As author and man, Roald Dahl still divides opinion. He was a war hero and a spy, a connoisseur and a philanthropist, a family man who had to confront an appalling succession of tragedies. But he was also a fantasist, a bully and a self-publicizing troublemaker who attracted accusations of racism and misogyny. Drawing on interviews and extensive correspondence, this book tells the story of Dahl's adventurous life, tracing the author's literary career from its beginnings in wartime propaganda to his later commercial success.