Mark West

Dahl passed away at 74 from a blood disease.

According to writer Nadia Cohen, his family gathered around him and played one of his favorite pieces of music, while a nurse injected a lethal dose of morphine.

As the needle pricked him, Dahl shouted in obscenity.

It was the last word he ever spoke.

One last thing before we say goodbye, and this feels like kind of a perfect metaphor for any biographical work.

You should know, Roald Dahl is not Roald Dahl.

What I mean is, I haven't said his name correctly a single time over 10 episodes.

Even as celebrated as he was, Dahl remains in many ways a stranger to us.

Here's Dahl's first wife, Patricia Neal, from an interview with Arlene Herson on the correct pronunciation of her husband's name.

Ruald, that's how you pronounce his name.

In the story that was on television... It's been a giant pleasure spending this season with you.

I hope you've enjoyed it even a fraction as much as I have.

Now, let's finish the show by hearing from those Dahl most wanted to please with his writing.

This is from Roald Dahl, Cover to Cover, a 1989 video where Lily Steiner captured Dahl's visit to Melbourne, Australia.

The Secret World of Roald Dahl is produced by Imagine Audio and Parallax Studios for iHeart Podcasts.

Created and written by me, Aaron Tracy.

Produced by Matt Schrader.

Post-production by Windhill Studios.

With editing, scoring, and sound design by Mark Henry Phillips.

Editing by Ryan Seaton.