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Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:41 am

I for one can't wait for IK's forthcoming book on RD. At least then we will almost certainly be able to lay RD to bed with this being the definitive piece of literature on the subject and as MS alluded to in LWOTF IK has new information on why the hospital was such an odd building in terms of it's rooms and layout.

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:21 pm

I for one can't wait for IK's forthcoming book on RD

A new IK book is certainly something to look forward to. Is there any rough date for publication? I'll certainly pick up a copy if only for a reason for the strange layout of Rorke's house and that any IK book is a great read.

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:40 pm

Peter Ewart wrote:

Alekudemus

Coupland - Zulu Battle Piece (out of date doesn't mean no good).

Peter

Purchased a copy of the 1991 reprint with an introduction by Ian Knight. Even though it was first published in 1948 I found it an enjoyable read. I especially liked the pictures taken a mere 70 years after the battle. Apparently the battlefield hadn't changed much at this juncture and the book was worth the money I paid for it for these alone.

I have found this thread very useful and have already acquired several of the books mentioned. Many thanks to all who have contributed.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:32 pm

OK...first post asking for info...so be gentle!......suggestions for a more up-to-date work to supplement my 30-year old Washing of the Spears.....I've had books on specific battles from the library(& sometimes wondered if they were,indeed,the same events Morris described).....but is there a volume of the same scope incorporating recent research?....sorry to go back to basics,but that's what I need!
Steve

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:44 pm

Steve

If the scope has to be broadly in line with the timespan covered by Morris, then Laband (Rope of Sand) and Taylor (Shaka's Children) serve this purpose. I think I mentioned them in my earlier post on this thread but didn't indicate when they had appeared. Both mid-90s, thereby fulfilling also your requirement for more recent works. (In Taylor's case, he brings the story up to the present but his coverage of the AZW itself is necessarily very "broadbrush" in such a wide history). Laband is an academic and Taylor is "readable" - which isn't meant to suggest Laband isn't, nor that Taylor's research is not sound!

If it is an up-to-date, extremely detailed (pp500+) and readable work on the AZW itself you want, including the causes and immediate aftermath, I strongly suggest you look no further than Keith I. Smith's Select Documents: A Zulu War Sourcebook (DP&G Military Publishers, 2006), which allows the primary sources of the time to tell the whole story verbatim, linked by Keith's skilful narrative.

For an account of the war from the Zulu side, Laband's Kingdom in Crisis still holds good, and don't forget Ian Knight's Brave Men's Blood for a very good overall illustrated history of the war, though I daresay this is one of those you've acquired from your library?

Happy reading!

Peter

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:37 pm

An interesting thread thus far.

For an interesting read, Archives of Zululand [Edt Laband/Knight] have kept me occupied for many a happy afternoon.
Published by Archival Publications International this set of 6 volumes was a bit expensive back in 2000, but (I think) well worth it as much of the material included is hard to find else where without a lot of looking!

AMB

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 4:43 am

Thanks,Peter
Sourcebook sounds as 'tho it may be what I'm after........
Steve

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:22 am

A pleasure, Steve.

Yes, not cheap, Andrew! I didn't go for them when the project was launched but have picked up three volumes of the set since (at less than the published price, fortunately) and hope to complete the collection eventually.

Peter

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:24 pm

Peter,

I am the first to admit that the published price is expensive, but worth it - if only to save the cost in petrol driving betwix all those libraries collecting the original documents!

AMB

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:06 pm

AMB/Peter

I picked up the six volume set of Archives of Zululand when it was first published and have never regretted it. I contains much that is hard to find and also some that is virtually unobtainable, particularly in volumes 5 and 6. I note that it is still available from Stephen Hopkins in the UK at �1250 (new). Can't see it anywhere else.

KIS

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:12 pm

Keith..

I'm not exactly sure what is contained in the Archives of Zuluand. Is it like your "Select Documents"? At 1250 pounds whoa that's alot of dollars!.. Wink

...er...maybe they can get in "paperback"? I think I have to save up for the AOZ.

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:04 pm

Rich,

A paperback edn of the Archives of Zululand would certainly be a great idea - it would certainly get the contents out to a far greater audience.

AMB

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:26 pm

Rich

I must confess that I wrote Select Documents in order to place important contemporary material in the hands of enthusiasts at a reasonable price, being very much aware of the cost of AOZ. The latter, however, is an exceptional work, with very substantial extracts from many of the contemporary British Parliamentary Papers. (By substantial I mean over 100 pages in many cases.) It also includes such items as special Printed Papers, Colonial Office Papers, two of the WO series from the National Archives (dealing with the death of the Prince Imperial), documents from the Royal Archives, Windsor, many extracts from Hansard and much more.

There is also a series of documents from several South African archives and copies of some important pamphlets, almost impossible to obtain now. Vol. vi includes extracts from three books: Hallam Parr, Moodie's John Dunn, Cetewayo and the Three Generals and Vijn's Cetshwayo's Dutchman.

KIS

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:23 pm

Keith:
Now I'm grateful for your book because of the sheer cost of the AOZ volumes. I just really didn't know they were so expensive. Seems to me those volumes need to be on serious AZW readers bookshelves. Well, look if perhaps the RRW museum can get them in bulk or something maybe we all could a "discount", sometime someday down the road, eh?

Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:29 pm

Rich,

Keith's book is an absolutely first rate book (& a �must� for any Zulu bookshelf), but the Archives are so much more. If a cheaper version could be published, it really would be good. Sadly, the reproduction costs, not least those caused by including material from the royal archives, made the final price a tad expensive.

AMB