In the book I read at the moment (African Laughter. Four visits to Zimbabwe - of course in german with another title) Doris Lessing (more about her: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Lessing) speaks on Wilbur Smith. I want to share it with u. (It's german so I have to translate it back in english, hope it works.)
As child my brother did not read and later he spend his life with people that didn't read, too. [...] Later my brother preferred those rather brutal and almost pornographic books which you can buy at the airports. He told me he was surprised to find so many books there. He liked Harold Robbins and especially Wilbur Smith. I had some problems to see him with this in emulation of my parents, so I asked him when he visited me in London: "Harry, why don't you ever read a good book?" He just looked a me disturbed - really disturbed because he could not understand my question. "A good book? What do you mean?"
So far. If anyone knows the original text, please be so kind an post it.