| Date | Original Topic |
| 10th May 2002 | New Books
By John S Radburn
Will their be any more information thrown at us in the form of 'more outlay' i.e. books, to see if the Battle of Rorkes Drift has changed or not. At the moment their seems to be a derth of biblography on the subject.
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| Date | Replies |
| 10th May 2002 | Martin Everett
Dear John,
There is a new book specifically about Rorke's Drift due out in July 2002. If you keep in touch with this site you will certainly know about it. There are two others in course of preparation about Isandhlwana, but I do not have any publication dates yet. So I am not sure I understand your comment.
Martin |
| 10th May 2002 | John S Radburn
I did know about the forthcoming book that was being published, butwas interestered to know if there was any further information that hasent been theorised in the past on the subject.
Regards John |
| 11th May 2002 | Martin Everett
John,
You raise an interesting point. The AZW is porbably the most documented of all Victorian militatary campaigns - every month it seems a new publication appears. The two feature films have fuelled worldwide interest in the events of 1879. Publishers feel they are on a save bet by supporting authors. One of problems it that the publishers will always hype-up the new book to achieve maximum sales - it has always been so.
A lot of serious research about AZW is going on and new facts will continue to emerge. I was given a notebook of a Corporal in C Coy 2/24th describing his return visit to the battlefield of Isandhlwana on 20 June 1879 and recognising the bodies of his friends who had been killed in the January. We are currently transcribing the journal of an officer of 24th who served throughout the campaign which I hope will be published.
For any budding author, I would give him or her the advice NOT to write about the AZW - tempting and interesting as the subject is - the is better to find 'another war' - a little known campaign in order to get into print. However, I can understand the difficulties of this advice - it is harder doing real raw research - and is more difficult to get publishers interested in unfamiliar subjects. There you go. |
| 12th May 2002 | Julian Whybra
Hmmmm. I think I would add a rider. If, as the result of research you have done, you discover something new or which genuinely presents a different aspect, then go ahead and seek publication - either as an article or book. There are plenty of journals which would be interested and several specialist publishers. I must admit that I am a bit tired of 'new' publications which simply re-present others' views and reproduce the time-worn anecdotes without presenting anything new - the 'beautifully illustrated coffee-table book for AZW military historians' approach - and I don't believe that this summer will see the last of them (there are too many writers interested in the AZW and the profit motive for that to happen!). For my own part, I know there's lots out there still to discover and write about. The trick is finding a promising line of research which will lead to results of sufficient interest and volume to keep a publisher (and a public) happy. |
| 13th May 2002 | Alec Weston
I'm always suspicious of people who begin their reply with..Hmmmmm, as if they are somehow well known authorities on the subject. I don't like Julian's inuendos - if he is so 'tired of new publications' then why on earth does he bother to read them? This reminds me of the half-dozen- so-called-experts that took Ian Knight to task over his TV programme - a programme enjoyed by 2.5 million people in the UK alone.
I don't think that anyone gains respect by knocking those who have spent a lot of time producing films and books, especially if these self-appointed critics can't produce anything themselves that a publisher of film producer would look at.
Alec Weston |
| 13th May 2002 | John Young
Alec,
No "Hmmmm's" from me. As I make no claim of being an expert or an authority, merely someone who has spent the better part of his life reading, writing and researching material on the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.
I have just seen the pre-release publicity 'blurb' on the Keynsham Light Horse site for Dr. Adrian Greaves' forthcoming work on Rorke's Drift. Hopefully, certain facts & figures mentioned in the advertising are 'crowd-pullers', and will not be repeated in the book's text.
Look at it for yourself, if you don't believe me?
I would welcome your comments on certain statements made in the advertising as to whether they are factually accurate, or not?
John Young,
Chairman,
Anglo-Zulu War Research Society.
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| 13th May 2002 | Julian Whybra
Well, Alec, there's nothing like being blunt, is there?
I suppose one doesn't know whether a new book has anything different to say until one has bothered to read it...which I do, but my opinion of much of popular history writing remains unaltered.
Since I am a history lecturer (with qualifications awarded by a university as the result of a programme of study and not purchased) I do feel entitled to give an opinion to those considering embarking on historical research and writing. My intention was to encourage John, whoever he is.
As for not producing anything that a publisher would look at I suggest you look up the following:
The Defence of Rorke's Drift (British Archives Publication)
The Roll Call (Roberts Publications)
The Zulu Army and Isandhlwana in 1879 (SOTQ)
The Ten Gunners (SOTQ)
Zabange - Pure Fiction (SOTQ)
Isandhlwana and the Durnford Papers (SOTQ)
No 1 Squadron IMI and Isandhlwana (SOTQ)
More Noble 24th (SOTQ Issue 108 about to appear)
A Lost English County (Boydell and Brewer)
Meeting the Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Children ed M Stopper (Fulton)
Humanisierung der Bilding ed R Keck (Lang)
Jezyka Polskiego dla Cudzoziemcow (Uniwersytet Jagiellonski)
and 34 other articles and booklets on gifted education / history which I won't bore you with.
And there is more to come. |
| 13th May 2002 | Alec Weston
This all looks suspiciously like a 'warm up' for another attack on Adrian Greaves. I personally found all the bitterness back in January & February very one sided and unpleasant, I hope we are not in for another bout. |
| 13th May 2002 | Alex Rossiter
I must say i found the attacks on Adrian Greaves's book quite childish.
No offence to you julian but you did seem to persistantly snipe at Mr Greaves book which i think was very unfair!
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| 13th May 2002 | Julian Whybra
I have no intention of 'sniping' at Mr Greaves's next book. And I do not attack people. However I will always defend my intellectual copyright where I feel that has been infringed. Who wouldn't? The Feb-March correspondence looks like reaching a satisfactory conclusion very soon. I shall let you know the outcome.
I would remind you that it was not I that began the comments on 13th May. I hope I have made my position clear. |
| 14th May 2002 | James Garland
I don't think all new publications necessarily have to unearth new and interesting facts. I will always find room on my bookshelves for books that contain the same material presented in a more logical or understandable way.
I buy most new books on the Zulu War in the hope that I discover a new Gem. How does the saying go " You have to kiss a hell of a lot of frogs until you meet a prince".
Some of the Gems of the past few years I would say are:
Nothing remains but to fight by Ian Knight
Brave mens blood by Ian Knight
The Noble 24th by Norman Holmes
They fell like stones by John Young
and "The Road to Isandhlwana by R W Droogelever.
Has anyone else got any nominations?
Perhaps we could produce a top ten. |
