ROALD DAHL


English author and illustrator (1916-1990)

Biography:


Roald Dahl was born in Wales in 1916. After his father's and his sister's death, his mother decides to move to England, in Llandaff. There he studied until he was 20 and then he moved to Africa where he works for Shell. Eager for adventures, he becomes pilot for Royal Air Forces during the Secong World War.
His meeting with C.S.Forester in Washington drove him to writing. For 15 years he wrote for adults. But thinking of his children, he began writing longer and funnier stories, which he published from 1960 on. His first two children's books (James and the Giant Peach, 1961, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 1964) were really successful. Many other books, poems and plays appeared and made him one of the best-known writers for children all around the world. Between 1980 and 1990 more than eleven millions of his books were sold only in Great Britain. His main illustrator was the also famous Quentin Blake.
Roald Dahl was given the World Fantasy Award in 1983. He died on the 23rd November 1990.



Roald Dahl's bibliography:


Novels: The Gremlins (1943) Sometime Never: A Fable for Supermen (1948) James and the Giant Peach (1961) The Magic Finger (1966) Fantastic Mr. Fox (1970) Danny: The Champion of the World (1975) The Enormous Crocodile (1976) My Uncle Oswald (1979) The Twits (1980) George's Marvelous Medicine (1981) The BFG (1982) The Witches (1983) Dirty Beasts (1984) The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (1985) Going Solo (1986) Matilda (1988) Esio Trot (1990) The Dahl Diary (1991) The Minpins (1991) The Vicar of Nibbleswicke (1992) My Year (1994).
And the series about Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (1972).


Roald Dahl, author of illustrated works:


James and the Giant Peach, ilustrated by Nancy Burkert, Puffin, 1988.
The Complete Adventures of Charlie and Mr. Willy Wonka, illustrated by Micael Foreman, Puffin Books, 1990.
Le doigt magique, illustrated by Henri Galeron, Gallimard, 1966.
James et la grosse pêche, illustrated by Michel Siméon, Gallimard, 1966. James has two sorcerers as aunts. He sets off on a trip in a giant peach with two insects as big as it.
Charlie et la chocolaterie, illustrated by Henri Galeron, Gallimard, 1967. Willy Wonka makes the best chocolate in a factory which works mysteriously. Charlie has the right to visit it.
Danny le champion du monde, Stock, 1975.
Fantastique Maître Renard, illustrated by Jill Bennett, Gallimard, 1977.
Les Deux Gredins, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1980. A couple of rascals spend their time playing nasty trick on people. The husband is repulsevely ugly and the wife is wicked and selfish. She cooks bird cakes but one day, a tribe of acrobat apes and a Rainbow Bird try to bother her cooking. The two rascals end up well-punished for their tricks.
L'enfant qui parlait aux animaux, illustrated by Morgan, Gallimard, 1981.
Danny le champion du monde, illustrated by Véronique Boiry, Hachette, 1981.
Fantastique Maître Renard, illustrated by Jille Bennett, Gallimard, 1983
Sales bêtes, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1984.
La Potion magique de Georges Bouillon, illustrated by Quentin Blake, 1988.
Le Doigt magique, illustrated by Henri Galeron, 1989.
Le Bon Gros Géant, illustrated by Quentin Blake et Roland Sabatier, 1990.
L'Enorme Crocodile, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1992.
L'enfant qui parlait aux animaux, illustrated by Morgan, Gallimard, 1992. Willy has just fished a giant turtle. But the animal lloks ridiculous and tourist laugh at it. Only a sweet yet outraged voice raises.
Les Minuscules, illustrated by Patrick Benson, Gallimard, 1993.
Matilda, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1996.
Fantastique Maître Renard, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1998.
Le Grand livre de Roald Dahl, Gallimard, 1998.
Mieux vaut en rire, Gallimard, 1999.
James et la grosse pêche, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1999.
Mieux vaut en rire, douze histoires grinçantes, Gallimard, 1999.
Matilda, Gallimard, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1999.


Critical analysis on Roald Dahl:


Jeremy Treglow, Roald Dahl, Faber and Faber, London, Boston, 1994.
Chris Powling, Roald Dahl, Puffin Books
Janine Hiu et Sylvie Sebag, La potion de Georges Bouillon, analyse de l'oeuvre pour enseignants, acitivtés pour l'élève, CE2/CM1, Armand Colin, 1997.



Adaptations:


Tim Burton and Henry Sellick made a film version of James and the Giant Peach in 1997. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was filmed under the title "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory".


Roald Dahl on the Internet:


About Roald Dahl