Roald Dahl Brief Biography

Roald Dahl’s parents were from Norway, but he was born in Wales, in 1916. The family used to spend the summer holidays on a Norwegian island, swimming, fishing and boating. When Roald was four years old, his father died, so his mother had to organize the trip alone for herself and her six children.

Dahl went to St. Peter's Prep School, and later to Repton Public School After school, Roald Dahl didn't go to a university, but applied for a job at the Shell company, because he was sure they would send him abroad. He was sent to East Africa, where he got the adventure he wanted: great heat, crocodiles, snakes and safaris. He lived in the jungle, learned to speak Swahili, and suffered from malaria. When the Second World War broke out, he went to Nairobi to join the Royal Air Force. He was a fighter pilot and shot down German planes and got shot down himself. After 6 months in hospital he flew again.

In 1942, he went to Washington as Assistant Air Attachй. There, he started writing short stories. In 1943, he published his first children's book "The Gremlins" with Walt Disney and in 1945 his first book of short stories appeared in the US. His marriage with the actress Patricia Neal was unhappy. None of their kids survived, and his wife suffered a stroke. When she regained consciousness, she could hardly read, count and talk. But Roald managed to nurse her back to health, so that she could act again. Nevertheless, he got divorced in 1983 and married Felicity Crosland.

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