Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, near Cardiff, on 13 September 1916. His parents, Harald and Sofie Dahl, were Norwegian, and Norwegian culture remained part of his family life during his childhood in Wales.

Dahl was educated in Britain, including at Repton School, but did not initially pursue a literary career. He joined the Shell oil company and worked in East Africa before the Second World War changed the direction of his life.

He joined the Royal Air Force and served as a fighter pilot. He was seriously injured after crashing in the Libyan desert but later returned to flying duties. His wartime experiences also led him into writing. After being posted to Washington, he began publishing work connected with his experiences as a pilot.

Dahl wrote fiction for adults before becoming best known for children’s books. James and the Giant Peach appeared in 1961 and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory followed in 1964. His later books included The BFG, The Witches and Matilda.

He also worked on screenplays. Dahl died in Oxford on 23 November 1990, aged 74.