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Wilbur Smith in Sydney. Photo by: Jimincairns- Wikimedia.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Wilbur A. Smith

1. He is one of the best selling authors

Wilbur Smith, the best-selling author, was born on January 9, 1933 in Kabwe, Zambia. Wilbur, best known for his intriguing stories set in Africa during the 16th and 17th centuries, takes his reader on a historical fiction journey centred around the English and Dutch impact in Southern Africa.

2. Wilbur’s brief family background

Smith and his younger sister Adrienne were born in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), to Elfreda (née Lawrence, 1913 -) and Herbert James Smith. He was named after the famous aviator Wilbur Wright.

Herbert, his father, was a metal worker who opened a sheet metal factory before acquiring a 25,000-acre (10,000 ha) cattle ranch on the banks of the Kafue River near Mazabuka. “My father was a tough man,” Smith explained. “He was accustomed to working with his hands and had massively developed arms from metal cutting. He was a boxer, a hunter, and a true man’s man. I don’t think he’s ever read a book, such as mine.”

Smith was sick with cerebral malaria as a baby for ten days but recovered completely. He and his younger sister grew up on his parents’ cattle ranch, which spanned 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of forest, hills, and savanna. On the ranch, his companions were the ranch workers’ sons, small black boys who shared Smith’s interests and preoccupations.

He roamed the bush with his companions, hiking, hunting, and trapping birds and small mammals. His mother was a book lover who read to him every night and later gave him novels of escape and excitement, which piqued his interest in fiction; however, his father discouraged him from writing.

3. Where did Smith study?

Smith went to Cordwalles Preparatory School in Natal for boarding school (now KwaZulu-Natal). While in Natal, he continued to be an avid reader and had the good fortune to be mentored by an English master who would discuss the books Smith had read that week.

Unlike Smith’s father and many others, the English master made it clear to Smith that being a bookworm was something to be proud of, not ashamed of, and that his writings showed great promise.

He taught Smith how to create dramatic effects, character development, and keep a story moving forward. Smith joined Michaelhouse, a boarding school in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, for high school.

He felt he never “fit in” with the people, aspirations, and desires of the other Michaelhouse pupils, but he did start a school newspaper for which he wrote all of the content except the sport section. His weekly humorous section gained some notoriety and was distributed as far afield as The Wykeham Collegiate and St Anne’s.

4. How did Wilbur get into accounting?

Wilbur Smith in Sydney. Photo by: Jimincairns- Wikimedia.

Wilbur continued his education by enrolling at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa, where he graduated as a journalist. He wrote extensively about South Africa’s social issues and conditions.

His father, who had never been a fan of Wilbur’s writing, insisted that he get a real job. As a result, Wilbur continued his education to become a tax accountant.

5. How Smith got back to writing

Smith got married and had two kids. Smith’s marriage, regrettably, ended in a devastating divorce when he was only twenty-four years old. Smith was held accountable for paying an allotment and child support, which left him penniless.

Wilbur returned to writing in an attempt to improve his life. His first novel, The Gods First Make Mad, was turned down, forcing him to return to work as a tax accountant.

However, the desire to write gripped him once more, and Wilbur published his first successful novel, When the Lion Feeds, in 1964. The plot is a mash-up of African history, white and black perspectives, hatred, love, hunting, gold mining, and women.

When Wilbur accepted a film deal for his book, Smith decided to become a full-time writer.

6. Wilbur’s other marriages after his first

Smith married again and had another child after the publication of his first novel. This marriage was also ended in divorce. Smith married for the third time in 1971; his new wife, Danielle Thomas, was a divorcee who was born in the same town as Smith.

She was a die-hard fan who had devoured all of his works. Smith devoted all of his books to her until her death in 1999, after a six-year cancer battle. Smith married for the fourth time in May 2000.

In a London bookshop, he met his fourth wife, Tadjik girl Mokhiniso Rakhimova. Mokhiniso was 39 years younger than him and a law graduate.

7. Wilbur’s success in writing phenomenal books

Wilbur Smith in Sydney. Photo by: Jimincairns- Wikimedia.

His office expressed gratitude to “millions of fans around the world who cherished his incredible writing and joined us all on his incredible adventures.”

His novels have been translated into approximately 30 languages, and several were adapted into films, including Shout at the Devil, which starred Lee Marvin and Roger Moore in 1976.

As per Kate Parkin, general manager at Bonnier Books, Smith “leaves behind him a treasure trove of novels,”  along with unreleased co-authored novels.

His publishing company for the past decade, Kevin Conroy Scott, described him as “an icon, larger than life,”  and said his “knowledge of Africa, and his imagination knew no bounds.”

8. What awards has Smith won?

Smith received the Inaugural Sport Shooting Ambassador Award from the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities in 2002.

9. Critical thinkers and their thoughts on  his work

While several highly regarded historians and authentic news publications support Smith’s work, some critics claim it was not extensively investigated.

Martin Hall, one of Smith’s main critics, claims in an article published in the Journal of Southern African Studies that the novels display prejudiced, illiberal opinions against African nationalism.

Some critics contend that these books contain misogynistic, homophobic, and racist beliefs, as well as political motivations.

10. How old was Smith when he passed away?

Wilbur Smith in Sydney. Photo by: Jimincairns- Wikimedia.

Wilbur Smith, a South African author, died at his home after a decades-long career in writing, according to his office. He was 88. The cause of death was not revealed in the pronouncements.