lasting appeal resulted exceptional talent wriggling way into children fantasies fears laying page anarchic delight. Adult villains drawn terrifying detail exposed liars hypocrites brought tumbling retributive justice sudden magic superior acuity mistreated children.
Whimsical fantasy stories feature underlying warm sentiment juxtaposed grotesque darkly comic harshly violent scenarios examples include The Witches George Marvellous Medicine Matilda Big Friendly Giant representing good adult archetype other giants bad adults formula evident Chitty Chitty Bang Bang script Class-conscious themes surface unpleasant wealthy neighbors outwitted Fantastic Mr Fox Danny Champion World.
Dahl maintained successful parallel career writing macabre adult short stories blending humor innocence surprising plot twists Mystery Writers America presented three Edgar Awards recognizing work. Collections Someone Like You Landlady Skin episode Tales Unexpected won awards years 1954 1959 1980 respectively. More than sixty short stories appeared numerous collections some published book form posthumously.
One famous story Smoker known Man South filmed twice episodes Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1960 1985 adapted Quentin Tarantino segment film Four Rooms 1995 classic concerns man Jamaica wagering visitors claiming fingers hands original version starred Steve McQueen Peter Lorre Five additional Dahl stories used Hitchcock series credited teleplay two episodes four directed Hitchcock himself example Lamb Slain 1958.
Some supposed extracts diary fictional Uncle Oswald rich gentleman sexual exploits forming subject stories novel My Uncle Oswald uncle engages temptress seduce twentieth century geniuses royalty love potion secretly added chocolate truffles made favorite chocolate shop Prestat Piccadilly London Memories Food Gipsy House written wife Felicity published posthumously 1991 mixture recipes family reminiscences musings favorite subjects such chocolate onions claret.
November 1962 daughter Olivia died measles encephalitis age seven leaving limp despair feeling guilty unable do anything help subsequently became proponent immunization writing Measles Dangerous Illness response cases UK dedicated 1982 book BFG daughter. After death meeting Church official viewed Christianity sham mourning sought spiritual guidance Geoffrey Fisher former Archbishop Canterbury dismayed told although Olivia Paradise beloved dog Rowley never join there recalled years later.
In 1965 wife Patricia Neal suffered three burst cerebral aneurysms pregnant fifth child Lucy took control rehabilitation next months re-learn talk walk managed return acting career period dramatized film Patricia Neal Story 1981 couple played Glenda Jackson Dirk Bogarde.
August 1983 Dahl reviewed Australian author Tony Clifton God Cried picture book siege West Beirut Israeli army during Lebanon War article stated Jews switched rapidly much-pitied victims barbarous murderers appeared Literary Review subject media comment criticism wrote Clifton book make readers violently anti-Israeli stating not anti-Semitic anti-Israel. In 1990 spoke again Lebanon invasion claiming killed twenty-two thousand civilians bombed Beirut hushed newspapers primarily Jewish-owned certainly anti-Israeli become antisemitic getting Jewish person another country like England strongly supporting Zionism think should see sides same
old thing know Jews rest things non-Jewish publishers anywhere control media jolly clever thing do.
Comments invoked responses Jewish colleagues friends philosopher Sir Isaiah Berlin thought might say anything pro-Arab pro-Jew consistent line man followed whims meant blow direction speak Amelia Foster Jewish director Roald Dahl Museum Great Missenden childish reaction going Israel wanted provoke always provoked dinner consequence comments Royal Mint decided produce coin commemorate centenary birth 2014 family published statement official website apologizing antisemitism 2020.
In 1972 Eleanor Cameron published article Horn Book criticizing Charlie Chocolate Factory depiction African-derived Oompa-Loompas never given opportunity life outside chocolate factory posted reply calling accusations insensitive monstrous debate sparked discussion number letters editor Michael Dirda discussed other criticisms including alleged sexism Witches verges general misogyny Michele Landsberg analyzed alleged issues concluded work evil domineering smelly fat ugly women favourite villains Una Mullally argued feminist messages obscured witches terrifying vile things always women book often viewed sexist assessment ignores one heroines story child narrator grandmother.
Books sold more than three hundred million copies worldwide called greatest storytellers children twentieth century named Times fifty greatest British writers since 1945 ranked amongst world best-selling fiction authors books published sixty-three languages topped list Britain favorite authors 2000 four books led Charlie Chocolate Factory number thirty-five ranked among Top Hundred Big Read survey British public determine nation's best-loved novel all time Charles Dickens Terry Pratchett led Top Hundred five books Harry Potter novels made Top Twenty-five Dahl novels Charlie BFG Matilda Twits
frequently ranked best children writer surveys teachers parents students won first three Australian BILBY Younger Readers Award Matilda BFG Charlie Chocolate Factory.
In September 2021 Netflix acquired Roald Dahl Story Company deal worth more than £500 million six-hundred-eighty-six million dollars film adaptation Matilda Musical released December 2022 cast includes Emma Thompson Miss Trunchbull next adaptation Wonderful Story Henry Sugar released September 2023 director Wes Anderson adapting three additional short stories Netflix 2024.
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Common questions
When and where was Roald Dahl born?
Roald Dahl was born on the 13th of September 1916 at Villa Marie, Fairwater Road, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. His parents were Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Dahl, both Norwegian immigrants who had settled in Britain during the 1880s.
What happened to Roald Dahl during his Royal Air Force service in 1940?
On the 19th of September 1940, while attempting to land near Mersa Matruh due to low fuel and darkness, his aircraft crashed into a boulder. He suffered a fractured skull and smashed nose which left him blind for six weeks following massive brain swelling.
How did Roald Dahl's writing career begin after his war injury?
Dahl stated that his writing career began after the monumental bash on his head when his plane came down. He met Major Harold Balfour at a London club in late March 1942 who appointed him assistant air attaché at British Embassy in Washington D.C. The Saturday Evening Post published his story Shot Down Over Libya dated the 1st of August 1942 earning US$1,000 payment.
Why did Roald Dahl write books about children facing adult villains?
His stories typically involve adult villains hating mistreating children featuring at least one good adult counteracting evil forces possibly referencing abuse experienced boarding schools attended. Children triumph over old greedy wicked according to critics like Amanda Craig who noted unequivocal stance regarding kind young versus greedy wicked Anna Leskiewicz wrote lasting appeal resulted exceptional talent wriggling way into children fantasies fears laying page anarchic delight.
What controversy surrounded Roald Dahl's comments about Israel and Jewish people?
In 1983 Dahl reviewed Australian author Tony Clifton God Cried picture book siege West Beirut Israeli army during Lebanon War article stating Jews switched rapidly much-pitied victims barbarous murderers appeared Literary Review subject media comment criticism wrote Clifton book make readers violently anti-Israeli stating not anti-Semitic anti-Israel. In 1990 he spoke again Lebanon invasion claiming killed twenty-two thousand civilians bombed Beirut hushed newspapers primarily Jewish-owned certainly anti-Israeli become antisemitic getting Jewish person another country like England strongly supporting Zionism think should see sides same old thing know Jews rest things non-Jewish publishers anywhere control media jolly clever thing do.