“At the age of 12 I won the school prize for Best English Essay. The prize was a copy of Somerset Maugham's 'Introduction To Modern English And American Literature.' To this day I keep it on the shelf between my collection of Forester's works and the little urn that contains my mother's ashes.”

Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist

Wilbur Smith was a Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist. He wrote historical fiction and became widely known for stories set around international involvement in Southern Africa across four centuries. His work is associated with sweeping historical narratives that connect Southern Africa to wider world affairs. He focused on long spans of history and on the forces that shaped the region over time.