rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:12 pm

Has anyone considered contacting the publishers?

Archival Publications International Limited,
81 Queens Court,
Queensway,
London, W2 4QR

Telephone no. 020 7727 1989.

John Y.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:56 pm

Well I shot them an email. Thanks John.

I see that they've published some "contemporary" archival material..British Archives on Cuba..Cuba before Castro 1898-1958.

I don't know. I find it perplexing that they wouldn't republish the AOZ even if the original cost alot of money. I think they would most likely pick up new buyers with a reprint since the AZW is being studied more sharply today than it ever was. Now are they in business to get subscriptions at a high price or is their purpose the dissemination of important archival and historical material?

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:03 am

Rich,
You are right, the publishers would certainly pick up new buyers, but when a limited is published, it is supposed to be just that, hence the higher prices, just as a limited edition print would command a higher price than an open edition. It all comes down to making money. Although there are many Zulu War enthusiasts, there are probably not enough to make books viable as best sellers such as the Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter etc, therefore, by producing limited editions, the initial outlay stands a better chance of being recouped. I agree with you, it would be nice to believe that the books are being produced to disseminate historical interest, but money always comes first. As John Young advises, the best chance of obtaining a copy of the Archives would be to contact the publishers direct.

PRS.

Did you manage to obtain a copy?
Regards
David

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:36 pm

Thanks David.

As many here, I too am a collector of AZW books because I enjoy researching and learning about the war. Perhaps one day I'll get my copy.
If I get a reply, I will let everybody know. And if others hear from them as well I'd be interested in the news.

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:56 am

Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to offer suggestions.
Have followed up a few avenues, but unfortunately nothing definite as yet.

Rich
I also sent an e-mail to the publishers. Unfortunately that was several days ago and I still await the benefit of a reply.

David
Thanks again for your help. The copy available thru Amazon is "used", and I baulk at paying over GBP700 for a 2nd hand book.
But sometimes maybe simple is best. After trying with no luck at all the usual specialist bookshops in UK, RSA, and USA, it seems that I may have stumbled on a copy in a more basic location --- WH Smith !!

Will see what transpires.

Best regards
Peter S

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:22 pm

Hi PRS
I would never have guessed a copy of the Archives would be found in W.H.Smith. I hope you get it.
Regards
David

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:03 pm

David,

To be frank I'm not at all surprised, here's why:

�...That a more prudent, a more brave, a more capable man does not exist among the many brave and capable men in the British Army,...�
W.H. Smith, M.P. & Publisher, of Lord Chelmsford, February, 1879.

The families were friends then and I believe they still are.

John Y.

Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:20 pm

Peter,

All six volumnes from WH Smiths? I wonder where they got their stock? The price would also be of passing interest.

AMB

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:29 pm

Just an fyi to everyone...

I did receive a reply today from Archival Publications. They have 16 sets available. These are reprints from the original subscriber edition.
They will note price but I have to believe it will be over 1000 pounds as noted here before. But I'm waiting perhaps even to be surprised. Who knows ? Maybe they'd believe in markdowns.. Wink

....

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:58 pm

On further enquiry I found that the WH Smith books on offer were individual volumes, and they did not have all 6 volumes.

But, like Rich, I too received a reply from the publishers & have now purchased a full 6 volume set from them.

Thanks again to all who have helped with comments, suggestions, etc.

Best regards
PRS

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:55 pm

Now that (with plenty of assistance from fellow posters) I have sorted my Archives issue I would ask for comments on another matter.

I have discovered (sorry if I am coming late to this) the following paper produced by the Army Records Society :

Lord Chelmsfords Zululand Campaign 1878-79, by John Laband.
It was produced in 1994 and sells for GBP25.

There is so much AZW material produced that there is always the possibility of purchasing the same material more than once.

So, my question is :- has anyone studied this paper, and is the material in it reproduced/contained in any other publication, book, etc ??

Thanks for any comments.
Regards
PRS

Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:15 pm

PRS

Prof Laband's Lord Chelmsford's Zululand Campaign 1878-79 comprises Vol 10 of the publications of the Army Records Society and was published by Alan Sutton Publishing and runs to 312 pages, including Introduction, chapter end-notes, biographical notes of many individuals, glossary, gazetteer, bibliography & index.

The main collections drawn on by Laband are the BPP (Blue Books); the Chelmsford Papers in the National Army Museum; the Government House papers in the Natal Archives; Pearson's papers in the Nat Army Museum; Sir T Shepstone's papers in the Natal Archives; Sir E. Wood's collection in the Natal Archives; WO papers in the NA (former PRO) & Wood's papers in the KCAL, Durban.

Virtually the whole of the contents involve correspondence involving Lord C himself (either to or from). The main repositories (and various collections) used by the Archives of Zululand project are BPP/Blue Books; TNA (CO & WO); Royal Archives, Windsor; Hansard (Commons & Lords); WO publications; London Gazette; Natal Archives, PMB; SA Nat Library and various pamphlets & books.

Although many of the collections drawn on by the two publications overlap, there is simply too much in each collection for there to to be much duplication as far as I can see. One publication concentrates on the correspondence involving Chelmsford alone (and Prof Laband explains that to use all the material involving him would take many vols, instead of only one). In the intro to the AoZ project, the editor (Laband again) explains the editorial policy behind the choices made by the editorial team. Even in 3500 pages they could only scratch the surface. I suspect - although he doesn't say so - that the fact that he had himself already published some of the most relevant Chelmsford correspondence persuaded him/them not to repeat the operation overmuch in AoZ.

In my opinion you'll derive considerable benefit by acquiring the Chelmsford book even if you commit yourself to all six vols of the AoZ. They certainly complement each other without much duplication that I can see. The Chelmsford book, because dealing purely with letters to and from the C-in-C before and during the war, is very, very readable. And if you've committed yourself to the outlay on AoZ, the �25 on the Army Records Soc vol will be a mere snip!!! Wink

Hopefully, someone else will come on and either support or qualify my view, to give you a fuller picture. In my opinion, the five best works in this genre which describe the AZW (including its approach/causes) by quoting fully from (and usually commenting on) contemporary sources are (in no particular order as they adopt different approaches):

1. AoZ (above)
2. Chelmsford (ditto)
3. KI Smith - Select Documents: A Zulu War Source Book
4. Sonia Clarke - Invasion of Zululand
5. Frank Emery - The Red Soldier

Go on! In for a penny, in for a pound ...

Peter

PS - By the way, the �700/�800 Amazon offer is for the 6 vols, not one, so are offered at a considerable discount. And after all, many, many second hand books cost far more than new ones. It is also highly likely, I'd think, that the six vols will be in very good condition at least. Still, I'm glad that WHS appear to have (astonishingly!) come up trumps.

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:22 am

Peter

Thanks for that detailed reply.

Of your list of 5 recommended books only the Chelmsford one is not already in my collection.
So, as you say, in for a penny............

Regards
PRS

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:14 pm

PRS,

Well worth getting the Laband book (as with any of his). Sadly I am away from my library at present, but the detailed reply from Peter is (from memory) spot on.

AMB

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:51 am

PRS

Glad to have been useful.

P.