Internationally renowned South African author, Wilbur Smith, has died aged 88.
“Global bestselling author Wilbur Smith died unexpectedly this afternoon at his Cape Town home after a morning of reading and writing with his wife Niso by his side,” Smith’s publisher said in an online statement today.
He became a household name due to his hugely popular books – the first, ‘When the Lion Feeds’, was published in 1962 – and authored a total of 49 published books in his lifetime.
“The undisputed and inimitable master of adventure writing, Wilbur Smith’s novels have gripped readers for over half a century, selling over 140 million copies worldwide in more than 30Â languages,” said his publisher’s statement.
His bestselling Courtney Series, was the longest running in publishing history.
It spanned generations and three centuries, “through critical periods from the dawn of colonial Africa to the American Civil War, and to the apartheid era in South Africa” his publisher said.
“In the 49 novels Smith has published to date, he has transported his readers to gold mines in South Africa, piracy on the Indian Ocean, buried treasure on tropical islands, conflict in Arabia and Khartoum, ancient Egypt, World War Two Germany and Paris, India, the Americas and the Antarctic, encountering ruthless diamond and slave traders and big game hunters in the jungles and bush of the African wilderness.”
His publisher concluded the statement by thanking Smith’s millions of fans across the world “who cherished his incredible writing and joined us all on his amazing adventures”.
Smith is survived by his fourth wife, Mokhiniso Rakhimova, (pictured together, above) who is 39 years his junior.
“I want to be remembered as somebody who gave pleasure to millions,” Smith wrote in his 2018 memoir.
His books have been translated into 30 different languages and several were made into films, including ‘Shout at the Devil’ which was released in 1976 and starred former James Bond, Roger Moore and Lee Marvin.
