If you consider many of my entries in Friday's forgotten books you'll note that many of the books that I read in my "formative" years were thrillers rather than the narrower crime fiction I read now.
30 years ago I taught high school English and so I read a lot of Alistair MacLean, Hammond Innes, and Wilbur Smith because the adolescent boys I taught liked them and it gave us common reading (and therefore discussion) ground.
With the girls I read Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt, Dorothy Eden, and Mary Stewart. And then, for me, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Georges Simenon, and Dick Francis.
GOLD MINE was published in 1970, and like so many of his novels, is set in South Africa. It was made into a film starring Roger Moore.
Wilbur Smith's first novel was When the Lion Feeds (1964) and this encouraged him at just over 30 years of age to become a full time novelist. He now has over 30 novels to his credit, translated into a myriad of languages. His novels always seem to be on book stands in airports, and are evidently extremely popular.
Kerrie - Oh, you are bringing back my younger days : ). I, too, read (of course) Christie and Marsh (and Sayers), but I also read some Hammond Innes and Victoria Holt. How nice to be reminded of them again : ). Thanks, too, for the reminder of Wilbur Smith : ).
ReplyDeleteIf you love stories of high sea adventure pick up a copy of "Hungry as the Sea" by Wilbur Smith. From the frigid waters of Antarctica, to South Africa, to a London courtroom to a terrifying Caribbean hurricane the riveting action will keep you on the edge of your seat.
ReplyDeleteGot it, Kerrie.
ReplyDeleteI read this one many years ago, and it's still one of my favorites by Smith. THE DIAMOND HUNTERS is the other.
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