Roald Dahl

1 universe Last reviewed 2026-09-25

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was a British author of children's books and short stories, as well as a poet and screenwriter. He was born in Llandaff, Cardiff, to Norwegian parents who had settled in Wales, and spent most of his life in England. During the Second World War he served in the Royal Air Force as a fighter pilot, becoming a flying ace, and later as an intelligence officer, reaching the rank of acting wing commander. He began publishing in the 1940s, writing for both adults and children, and his short stories for adults, collected in books such as Tales of the Unexpected, became known for their macabre twist endings. James and the Giant Peach (1961) was his first major book for young readers and was followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG, The Witches and Matilda, among many others. He also wrote screenplays, and his awards include the 1983 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the British Book Awards' Children's Author of the Year in 1990.

Universe(s)

Books

• James and the Giant Peach (1961) · James and the Giant Peach Core Canon

Aggregate across all universes

• Total Core Canon books across all universes: 1 book
• Award recognitions across all universes: 0 (None recorded)

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