Published late 2008, Jennet Conant’s true life spy novel “The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington” became a New York Times Bestseller. It revealed a stunning career Roald Dahl undertook, when he was assigned as part of the British Embassy in 1942.
He was part of a group that included Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond; and William Stephenson, Britain’s spymaster during World War II.
The story tells of Dahl’s attempts to get information about America’s policies concerning isolationalism in accordance with the plans of Churchill and his spymaster, in a campaign to nudge America toward World War II.
Dahl influenced the opinions of both the general public and the people in government. He was also an infamous seducer of women.
Jennet Conant got her inspiration from old books on World War II. “I saw a brief mention that Dahl had worked as a spy in Washington and that piqued my interest,” she said according to an interview with Book Browse. She also believed that Dahl was “blessed with charisma and talent, but he had an undeniable cruel streak.”
In spite of that, she firmly believes that he is a hero.
