Roald Dahl, born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Wales, was a British writer and former fighter pilot. His parents were Norwegian, but his father insisted that Dahl get a British education. Dahl went to a series of boarding schools, and he documented his time at these schools in his first autobiography, Boy. He chose not to attend university after he graduated, opting instead to explore the world and seek new experiences.

During World War II, Dahl joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot, a career cut short by a severe crash in the Libyan Desert. This incident, which nearly cost him his life, left him with serious injuries but also led to his first published work, an account of the crash entitled “A Piece of Cake.” These events are detailed in Going Solo. His transition to writing full-time began in the United States, where he worked for the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. His stories started gaining recognition, and soon he was contributing to prominent publications, setting the stage for his prolific literary career.

In 1943, Dahl published his first children’s book, The Gremlins, inspired by RAF folklore about mischievous creatures that sabotaged aircraft.