John Smith's journey to literary success began in early 1957, when he was earning a modest £12 per week as a librarian in Bradford. However, his fortunes took a dramatic turn in June of that same year, when he was able to abandon his job due to the staggering financial rewards generated by the sales of his book, the majority of which was written during his convalescence at Grassington sanatorium, where he was recovering from tuberculosis.
By 1960, Room at the Top had achieved remarkable commercial success, with sales exceeding half a million copies. This milestone marked the beginning of a long and illustrious writing career, which would span over three decades.
In October 1985, John Smith published his 13th book, These Golden Days, and simultaneously launched a Saturday column, Share My Life, for the Yorkshire Post, a venture that would continue until his passing in the autumn of 1986.
