Harold Robbins, a literary giant, famously proclaimed in a 1971 ITV documentary: "I'm the world's best writer – there's nothing more to say." His remarkable career was marked by unparalleled success, with a staggering 750,000,000 copies of his books sold worldwide, many of which were adapted into successful films.
Robbins' journey began at the tender age of 15, when he left home to pursue a series of low-paying jobs, including working as a numbers runner. By 20, he had amassed a fortune by buying options on farmers' produce, but a bold move into sugar futures ultimately left him financially ruined.
Undeterred, Robbins took a job as a shipping clerk with Universal Pictures' warehouse in New York, and soon rose through the ranks to become the executive director for budget and planning. On a whim, he wrote his personal favorite novel, Never Love a Stranger (Knopf, 1948),and other early works, which received minor critical acclaim.
However, Robbins soon shifted his focus to more commercially viable novels, often incorporating themes of celebrity, sex, and violence, much to the chagrin of critics. His personal life, marked by six marriages, wild Hollywood parties, and drug abuse, heavily influenced his writing style after 1960.
Despite suffering a stroke in 1982, which left him with aphasia, Robbins continued to write, publishing his final novel, Tycoon, in 1997.
