Ena Murray

Ena Murray (born 27 December 1936 - died 04 June 2015) was a well-known Afrikaans writer. During the 33 years that she wrote full-time, 131 titles appeared from her pen. She acquired renown mainly for her romance novels, but also wrote detective fiction, espionage fiction and adventure novels through which she reached a wide audience. In addition she wrote spiritual literature and produced a volume of poetry.

She has been described has the "most read writer in Afrikaans". In a survey by Radio Sonder Grense and Tafelberg-Uitgewers she was deemed the most popular writer in Afrikaans.[1]

Some of her books appeared in large print, aiding the visually impaired. Some were recorded by Pionier School, a special needs school in Worcester, while others were recorded by Bandhulp vir Blindes in braille en band (an institution assisting the blind).

Biography

Ena Murray was born in the small Karoo town of Loxton. She was the second of three daughters of the local medical practitioner, Dr. Mans. She received her schooling at Loxton and the neighbouring town of Victoria West. After matriculating she worked as a nurse.

She married Boet Murray of Loxton, thus returning to her birth town, where her literary career started in earnest. The marriage would last twenty years. After her divorce she settled in Wilderness in the southern Cape. Two years later she married Jaques Mostert and after ten years they moved to a retirement village in Mossel Bay, where she still resides.

Research and writing style

Many of her novels were semi-biographical and these often proved popular. Apparently her readers identified with the characters, leading to filming of two novels. The first film was Vrou uit die nag (Woman emerging from the night) by the Christian film company Carfo, and the well-known Plekkie in die son (Place in the sun) which had the theme of a leprosy shelter.

She is considered to be a thorough researcher of the topics of her novels, who doesn't start writing unless this first phase in complete. Whether it be historic, medical or geographic knowledge that is required, she is considered to be versed in the facts of each. When researching Plekkie in die son, she stayed for some time at the leprosy shelter Westfort outside Pretoria, to acquire the necessary insight into such an institution.

Literary works

Note: English titles given here are translations of the Afrikaans, and have not been available as such.

Titles (out of print)

Titles (still in print)

References

  1. ↑ Suid-Afrikaanse Skrywers: Ena Murray
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