"Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift--book recommendations?" Topic

Complete newbie here looking for book recommendations for the Zulu War in general and Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in particular.

Feel free to recommend general history books as well as detailed studies of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift--or other interesting battles from the Zulu war.

I am particularly interested in any published archeological studies of Isandlwana.

Much appreciated!

Like Wolves on the Fold, and How Can Man Die Better about Rourke's Drift and Isandlwana respectively. The author, whose name I can't recal right now, is or was a British Army officer who was stationed in SA for some time and did a huge amount of onsite research. Excellent details as well as being eminently readable.

CK

I have the Osprey publications for Rourke's Drift and Isandlwana (although repackaged by another publisher). I found them really helpful to get a feel of the flavor of the battles and I liked that they went into a little more depth than the average Osprey title. I haven't delved much beyond that and a few articles here and there.

Best,
Steve
Cavalcade Wargames
cavalcadewargames.com
nycjadie.wordpress.com

"Like Lions They Fought", and "The Washing of the Spears". "Washing" being THE book about the Anglo-Zulu war for some time. Still very good.

Like Wolves on the Fold, and How Can Man Die Better are written by Mike Snook. I found both to be really good reads.

For me, Isandlwana is rather more interesting, if much more confusing, than Rorke's Drift.

The period is still something of a minefield, so be careful of reading any single piece.

"How Can Man Die Better" and "Like Wolves on the Fold" are by Lt Colonel Michael Snook. I've only read the first (though through financial stringency rather than because I couldn't bear to read any more). The first was certainly a good read, but as commanding oficer of the regimental descendents of the 24th Foot has something of an axe to grind.
Anything by Adrian Greaves (and he has written about both battles in detail) would be a useful counter to Snook. His "Crossing the Buffalo" is a good account of the whole campaign, and includes a lot about both battles.
For the opposite extreme to Snooks, try "Zulu Victory" by Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill.

Ian Knight has written well and extensively on the subject but I don't have references to hand.

Enjoy!

"Washing of the Spears" should be a starting point but be prepared for different interpretations by more recent authors.

WotS however gives a very readable sweeping overview of the rise of the Zulu nation and the coincidental arrival of the Boer and the British in Natal/Zululand.

Many years since I first read it, but the impression that I couldn't put it down still lingers.

Ian Knight's "Brave Men's Blood" is probably the best single book out there to start with as it covers all the basics, is reasonably up to date with its conclusions and is well written and very wargamer friendly. His recent book "Companion to the Anglo-Zulu War" also looks good- although I haven't got that one (yet).By the same author "Nothing Remains But to Fight: Defence of Rorke's Drift" Almost everything you need especially if read with Adrian Greaves's book on the same subject..whose title is I thnk simply "Rourke's Drift".
David Rattray's Guidebook To The Anglo-Zulu War Battlefields by David Rattray and Adrian Greaves is an excellent history and guide book with great photographs and maps.

The list is endless really, I could mention lots more but those ones are still in print so should be easy to find.

Graham

link

Horace Smith-Dorrien provided a first-hand account of Isandlwana in his memoire "Memories of Forty-Eight Years Service." Excerpts from that period can be found in the link above.

Anything by Ian Knight, But in my opinion this is the best one:
link

Its my favourite point of reference for both battles, and has some excellent first hand accounts along with great colour plates by Angus McBride.

Though certainly 'popular' history, rather than an academic tome, Saul David's recent book 'Zulu' is very readable and gives a good overview of the Zulu War.

To read about it from a man who was there, I heartily recommend you get hold of 'In Zululand with the British Army', by Charles 'Noggs' Norris-Newman. Norris-Newman covered the war as a war correspondent and the book is excellent and vividly written.

No one has mentioned Saul David – A respectable history of the war "Zulu" followed now by a novel "Zulu Hart" (with the hero half British, quarter Irish, quarter Zulu) sauldavid.co.uk/books.htm

Could be a good blood and thunder for the quiet period between Christmas and the New Year.

I carry the Casemate Publisher books on the Zulus in my store. There are several good books on Zulu kings battles, and armies.