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The Real Roald Dahl (Paperback)

Military > Biographies P&S History > Literary Figures P&S History > Social History WWI > By Year > 1916

By Nadia Cohen
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Series: The Real...
Pages: 146
Illustrations: 16
ISBN: 9781526751768
Published: 1st July 2019

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£12.99


Publicity!

As featured in the Mail On Sunday, 11/11/18: The curse of Roald Dahl

 

As featured by The Bookseller on 17/8/18

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Although his hilariously entertaining stories have touched the hearts of generations of children, there was much more to beloved author Roald Dahl than met the eye.

His fascinating life began in Norway in 1916, and he became a highly rebellious teenager who delighted in defying authority before joining the RAF as a fighter pilot. But after his plane crashed in the African desert he was left with agonising injuries and unable to fly.

He was dispatched to New York where, as a dashing young air attache, he enraptured societies greatest beauties and became friends with President Roosevelt. Roald soon found himself entangled with a highly complex network of British undercover operations. Eventually he grew tired of the secrecy of spying and retreated to the English countryside.

He married twice and had five children, but his life was also affected by serious illness, tragedy and loss.

He wrote a number of stories for adults, many of which were televised as the hugely popular Tales of the Unexpected, but it was as a children’s author that he found greatest fame and satisfaction, saying “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers…Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful.”

From 1945 until his death in 1990, he lived in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote his most celebrated children’s books including Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr Fox.

The Real Roald Dahl shares so much of Dahl’s life that fans of his work definitely need to read this. It provides a great deal of insight into the author’s life and how it related back to his stories. This book is a joy to read and Cohen crafts a perfect history of the author, showing both his highs and lows.

Read the full review here

The Nerdy Girl Express

As featured in

The Bookseller 26/4/19

One of the world’s best-loved children’s authors is showcased in this brilliant book by Nadia Cohen, who wrote the equally fascinating The Real Enid Blyton a couple of years ago. Fantastic stuff!

Read the full review here

Books Monthly

As featured by

Evergreen, April 2019

According to this new biography, there was much more to bestselling children's author and former RAF fighter pilot Roald Dahl than met the eye.

RAF News

As featured in

Mail on Sunday 11/11/18

As featured in

The Bookseller 17/8/18

About Nadia Cohen

Nadia Cohen is an entertainment journalist who has worked at a number of national newspapers and magazines including Grazia and the Daily Mail. As a show-business correspondent she covered film festivals, premieres and award ceremonies around the world. Nadia was headhunted for the launch of a new American magazine, In Touch Weekly, and spent several years living and working in New York. She now lives in London and juggles family life with writing contemporary and historical biographies.

Born on this day - Roald Dahl

13th September 1916

One of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century; creator of the BFG, Matilda, The Twits and many others.


George's Marvellous Medicine first published

10th January 1981

George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl was first published on 10 January 1981.


The BFG first published

14th January 1982

The BFG by Roald Dahl was first published on 14 January 1982. Dahl dedicated this book to his first-born daughter Olivia, who died of measles at just 7 years old.


Died on this day - Roald Dahl

23rd November 1990

One of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century; creator of the BFG, Matilda, The Twits and many others.


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