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Isandlwana: How the Zulus Humbled the British Empire
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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A new title [see below] by Adrian Greaves:

Isandlwana: How the Zulus Humbled the British Empire

Description
On 22nd January 1879, shortly after the British invasion of Zululand, Viscount Chelmsford established a camp at Islandlwana for his centre column, consisting of 1800 Europeans and 1000 natives. But while Chelmsford and about half of the Europeans were away trying to intercept a Zulu force, the camp was hit early in the morning by a surprise Zulu attack. All but 55 Europeans and 300 natives were killed. Returning the next day, Chelmsford discovered the ruined camp, strewn with bodies, and immediately fell back through Rorke's Drift to defensive positions. This book is a brand new look at the opening battle of the war, and one of the biggest disasters for the British in South Africa.

Despite the above (from Amazon), this is a republication of the 2001 work by Greaves.

AMB
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diagralex


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 208
Location: Broomfield, Essex
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In a four line description, it is a bit worrying that :-

!. The camp was hit early in the morning...
2. All but 55 Europeans were killed...
3. Returning the next day..
4. Immediately fell back ...

If you can get those facts wrong in a few lines, I think that I will passs on this book.

Graham
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Presumably most of the basic errors in the Amazon review are just an example of very sloppy writing by the reviewer, rather than quoting information from the book. At least, I hope so! However, at least one - the "55 European survivors" - is presumably a figure extracted from the book, and this would certainly be unfortunate. Surely this figure had been publicly corrected or updated even before the 2001 publication? Seeing it repeated yet again would be very disappointing.

Is it possible that a revamping of the title and its inclusion in a new military series might lead prospective purchasers into thinking there is a new book on the market? (As if another new general book on Isandlwana were required!) Let's give Cassell the benefit of the doubt on that one. Either way, it will need to be a huge improvement on the 2001 version to be worth a look, although I suspect it is aimed at a constantly growing market. Coming so soon after Knight's Zulu Rising, the first question to come to mind is "Why?"

Peter
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Peter,

I suspect, not to add to the knowledge of the action that day, but to make yet more money from a title that when first sold in 2001 was found to be less than exacting.

Harsh, but I would stand by the fact that the 2001 title did not hold a light to some earlier works even then; it is blown away by some of those published more recently.

AMB
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rich


Joined: 01 May 2008
Posts: 897
Location: Long Island NY USA
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As I'm always looking for new titles, I recall at one point there was a thought to expand the topics covered on the AZW. It was thought that Isandhlwana and some other areas had pretty much a thorough going over. Now the republication....kind of perplexing if AZW studies is to advance a bit from simply regurgitations. Just my take on the issue.

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Rich
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Isandlwana: How the Zulus Humbled the British Empire
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