10 interesting facts about Alistair MacLean

Alistair MacLean was an author of thrillers, adventure stories, spy and war novels, but he wrote a few non-fiction books too. His books have sold millions of copies and many have been made into movies.

Here are 10 interesting facts about Alistair MacLean’s life and books:

  1. He was a Scottish writer born in 1922 in Glasgow, Scotland. Alistair started as a teacher then became a full time author.
    Alistair MacLean
  1. Before that he was a soldier in the Second World War. He joined the Royal Navy in 1941 – at 19 – and saw action in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres. He was also part of the invasion of southern France in 1944.Alistair MacLean
  1. In 1945, on board of Royalist, MacLean saw action in the Far East theatre and helped with the war against the Japanese.Alistair MacLean
  1. Maclean struggled with alcoholism – which eventually caused his death – and on one of his drunken ravings he claimed he was captured and tortured by the Japanese. These claims were unfounded and even his own son and biographer dismissed them.Alistair MacLean
  1. After the war he went back to school at the University of Glasgow and upon graduation became a school teacher in a small Scottish town.
  1. As a university student he started writing short stories for an extra buck and he even won a competition. His major breakthrough came in 1955 with his first published novel was HMS Ulysses which was based on his war experiences. The novel was a great success and secure MacLean the financial freedom to quit teaching and concentrate on his writing only.Alistair MacLean
  1. Just two years later in 1957 he published his second novel, The Guns of Navarone – about a fictional Greek island. Force 10 from Navarone is its sequel.Alistair MacLean
  1. Maybe two of his most popular books are The Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare both of which had been made into movies.Alistair MacLean
  1. He went on to write 28 novels and a collection of short stories plus a few non-fiction books which obviously made him pretty well off — uhh, that is filthy rich. And what do rich people do? Avoid paying taxes and so move to Switzerland as a tax exile.
  1. Alistair MacLean passed away in 1987 in Munich, Germany.

Watch my video presentation about his life and books:

Watch more videos about books on my YouTube Channel.

Author V.M. Simandan

is a Beijing-based Romanian positive psychology counsellor and former competitive archer

More posts by V.M. Simandan

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