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Must read from the Zulu side
Stephen Coan


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 40
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Greetings, here's a new book that lives up to its subtitle, An Untold Story, and I highly recommend it.

[i]Eyes in the Night � An Untold Zulu Story[/i]
[i]�1879, the year in which I grew up faster than I could shout my name. That year was the one in which we experienced events and encounters that no one, particularly a child, should ever witness. It was also the year my people lost everything � their land and fields � and were reduced to being vagrants and beggars in the land of their birth.

I am the daughter of Mqokotshwa Makhoba, one of King Cetshwayo�s generals of the iNgobamakhosi regiment, he named me Nombhosho, which means bullet. He said I would come out of any situation fast and unscathed, like a bullet�� [/i]

Back cover blurb: 'Nomavenda Mathiane stumbled upon her grandmother�s story well over a century after the gruelling events of the Battle of Isandlwana that formed her life. Astounded to hear how her grandmother had survived the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War between the British and Zulu nations as a young girl, Mathiane spent hours with her elder sisters reconstructing the extraordinary life of their grandmother.

'The result is a sweeping epic of both personal and political battles. Eyes in the Night is a young Zulu woman�s story of drama, regret, guilt and, ultimately, triumph � set against the backdrop of a Zululand changed beyond recognition. A true story almost lost, but for a chance remark at a family gathering.'

An important addition to the AZW literature [i]Eyes in the Night[/i] is an excellent read and buffs will have fun trying to match the oral history with the historical record. The author, a respected South African journalist, acknowledges the pitfalls of oral history and has tried to �reconcile the oral stories� with �formal historical accounts but some inconsistences have been impossible to resolve completely�.

In South Africa [i]Eyes in the Night [/i]is published by Bookstorm. It appears to be available on amazon.com as a physical book and amazon.co.uk as an e-book. Also a kindle edition.
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Stephen,

Thank you.

please do let us know if it anything other than a mis-titled historical novel.

Not convinced by the blurb. If the journalist was serious, there are plenty of AZW experts (not least in) in RSA who could have matched the 'oral history' to actual historical fact. The result could have been ground breaking.

AMB
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Stephen Coan


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 40
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AMB

Definitely not a novel. More in the nature of a family memoir. Google the author's name and title and there's plenty of links which give further background. Certainly breaks new ground.

Stephen
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Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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For some reason, Stephen's original post wouldn't allow any italics. This is the post with italics. (Alan - Admin)

Eyes in the Night � An Untold Zulu Story
�1879, the year in which I grew up faster than I could shout my name. That year was the one in which we experienced events and encounters that no one, particularly a child, should ever witness. It was also the year my people lost everything � their land and fields � and were reduced to being vagrants and beggars in the land of their birth.

I am the daughter of Mqokotshwa Makhoba, one of King Cetshwayo�s generals of the iNgobamakhosi regiment, he named me Nombhosho, which means bullet. He said I would come out of any situation fast and unscathed, like a bullet��


Back cover blurb: 'Nomavenda Mathiane stumbled upon her grandmother�s story well over a century after the gruelling events of the Battle of Isandlwana that formed her life. Astounded to hear how her grandmother had survived the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War between the British and Zulu nations as a young girl, Mathiane spent hours with her elder sisters reconstructing the extraordinary life of their grandmother.

'The result is a sweeping epic of both personal and political battles. Eyes in the Night is a young Zulu woman�s story of drama, regret, guilt and, ultimately, triumph � set against the backdrop of a Zululand changed beyond recognition. A true story almost lost, but for a chance remark at a family gathering.'

An important addition to the AZW literature Eyes in the Night is an excellent read and buffs will have fun trying to match the oral history with the historical record. The author, a respected South African journalist, acknowledges the pitfalls of oral history and has tried to �reconcile the oral stories� with �formal historical accounts but some inconsistences have been impossible to resolve completely�.

In South Africa Eyes in the Night is published by Bookstorm. It appears to be available on amazon.com as a physical book and amazon.co.uk as an e-book. Also a kindle edition.

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Stephen Coan


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 40
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Many thanks, Alan
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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I can't help but think a book that says that 'buffs will enjoy matching the oral history with the historical record'.

Is this a serious study, then?

If the 'oral history' does not match the 'historical record', does that make it a novel?

AMB
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Stephen Coan


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 40
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The book didn't say it I did. For anyone interested in the Anglo-Zulu War and South Africa this is a book well worth reading.
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Must read from the Zulu side
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