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Roald Dahl was a British novelist, author of popular children’s literature and short stories, poet, and screenwriter. He was born on September 13, 1916, and died on November 23, 1990. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. Read this blog to learn more about life and work, as well as the biography of Roald Dahl.
Table of Contents
Overview of the life of Roald Dahl
Here is an overview table about Roald Dahl –
| Category | Detail |
| Lived | 1916 – 1990 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Author, Fighter Pilot (briefly) |
| Famous For | Children’s books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach |
| Other Works | Novels for adults, screenplays |
| Early Life | Unhappy childhood at boarding school (described in Boy: Tales of Childhood) |
| World War II | Served as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force |
| Interesting Fact | Began writing after a serious injury during the war |
| Legacy | One of the most beloved children’s authors, with books selling over 300 million copies worldwide |
Early Life and Education Of Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl experienced severe loss during his early years and was subjected to a strict educational system that had a big impact on his later writings.
- Robert Dahl was born in 1916 in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents.
- In 1920, when Dahl was just three, his elder sister Astri died from appendicitis.
- A few weeks later, his father also died of pneumonia.
- At the age of nine, he attended a series of boarding schools.
- His first boarding school was the Cathedral School in Llandaff.
- He was sent to Weston-super-Mare’s St. Peter’s boarding school when he was nine years old. This was a harsh experience for young Dahl.
- His book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ was inspired when he used to get free sample chocolates at Repton School,
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Books by Roald Dahl
The table below shows the books published by Roald Dahl:
| Title | Year Published |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | 1964 |
| James and the Giant Peach | 1961 |
| Matilda | 1988 |
| The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) | 1982 |
| Fantastic Mr. Fox | 1970 |
| The Witches | 1983 |
| George’s Marvellous Medicine | 1981 |
| Danny, the Champion of the World | 1975 |
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Awards Won by Roald Dahl
Here is the list of awards won by Roald Dahl:
| Award | Category | Year |
| World Fantasy Award | Lifetime Achievement | 1983 |
| New England Round Table of Children’s Librarians Award | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | 1972 |
| Australian BILBY Awards (Multiple) | Matilda, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | None |
| The Federation of Children’s Book Groups Award | Matilda | 1988 |
| Blue Peter Book Award | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | 2000 |
| New York Times Outstanding Book Award | The Witches | 1983 |
| Federation of Children’s Book Groups Award | The Witches | 1983 |
| Whitbread Award | The Witches | 1983 |
| Edgar Allan Poe Award | Adult Fiction | 1954 |
| Mystery Writers of America Award | Adult Fiction | 1959 |
| British Book Awards Children’s Author of the Year | None | 1990 |
FAQs
Roald Dahl began writing after a serious injury during World War II while serving as a fighter pilot in the RAF.
His most renowned works include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” and “James and the Giant Peach.”
Roald Dahl is celebrated as one of the most beloved children’s authors, with over 300 million copies of his books sold worldwide.
This was all about the author Roald Dahl’s biography. If you want to know more about other Famous Personalities then visit our General Knowledge page!