Roald Dahl

British writer of Norwegian descent (1916–1990), born in Llandaff, Wales. A Second World War fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force, Dahl turned to writing in the 1940s and became one of the twentieth century's most-read children's authors. His inventive, mischievous novels for young readers — James and the Giant Peach (1961), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), Fantastic Mr Fox (1970), Danny, the Champion of the World (1975), The BFG (1982), The Witches (1983) and Matilda (1988), most illustrated by Quentin Blake — have sold hundreds of millions of copies and been adapted many times for film, theatre and television. He also wrote acclaimed short stories for adults collected in Kiss Kiss and Someone Like You, and the memoirs Boy (1984) and Going Solo (1986).