As the world celebrates Roald Dahl Day the focus is very much on his mega selling fantastic childrens books, many of which are available as audio books or have been made into films.
But there are other sides to Roald to remember. He himself recounts his early life in Boy and Going Solo
But as Roald Dahl : a biography by Jeremy Treglown tells
like his fiction, his personality was singular, forceful and provocative. He was an adventurer, gambler, connoisseur, philanthropist and troublemaker; as a devoted but frequently unfaithful husband; and as a fond, demanding, but sometimes chilly parent.
The irregulars : Roald Dahl and the British spy ring in wartime Washington recounts
the story of young writer Roald Dahl who is assigned by His Majesty's Government to Washington, D.C. as a diplomat to gather intelligence about America's isolationist circles. In the course of his "spying," he meets or works closely with David Ogilvy, Ian Fleming, and the great spymaster William Stephenson (aka Intrepid)
His life with the actress Patricia Neal is well documented in her memoir, As I Am and later portrayed by Glenda Jackson and Dirk Bogade in the movie The Patricia Neal Story.
For many adults they met Dahl through the televison series Tales of the unexpected - which are themselves based on the series of short stories - Someone Like You, Kiss Kiss and Switch Bitch.
He even wrote a few screenplays, most notably Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang and the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.
And I won't even mention Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp and the two strangely same but different Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movies.
See our Roald Dahl Day events.
Add a comment to: Roald Dahl – more than just childrens books!