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For nearly twenty years DaW wrote short storie for adults, and there was a novel too - My Uncle Oswald (1979). His first full-length book, The Cremlins (1943), though, was written for children. Later, his books for children brought him further recognition and success in England and the United States. The best-known are:James and the Ciant Peach (1961), Charlie and tiu: Chocolate Factory (1964), The BFC (1982) and Mati/da (1988). Dahl's stories for children are often as strange and shocking as his stories for adults. Children fight against unfeeling relatives and cruel teachers, usually with a good deal of success. They often succeed in embarrassing the adults who so often hurt the children in their careo Children love Dahl's books beca use of the lively conversation and unusual plots. The author has a way with words that they find very amusing. One of his most popular characters, the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), makes up strange-sounding words and uses them in his odd conversations. Children enjoy this word-play and have no difficulty in un rstanding it. Children, like their parents, also enjoy the excitement of the unexpected. They can perhaps accept it more ea ily. They know that, although the powerful and strong enjoy threatening the weak, sometimes the weak can win if they are brave enough. All writers are affected by their backgrounds and early experiences. Roald DaW was no exception. He was born in South Wales in 1916, in the rniddle of the First World War. Both his parents were Norwegian, and as a child Roald spoke Norwegian at home, not English. There was much sadness in his early life. Roald's father died when his son was three,just a month after the death of one ofRoald's sisters,Astri. Roald was sent away from home to be educated at English schools, as his father had wished, but his school days were very
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unhappy. Roald and his friend were often cruelly punished, and he never forgot the unkindnesses of his teachers. He was popular, though, with the other pupils and he was good at sports. His school holidays were spent sailing and walking in orway. Roald DaW worked for the petrol company Shell when he left school, and when the Second World War started he was in Mrica. In November 1939, he joined the British air force. He became a pilot and had many adventures before he was forced to leave flying duties as a result of war wounds. DaW then went to Washington, where he worked for British interests but also wrote a report based on his own experiences called 'Shot Down over Libya'. In 1953, DaW married the actress and film star Patricia Neal, and the couple had five children. After several farnily tragedies, the marriage ended in 1983, and later DaW married for the second time. By 1960, he was living in England and was a popular author whose books carne out on both sides of the Atlantic. Several of his children's books were made into higWy successful films. Roald Dahl died in 1990, but his stories still enjoy great popularity with both adult and children. Adults continue to be excited by his dark imagination, and children read his tales with as much enthusiasm as their parents did. Roald DaW was a very rich man when he died. His money wa used to form an organization which helps sick people, encourages reading and also helps children enjoy music. There is a Roald DaW Museum and Story Centre for visitors of all ages, and readers in other countries can find out more about his work - and have fun - on the Internet at www.roalddaW.com. Good bookshops always have his books on their shelves.