Customer Reviews (1)

A definitive glimpse at a war, a soldier and a cause
As I stood recently at John MacBride's final resting place in Dublin's tiny, quiet Arbor Hill Cemetery, I reflected on this book about this Irish hero who led Irish and Irish-American volunteers against the British in theSouth African War. Tragically, he emerged from the Boer War safely, but wasexecuted for his role in the 1916 Easter Uprising and his body dumped in amass grave with several of his patriotic comrades. His sacrifices certainlyhelped lay the foundation for Ireland's freedom.

This book focuses mainlyon MacBride's service in the Boer War, the politics and passions of theIrish involvement, and his relationship with the flamboyant Maud Gonne, whobore his two children. MacBride is not a perfect hero, which makes him (andthis book)all the more engaging.

Dr. McCracken's book is well-wroughthistory, finely detailed and comprehensively researched. It is also a darngood story, well told. He's a devoted scholar and historian, and a finewriter. I would recommend this work highly to any student of Irishrepublicanism and/or the Boer War. ... Read more

Product Description
The Boer War (1899-1902) was one of the last of the romantic wars, pitting a sturdy, stubborn pioneer people, fighting to establish the independence of their tiny nation, against the might of the British Empire at its peak. Farwell captures the incredible feats, the personal heroism, the unbelievable folly, and the many incidents of humor as well as tragedy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Must read for all soldiers
This book was probably one of the most relevant, gripping and epic history books I have ever read. The numerous parallels between the Iraq war and the Boer War make it all the more powerful.
Most Brit academics are long on tangential, spurious fact and short on prose. This is were Farwell parts with his contemporaries. It can be read by the casual historian (skip some of the long sieges) or the consummate soldier, as Byron fully illustrates the flaws and strength of each protagonist at every major turning point. He does not hold back personal judgment which adds much needed context. He imbues these real characters with life allowing this to become more Epic than history book.
As an avid reader of insurgent doctrine this ranks up there with: Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, A War Like No Other and Guerrilla Warfare (Che not Mao).
While it is a hefty read I dare you to put this down after the first couple chapters. You will not be disappointed.

Informative, enjoyable, definitive
Quite easily the best book on the topic of the second Anglo-Boer war.If there were but one book you read concerning this timely subject, it is this one.The author leads the reader on a fast-paced but thorough and enjoyable tour of the people and places involved.The intermixture of battlefield strategic and tactical decisions are interspersed with human stories of the men who carried out the orders and the political forces that fueled the conflict. A must have for the panoramic big picture with detail enough to satisfy the most avid military historian. It is a work I come back to again and again.

Superb
Simply put, one of the greatest, most detailed and yet most readable histories, military or otherwise, to ever have been published.If you have even a passing interest in history, this book is for you.The parallels that can be drawn to our present day situation in the middle east are shocking, and this book was written quite a while ago.

An excellent non-academic history of the war...
This is an absorbing, well written account of a neglected (by American readers anyway) war at the turn of the last century. Rather than being a dry academic text, Farwell's writing style serves to bring the war to life 100 years after the fact. Seamlessly mixing descriptions of tactical battlefield and operational decisions with the geo-political/strategic back drop of the war, intertwining the personal narratives of the men who were carrying out orders and executing political/military decisions (which I'd say was very "Ken Burns" if Farwell's book didn't pre-date Burns' work by almost a decade).

Coupled with other accounts of the war, like Goodbye Dolly Gray (another excellent book) written by Rayne Kruger, the average reader can understand some of the causal factors of South Africa's apartied system and gain an insight into the history of a long troubled region.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader looking for a fast-paced non-academic history of the Boer War.You won't go wrong. ... Read more

Product Description
This expanded and updated edition draws on new scholarly writing since the centenary of the war. Nasson explores how the Anglo-Boer War shaped South Africa’s future and how it has come to be remembered in a post-apartheid South Africa.

When historian Bill Nasson describes battle scenes from the Anglo-Boer War, it is as if you can hear the bullets fly past. Nasson provides a gripping overview of the war and integrates the military, political and social dimensions of a war that continues to fascinate. ... Read more

Product Description
From 1899 to 1902 South Africa was convulsed by theconflict between one of the world's greatest powers - Britain - andthe tenacious fighting force of two small Afrikaner republics, the ZAR(Transvaal) and the Orange Free State.Faced with the threat oflosing their independence, the Boers rallied with a single-mindeddetermination which gained them great sympathy in Europe and the US.

This book outlines the course of the war, through the formal firststages, to the guerilla struggle of the 'bitter enders'.Finally itfocuses on individual aspects of the war that are often overlooked ina more general approach.The pictorial element and the text engage ina particularly vital interplay, to illuminate the social complexitiesof a unique and prophetic war.Here are Boer life on commando, theBritish Tommy's experience of a hostile veld, and the role of blacksin the warfare -- an aspect until recently unprobed.

Prisoners of this war were overwhelmingly Boer.Men and boys werescattered abroad to exile on remote islands, while those whocollaborated with the British were scorned as 'hands uppers' andjoiners.Boer women and children comprised the remaining, far moreserious, casualties of the ruthless 'scorched earth' policy -- over27,00 deaths were recorded in their prison camps.

A fascinating look at a tragic period in South African history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902
Well written and readable account of the second Anglo-Boer War.Good illustarions really bring the text to life.Worth getting! ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free.This is an OCR edition with typos.Excerpt from book:MY REMINISCENCESOF THEANGLO-BOER WARCHAPTER I.THE WAR CLOUDS GATHER.IN 1895 the political clouds gathered thickly and grew threatening. They were unmistakable in their portent. War was meant, and we heard the martial thunder rumbling over our heads.The storm broke in the shape of an Invasion from Rhodesia on our Western frontiers, a raid planned by soldiers of a friendly power.However one may endeavour to argue the chief cause of the South African war to other issues, it remains an irrebuttable fact that the Jameson Raid was primarily responsible forthe hostilities which eventually took placebetween Great Britain and the Boer Republics.Mr. Rhodes, the sponsor and deus ex machind of the Raid, could not agree with Mr. Paul Kruger, and had failed in his efforts to establish friendly relations with him. Mr. Kruger, quite as stubborn and ambitious as Mr. Rhodes, placed no faith in the latter's amiable proposals, and the result was that fierce hatred was engendered between the two Gideons, a racial rancour spreading to fanatical lengths.Dr. Jameson's stupid raid is now a matter of history ; but from that fateful New Year's Day of 1896 we Boers date the terrible trials and sufferings to which our poor country has been exposed. To that mischievous incident, indeed, we directly trace the struggle now terminated.This invasion, which was synchronous with an armed rebellion at Johannesburg, was followed by the arrest and imprisonment of the so-called gold magnates of the Witwaters- rand. Whether these exceedingly wealthy but extremely degenerate sons of Albion andGermania deserved the death sentence pronounced upon their leaders at Pretoria for high treason it is not for me to judge.I do recall, however, what an appeal for mercy there went up, h... ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: South Africa; Transvaal (South Africa); Afrikaners; South African War, 1899-1902; History / General; History / Africa / General; History / Africa / South / Republic of South Africa; Travel / Africa / General; ... Read more

Product Description
The Historical Dictionary of the Anglo-Boer War presents the history of the war that lasted from 1899-1902. This is done through a list of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology, an introductory essay, and 600 cross-referenced dictionary entries covering a wide range of military, social, cultural, and political topics, and includes a large number of relevant biographies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

True story form the Boers Side of the Anglo-Boer war
An Amazing story, That is all true. This really sheds some light on what the Boers did and how they staid in the field so long. Shines some light on the leading hisorical figures of the war.

I found that this book gave me more information on the boer war then any other book I have ever read.

Wish I had the original
As a student of military history Reitz's book is well worth the read.However, the current copy was reprinted by [...] or some such place that obviously does not have a proof reader or editor on staff.In many places they made up new words to be inserted in place of the correct word.This occurs nearly every other page. In many cases these obscure words totally change the meaning of the paragraph. I have read the original and it does not contain such errors.

Great Memoire, Terrible Proofreading
Deneys Reitz's memoire of the Second Boer War is a Classic and has beensince its publication. My only problem is that this 2008 edition by CruGuru contains examples of some of the sloppiest proofreading/printing I have ever seen. Misspelled words are frequent and completely wrong words substituted are even more frequent.
"Commando", which contains little strategy but a great deal of human reaction to close combat, can be read and enjoyed by anyone. But buy an edition from a different publisher.

Hard to put down
First person narrative of the Boer War written just one year after the end of the war. Gives unusual insight into the life of a Boer commando during this conflict with the mighty British army.

Commando:A Boer Journal for the Boer War
Excellent primary source for research papers on the Boer War!I highly reccommend it! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Not as "Boer"ing as you would think
Being that as far as I can tell this is one of the few books written on this subject. I found this book to be well written and very informative. It explores a part or irish history that most people know nothing about. It gives insight into revelutionary thinking prior to the build up to the rebelion of 1916. I only wish that the author would have spent more time detailing the activities of the irish brigade in the war. Although , He has written "MacBrides Brigade" wich I assume is a more complete study the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Diana Cammack provides a rich and readable account of events in the city of Johannesburg that led to the Anglo-Boer War, and she enhances our understanding of both the effects of British imperialism at the turn of the century and the development of the unique racial order of contemporary South Africa. Incorporating social, political, and military history, this work covers events on the Rand during the final year before the war including the flight of well over a hundred thousand black and white refugees in a few weeks of panic; refugee life at the coast; and work, politics, and life on the Rand and in the city between October 1899 and May 1902.Drawing on varied sources, the author provides new information for the specialist, including material on the infamous "Uitlander grievances," the motives and machinations of the Rand agitators, their role in Rand reconstruction, and their relationship with the British high commissioner, Sir Alfred Milner. The wealth of detail enhances the readability of the book which recounts this interesting period of South African history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

incredible personal story
THis book for me was amazing....the things men went through....very inspiring and insightful to a history to often forgotten. ... Read more