John Van de Ruit

John van de Ruit is a South African author, actor, playwright, and producer best known for his internationally successful Spud book series. Born on 20 April 1975 in Durban, South Africa, he studied at Michaelhouse boarding school and later completed a Master’s degree in Drama and Performance at the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal).

Van de Ruit began his career in theatre and comedy, collaborating with Ben Voss on the popular satirical stage show Green Mamba, which toured extensively across Southern Africa.

In 2005, he published his debut novel Spud, a humorous coming-of-age story set in a South African boarding school during the early 1990s. The book became a major bestseller in South Africa, won the 2006 Booksellers’ Choice Award, and was later adapted into a successful film starring John Cleese and Troye Sivan.

The Spud series follows the diary of John “Spud” Milton as he navigates adolescence, school life, friendship, and family chaos. The books are partly inspired by van de Ruit’s own experiences at boarding school and have become some of the most widely read contemporary South African novels.

Today, John van de Ruit continues to write, perform, and engage with audiences through literature and theatre, remaining one of South Africa’s most recognizable modern authors.

📚 Known Books

• Spud (2005)

• Spud: The Madness Continues (2007)

• Spud: Learning to Fly (2009)

• Spud: Exit, Pursued by a Bear (2012)

• Spud: The Reunion (recent continuation of the series)