"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all."
— Abraham Lincoln
Roald Dahl | First Editions
1916 - 1990
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and fighter pilot. He is one of the most beloved children's writers of all time, and his books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide.
Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence officer, rising to the rank of acting wing commander. Dahl began writing fiction for both children and adults, and rose to prominence in the 1940s. Today, Dahl is one of the world's best-selling authors, and has been referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century". His awards for contribution to literature include the 1983 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, and the British Book Awards' Children's Author of the Year in 1990. In 2008, The Times placed Dahl 16th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Dahl's short stories are known for their unexpected endings and his children's books for their unsentimental, macabre, often darkly comic content, featuring villainous adult enemies of the child characters. His books champion the kind-hearted, and feature an underlying warm, moral current. Roald Dahl died on 23 November 1990, at the age of 74. According to his granddaughter, the family gave him a "sort of Viking funeral". He was buried with his snooker cues, some very good burgundy, chocolates, HB pencils and a power saw. Today, children continue to leave toys and flowers by his grave.
See below our stock of Roald Dahl First Editions, fine bindings, sets, and signed copies.
Results 1 - 11 (of 11)
The Vicar of Nibbleswicke.
London: Century, 1991. [Children's illustrated] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.24. Quentin Blake illustrations throughout, some in colour. Publisher's dark blue cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at £6.99. Clean throughout. Near fine in jacket. A short novel: Reverend Lee doesn't realise that his dyslexia is affecting his sermons. His..... More
James And The Giant Peach. A Children's Story.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, [circa 1972]. [Children's Classic] VINTAGE COPY, a later issue showing ISBN, and mentioning 'Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.' Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[8] 119 [1]. Illustrated with plain and coloured lithographs by Burkert. Publisher's orange cloth with gilt titles to spine and blind..... More
Two Fables.
Harmondsworth: Viking, 1986. [Short Stories] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.64. Number 45 of 300 copies thus, SIGNED by the author in black ink to limitation page. With frequent in-text black and white illustrations, and a colour frontispiece, by Dean. Publisher's red quarter calf, with gilt titles to..... More
James and The Giant Peach. A Children's Story. Illustrated by Michael Simeon.
London: George Allen and Unwin Limited, 1967. [Children's classic] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (25 x 18cm), pp.112. Publisher's glazed pictorial boards, illustrated throughout the text with black and white line drawings. Contents clean without spotting, no inscriptions. Notoriously fragile covers are in very good condition, showing minor wear to spine..... More
Going Solo.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1986. [Autobiography] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.208. Blue cloth with gilt titles to spine, photographic endpapers, illustrated jacket. Discreet gift inscription to half title, spine ends gently pushed, price clipped jacket; very good indeed. The author's second collection of autobiographical stories following 'Boy'. This volume..... More
My Uncle Oswald.
London: Michael Joseph Ltd, 1979. [Modern Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.221. Publisher's dark blue cloth in pictorial dust-jacket designed by Dave Senior, priced at £5.50. Neat ink ownership else a lovely fine copy. Slightly risque, adult romp from the regular 'Playboy' contributor. Roald Dahl received the World..... More
Storyteller. The Life of Roald Dahl.
London: Harper Collins / Harper Press, 2010. [Literary biography] FIRST EDITION, with strike-line '1'. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.655; [1], blank. Illustrated with three suites of eight photographic plates. Publisher's black cloth, photographic jacket priced £25. A clean, fine copy. Biography of the award-winning children's author and screenwriter Roald Dahl..... More
Roald Dahl. A Biography.
London: Faber & Faber, 1994. [Literary biography] FIRST EDITION, with strike-line ending '1'. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.xiv; 307; [1], blank. Illustrated with two suites of eight photographic plates. Publisher's black cloth, photographic jacket priced £17.50. Minor toning to text block else fine. Biography of the award-winning children's author and..... More
Contributes 'My Monte Carlo System' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book.
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. [Literary Anthology] FIRST EDITION. Large Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.488. Publisher's blue cloth with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Contents clean, edges toned, no inscriptions, jacket chipped to crown and rear but without the heavy sunning to the red spine often encountered. Very good. Uncommon..... More
![Item #57025 Gremlins [LOBBY CARDS]. Chris COLUMBUS, writer, Joe DANTE, director, Steven...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/57025.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1604674202)
Gremlins [LOBBY CARDS].
Burbank, CA: Warner Brothers, 1984. [Movie Memorabilia] ORIGINAL LOBBY CARDS. A set of eight lobby cards from the film 'Gremlins' directed by Joe Dante, with Steven Spielberg serving as executive producer. Colour lithographic images on heavy stock measuring 28 x 36cm, with production credits to a white banner at foot..... More
![Item #57743 You Only Live Twice [LOBBY CARDS]. Roald DAHL, writer, Harry SALTZMAN, Albert R....](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/57743.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1599755644)
You Only Live Twice [LOBBY CARDS].
Frankfurt: United International Pictures, 1967. [Movie Memorabilia] ORIGINAL LOBBY CARDS. A set of eight German lobby cards from the film You Only Live Twice [Man Lebt Nur Zweimal], directed by Lewis Gilbert, and starring Sean Connery, Donald Pleasence, Karin Dor, Akiko Wakabayashi, and Tetsur Tamba. Colour half-tone images on thin..... More
Results 1 - 11 (of 11)