WRITER
Laurens van der Post
1906 - 1996

Laurens van der Post
Sir Laurens Jan van der Post, (13 December 1906 – 15 December 1996) was a South African Afrikaner writer, farmer, soldier, educator, journalist, humanitarian, philosopher, explorer and conservationist. He was noted for his interest in Jungianism and the Kalahari Bushmen, his experiences during World War II, as well as his relationships with notable figures such as King Charles III and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. After his death, there was controversy over claims that he had exaggerated many aspects of his life, as well as his sexual abuse and impregnation of a 14-year-old girl. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Laurens van der Post is the 3,799th most popular writer (up from 3,877th in 2019), the 86th most popular biography from South Africa (down from 78th in 2019) and the 9th most popular South African Writer.
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Among WRITERS
Among writers, Laurens van der Post ranks 3,799 out of 7,302. Before him are Merab Kostava, Donald Barthelme, Peter Mayle, Anton Delvig, Irakli Abashidze, and Marianne Moore. After him are Ari Behn, Farrukhi Sistani, Wang Bo, Luigi Capuana, Ricardo Piglia, and Alberto Savinio.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsMerab Kostava
1939 - 1989
HPI: 58.53
Rank: 3,793
Donald Barthelme
1931 - 1989
HPI: 58.52
Rank: 3,794
Peter Mayle
1939 - 2018
HPI: 58.52
Rank: 3,795
Anton Delvig
1798 - 1831
HPI: 58.51
Rank: 3,796
Irakli Abashidze
1909 - 1992
HPI: 58.51
Rank: 3,797
Marianne Moore
1887 - 1972
HPI: 58.51
Rank: 3,798
Laurens van der Post
1906 - 1996
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 3,799
Ari Behn
1972 - 2019
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 3,800
Farrukhi Sistani
980 - 1037
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 3,801
Wang Bo
650 - 676
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 3,802
Luigi Capuana
1839 - 1915
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 3,803
Ricardo Piglia
1941 - 2017
HPI: 58.49
Rank: 3,804
Alberto Savinio
1891 - 1952
HPI: 58.49
Rank: 3,805
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1906, Laurens van der Post ranks 215. Before him are Joan Blondell, Dmitry Likhachov, Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari, Charles Malik, Karl Sesta, and František Svoboda. After him are Alexander Gelfond, Juan Modesto, Bernhard Britz, V. J. Sukselainen, A. J. P. Taylor, and Friz Freleng. Among people deceased in 1996, Laurens van der Post ranks 165. Before him are Joseph Mermans, Charles Jewtraw, Ryōtarō Shiba, Cao Yu, Reinhard Libuda, and Yaki Kadafi. After him are Heriberto Herrera, Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg, Dorothy Lamour, Andrey Lukanov, Seymour Cray, and Ferdinand Leitner.
Others Born in 1906
Go to all RankingsJoan Blondell
ACTOR
1906 - 1979
HPI: 58.82
Rank: 209
Dmitry Likhachov
WRITER
1906 - 1999
HPI: 58.65
Rank: 210
Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1906 - 1986
HPI: 58.60
Rank: 211
Charles Malik
WRITER
1906 - 1987
HPI: 58.59
Rank: 212
Karl Sesta
SOCCER PLAYER
1906 - 1974
HPI: 58.56
Rank: 213
František Svoboda
SOCCER PLAYER
1906 - 1948
HPI: 58.53
Rank: 214
Laurens van der Post
WRITER
1906 - 1996
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 215
Alexander Gelfond
MATHEMATICIAN
1906 - 1968
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 216
Juan Modesto
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1906 - 1969
HPI: 58.44
Rank: 217
Bernhard Britz
CYCLIST
1906 - 1935
HPI: 58.40
Rank: 218
V. J. Sukselainen
POLITICIAN
1906 - 1995
HPI: 58.37
Rank: 219
A. J. P. Taylor
HISTORIAN
1906 - 1990
HPI: 58.35
Rank: 220
Friz Freleng
FILM DIRECTOR
1906 - 1995
HPI: 58.30
Rank: 221
Others Deceased in 1996
Go to all RankingsJoseph Mermans
SOCCER PLAYER
1922 - 1996
HPI: 58.62
Rank: 159
Charles Jewtraw
SKATER
1900 - 1996
HPI: 58.61
Rank: 160
Ryōtarō Shiba
WRITER
1923 - 1996
HPI: 58.60
Rank: 161
Cao Yu
WRITER
1910 - 1996
HPI: 58.55
Rank: 162
Reinhard Libuda
SOCCER PLAYER
1943 - 1996
HPI: 58.54
Rank: 163
Yaki Kadafi
SINGER
1977 - 1996
HPI: 58.52
Rank: 164
Laurens van der Post
WRITER
1906 - 1996
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 165
Heriberto Herrera
SOCCER PLAYER
1926 - 1996
HPI: 58.48
Rank: 166
Duke Christian Louis of Mecklenburg
NOBLEMAN
1912 - 1996
HPI: 58.48
Rank: 167
Dorothy Lamour
ACTOR
1914 - 1996
HPI: 58.45
Rank: 168
Andrey Lukanov
POLITICIAN
1938 - 1996
HPI: 58.44
Rank: 169
Seymour Cray
ENGINEER
1925 - 1996
HPI: 58.40
Rank: 170
Ferdinand Leitner
CONDUCTOR
1912 - 1996
HPI: 58.39
Rank: 171
In South Africa
Among people born in South Africa, Laurens van der Post ranks 86 out of 454. Before him are David Cooper (1931), Marlene Dumas (1953), Abdullah Ibrahim (1934), J. L. B. Smith (1897), Walter Sisulu (1912), and Alice Krige (1954). After him are Joan Harrison (1935), J. B. M. Hertzog (1866), Athol Fugard (1932), Chris Heunis (1927), Trevor Jones (1949), and Janet Suzman (1939).
Others born in South Africa
Go to all RankingsDavid Cooper
PHYSICIAN
1931 - 1986
HPI: 59.15
Rank: 80
Marlene Dumas
PAINTER
1953 - Present
HPI: 59.14
Rank: 81
Abdullah Ibrahim
MUSICIAN
1934 - Present
HPI: 59.08
Rank: 82
J. L. B. Smith
CHEMIST
1897 - 1968
HPI: 58.80
Rank: 83
Walter Sisulu
POLITICIAN
1912 - 2003
HPI: 58.71
Rank: 84
Alice Krige
ACTOR
1954 - Present
HPI: 58.59
Rank: 85
Laurens van der Post
WRITER
1906 - 1996
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 86
Joan Harrison
SWIMMER
1935 - 2025
HPI: 58.43
Rank: 87
J. B. M. Hertzog
POLITICIAN
1866 - 1942
HPI: 58.38
Rank: 88
Athol Fugard
WRITER
1932 - 2025
HPI: 58.22
Rank: 89
Chris Heunis
POLITICIAN
1927 - 2006
HPI: 58.21
Rank: 90
Trevor Jones
COMPOSER
1949 - Present
HPI: 58.18
Rank: 91
Janet Suzman
ACTOR
1939 - Present
HPI: 58.18
Rank: 92
Among WRITERS In South Africa
Among writers born in South Africa, Laurens van der Post ranks 9. Before him are Nadine Gordimer (1923), Peter Abrahams (1919), André Brink (1935), Laurence Oliphant (1829), Breyten Breytenbach (1939), and Ronald Harwood (1934). After him are Athol Fugard (1932), Alan Paton (1903), Deon Meyer (1958), Gcina Mhlophe (1958), Elsa Joubert (1922), and Andrew Murray (1828).
Nadine Gordimer
1923 - 2014
HPI: 75.27
Rank: 3
Peter Abrahams
1919 - 2017
HPI: 65.92
Rank: 4
André Brink
1935 - 2015
HPI: 64.50
Rank: 5
Laurence Oliphant
1829 - 1888
HPI: 60.60
Rank: 6
Breyten Breytenbach
1939 - 2024
HPI: 60.11
Rank: 7
Ronald Harwood
1934 - 2020
HPI: 59.93
Rank: 8
Laurens van der Post
1906 - 1996
HPI: 58.50
Rank: 9
Athol Fugard
1932 - 2025
HPI: 58.22
Rank: 10
Alan Paton
1903 - 1988
HPI: 56.69
Rank: 11
Deon Meyer
1958 - Present
HPI: 55.41
Rank: 12
Gcina Mhlophe
1958 - Present
HPI: 55.15
Rank: 13
Elsa Joubert
1922 - 2020
HPI: 54.78
Rank: 14
Andrew Murray
1828 - 1917
HPI: 54.68
Rank: 15