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The Great Anglo-Boer War
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.
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
349 people are currently reading
579 people want to read
About the author
Byron Farwell
28 books27 followersFarwell graduated from Ohio State University and the University of Chicago (M.A., 1968). He served in World War II as a captain of engineers attached to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force in the British Eighth Army area and later also saw combat in the Korean War. He separated from the military after seven years of active duty.
As a civilian, he became director of public relations and director of administration for Chrysler International from 1959 to 1971. He also served three terms as mayor of Hillsboro, Virginia (1977-81).
He published articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, American Heritage, Harper's, Horizon, Smithsonian Magazine as well as serving as a contributing editor to Military History, World War II, and Collier's Encyclopedia. Farwell also published biographies of Stonewall Jackson, Henry M. Stanley, and Sir Richard Francis Burton.
He was a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and a member of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Literature.
Farwell gave his papers to the University of Iowa.
As a civilian, he became director of public relations and director of administration for Chrysler International from 1959 to 1971. He also served three terms as mayor of Hillsboro, Virginia (1977-81).
He published articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, American Heritage, Harper's, Horizon, Smithsonian Magazine as well as serving as a contributing editor to Military History, World War II, and Collier's Encyclopedia. Farwell also published biographies of Stonewall Jackson, Henry M. Stanley, and Sir Richard Francis Burton.
He was a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and a member of both the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Literature.
Farwell gave his papers to the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 12, 2012
This is an amazing book! I identify with the Boers in several things. In fact, one reason why I wanted to learn more about the Boer War is because I think there is much to learn about how and why a primarily Dutch Reformed, family-oriented, dominion-focused, and well-armed country went to war with one of the biggest demonstrations of imperialistic ambition, bureaucratic, nominally religious, aggressive, big government country. I have not been disappointed by this book and I highly recommend it to you all!
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana
May 31, 2011
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 with enough detail to satisfy the most avid military historian. You won't go wrong.
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 with enough detail to satisfy the most avid military historian. You won't go wrong.
January 1, 2019
I enjoyed this book. The Boer War is one I had read a lot about in fiction but did not know a lot of the details. Wonderful book that taught me a lot about South Africa and its people. Book did drag a bit when we got into siege warfare which is a pretty boring way to run a war, but which was successful.
March 25, 2014
A well written book that gives a good overview of the Anglo-Boer War. A good first read for someone who is not overly familiar with this war and it certainly wet my appetite to read more on the subject.
July 28, 2023
I was writing a generous review of this book, but then my internet crashed and I lost it all. Well, shucks. Suffice it to say that it’s bloody good.
April 5, 2019
I've had a basic knowledge of the Boer War through other reading, but this is the first comprehensive book I've read on the subject. This is very well done and more or less follows the order of events. This delves into the why and how this war happened. Some very good insider information on many of the participants. It examines the ineptitude of many of the British officer corps and how difficult it was for the 'red' lines to fight this guerilla type war. Strategies that were totally different became similar. This book also examines the brutality of war but honour among enemies at the same time. It was the beginning of a new era of warfare, strategies and the horrors of concentration camps. Very recommended for those that want a fuller picture of this conflict.
July 9, 2018
To say this book is an exhaustive account of the 2nd Boer ware would understate the sweep of this work.
Farwell details the causes, the circumstances, the battles, the leaders, the eventual peace, and the sequelae.
I have long had an interest in South African history, but the one gap was understanding the Boer war and its consequences. I have now remedied that by reading this book.
It is well done, though at time a bit tedious. I will confess that I speed-read some of the chapters. But I also read some chapters very carefully.
Farwell details the causes, the circumstances, the battles, the leaders, the eventual peace, and the sequelae.
I have long had an interest in South African history, but the one gap was understanding the Boer war and its consequences. I have now remedied that by reading this book.
It is well done, though at time a bit tedious. I will confess that I speed-read some of the chapters. But I also read some chapters very carefully.
December 29, 2019
Excellent History for One with little Knowledge of the Boer War
This is the first book I have read about the Boer War. I will be reading more by this author. I also will be reading autobiographical books by Denyse Reitze, a Boer commando leader who became a loyal member of the British Empire. There is so much more reading I want to do about the history of South Africa and other countries in the region.
This is the first book I have read about the Boer War. I will be reading more by this author. I also will be reading autobiographical books by Denyse Reitze, a Boer commando leader who became a loyal member of the British Empire. There is so much more reading I want to do about the history of South Africa and other countries in the region.
May 4, 2021
Fascinating and well-written account of an astonishing war which pitted 30,000 stubborn, cranky, individualistic, self-sufficient farmers against 10x their number of the British Empire’s finest.
A guerilla conflict which served to be a British Vietnam, filled with unique and unusual characters, rogues and heroes-a group which included Churchill, Conan Doyle and Rhodes.
A ridiculous & needless war. A bloody collection of battles where the British had to face a sophisticated and deadly opponent who wielded (and knew how to use competently) equipment a touch more sophisticated than a few quaint African Gods, clubs and spears.
This was the conflict that sowed the seeds of destruction of Britain as a colonial power and where the lines of demarcation of victor and vanquished remain unsure.
A guerilla conflict which served to be a British Vietnam, filled with unique and unusual characters, rogues and heroes-a group which included Churchill, Conan Doyle and Rhodes.
A ridiculous & needless war. A bloody collection of battles where the British had to face a sophisticated and deadly opponent who wielded (and knew how to use competently) equipment a touch more sophisticated than a few quaint African Gods, clubs and spears.
This was the conflict that sowed the seeds of destruction of Britain as a colonial power and where the lines of demarcation of victor and vanquished remain unsure.
January 3, 2022
Remarkably detailed and eminently engaging history!
October 12, 2024
Farwell spends more time lamenting the fates of slave-owners pets (literally chickens and cats and dogs) than the slavery, torture, murder, and starvation of native African Bantu people. His fetishizations of Boer women are disturbing.
Just fuck this guy.
Just fuck this guy.
June 28, 2023
I've trucked through a lot of Victorian histories in my quest to read about social rather than political history, and something that was always mentioned a lot was, unsurprisingly, the Boer War. Well, I eventually got curious enough to fill in that gap in my knowledge, and I'm glad I did. I believe I picked this book up in a charity shop, having no idea if it would be decent, but I think I really landed on my feet. This book was excellent.
The problem with writing war histories is that there's always a lot going on, and dozens of important characters to keep track of. It's very easy for books to become confusing, or, in their effort to be as clear as possible, to adopt a dry, academic textbook style that in my opinion does not suit something as chaotic and passionate as history. This book is one of those brilliant examples of nonfiction, where facts read as easily as a novel and characters are painted so clearly it's impossible to forget them. Farwell does a brilliant job at gradually constructing the context and history, and then leading the narrative through in perfect, clear chronology. It's a fascinating read that not only covers the technical aspects of the war but also the motivations, personalities, and factors that all contributed to and influenced it.
Coming so shortly before the First World War, it's easy to see why this war would have slipped past most people. But it is absolutely fascinating, and I don't think you'd get a better overview than in this book.
The problem with writing war histories is that there's always a lot going on, and dozens of important characters to keep track of. It's very easy for books to become confusing, or, in their effort to be as clear as possible, to adopt a dry, academic textbook style that in my opinion does not suit something as chaotic and passionate as history. This book is one of those brilliant examples of nonfiction, where facts read as easily as a novel and characters are painted so clearly it's impossible to forget them. Farwell does a brilliant job at gradually constructing the context and history, and then leading the narrative through in perfect, clear chronology. It's a fascinating read that not only covers the technical aspects of the war but also the motivations, personalities, and factors that all contributed to and influenced it.
Coming so shortly before the First World War, it's easy to see why this war would have slipped past most people. But it is absolutely fascinating, and I don't think you'd get a better overview than in this book.
November 4, 2018
This must be the defining work on this topic. The author knows and tells about every engagement, almost every bullet fired, during this conflict. I got interested in the topic on my travel to Capetown and garden route, I saw the statues of Smuts and Botha in Capetown and could not figure out why they were there. Now I know !
As an amateur armchair military historia with a keen interest WorldWar I and more specific the Western front in Belgium, I discovered that most protagonists of the WW I drama did a dress rehearsal in South Africa: Byng, Rawlinson, Kitchener, French, David lloyd George, all marched through the South Africa "veld" (apart of Lloyd George). This book is actually a precursor to understand WW I military tactics and how they changed (or sclerosized) in the 12 years between the end of the Boer war and the world war.
The detail of the book is mind-boggling, but fast reading allows you to keep track of the content. In the end, in the very, very end, it is so incredible to realize that so many people endured so much hardship for something they got a couple of years later under a liberal government in London.
It also helped me to understand the difference between the Afrikaners "in the veld" and the Anglo-saxons in the cities who focus more on trade.
The "white man" case is also clearly elaborated, the whites would fight a deadly war but they agreed that the other race(s) would not be part of any future regime, a dreadful pity.
For those who travel to South Africa and want a deeper understanding of the fabric of the country, this is your book!
As an amateur armchair military historia with a keen interest WorldWar I and more specific the Western front in Belgium, I discovered that most protagonists of the WW I drama did a dress rehearsal in South Africa: Byng, Rawlinson, Kitchener, French, David lloyd George, all marched through the South Africa "veld" (apart of Lloyd George). This book is actually a precursor to understand WW I military tactics and how they changed (or sclerosized) in the 12 years between the end of the Boer war and the world war.
The detail of the book is mind-boggling, but fast reading allows you to keep track of the content. In the end, in the very, very end, it is so incredible to realize that so many people endured so much hardship for something they got a couple of years later under a liberal government in London.
It also helped me to understand the difference between the Afrikaners "in the veld" and the Anglo-saxons in the cities who focus more on trade.
The "white man" case is also clearly elaborated, the whites would fight a deadly war but they agreed that the other race(s) would not be part of any future regime, a dreadful pity.
For those who travel to South Africa and want a deeper understanding of the fabric of the country, this is your book!
August 20, 2018
The war described by this book is the second Anglo-Boer War, which was fought from 1899 to 1902. So, who were the Boers? They were and still are the Afrikaner descendants of Dutch settlers who had set up supply stations in the far south of Africa in support of trade with the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. These were a hard-nosed, hard-headed and self-reliant breed that wanted no one telling them how to run their lives. The only thing the liked less than being governed by their on people was being governed by foreigners, which they first experienced when the British started taking over the coastal areas. Wanting to be left alone, Afrikaners moved from British-controlled Cape Colony to the Indian Ocean coast only to have the British take over that region, Natal, as well. Finally, Afrikaners trekked inland and formed two republics, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Noticing a dysfunctional government in the Transvaal, the British decided to annex it in 1877. After tolerating British rule for three years, the Transvaal Afrikaners rose up in revolt in 1880 and drove the British out. This was the first Anglo-Boer War.
In the 1880’s, gold was discovered in the Transvaal, prompting such a gold rush that foreigners soon outnumbered the Afrikaners. Fearing that their home would fall under the rule of foreigners, the Transvaal Afrikaners made it increasingly difficult for them to obtain voting rights. In 1899, the British, offended that British subjects in the Transvaal were ruled by the non-British Afrikaners and covetous of all that gold, presented the Transvaal an ultimatum consisting of a set of demands, the refusal of which would be considered an act of war. In response, the Transvaal presented its own ultimatum, which the British treated as a casus belli. In October of 1899, the Second Anglo-Boer War broke out, with the Transvaal and the Orange Free State pitted against the British Empire. Unlike 1880, the British public was in it to win it, and it was only a matter of time before the Afrikaners (Boers) were ground down by overwhelming force.
The war consisted of three phases:
• The first phase lasted until January, 1900, and was characterized by missed opportunities on both sides. British generals as incompetent as they were overconfident, possibly more so, faced off against loosely organized and undisciplined armies of citizen soldiers with no prior military training. The British army, long accustomed to over-reliance on soldiers too stubborn to retreat while being cut to pieces, failed to capitalize on the disorganization within Boer units and poor coordination between them. The Boers, on the other hand, failed to capitalize on poor British generalship, although they did manage to march into both Cape Colony and Natal and besiege several of their cities.
• The second phase started with the arrival of Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts (Lord Roberts) as the overall British commander. He removed as many incompetent commanders as he felt comfortable getting away with and went on the offensive. By October, he had relieved all the besieged cities and captured the capitals of both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. With only scattered Boer units in the field, he felt that the war was essentially over, with only mop-up operations left, and announced the annexations of both Boer republics. He did not, however, proclaim victory from the deck of an aircraft carrier with a Mission Accomplished banner hanging behind him, but his proclamations were just as premature as President Bush’s proclamation of victory in Iraq a century later.
• The third and final phase of the war consisted of a two-year insurgency throughout the Transvaal, Orange River Colony (formerly the Orange Free State), Cape Colony and Natal by those scattered units. These units picked up intelligence, supplies and recruits from the Afrikaner populations and intimidated Afrikaner collaborators by burning their farms. In desperation, the British commenced a scorched earth policy of burning farms and food supplies to starve the insurgents and began rounding up Afrikaner civilians, mostly women and children, into concentration camps where disease quickly spread, killing thousands, if not tens of thousands. As news of the suffering of women and children reached England, public outcry prompted reform of the camps such that mortality rates dropped significantly and a public education system for the children was established. Finally, in 1902, acknowledging the bitter end, these units negotiated a peace settlement with the British and laid down their arms.
The insurgency phase caused significantly more human suffering and loss of life than the other two phases of the war but shaped the Afrikaner character and established the insurgent leaders as the voice of the Afrikaners and South Africans in general. In 1906 and 1907, respectively, the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony were granted constitutions and self-rule. In 1910, the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, Natal and Cape Colony were combined into the Union of South Africa. Who were the leaders? Afrikaners. The British had won the war but lost the piece. After a significant investment of blood and treasure to defeat the Boers in a war intended to ensure that Britons dominated Boers and a subsequent infusion of treasure to rebuild the devastated Boer territories, the Boers became the political leaders of all of South Africa.
If this book is any indication, the late Byron Farwell was an outstanding history writer. I had a hard time putting the book down and look forward to reading more of his work.
In the 1880’s, gold was discovered in the Transvaal, prompting such a gold rush that foreigners soon outnumbered the Afrikaners. Fearing that their home would fall under the rule of foreigners, the Transvaal Afrikaners made it increasingly difficult for them to obtain voting rights. In 1899, the British, offended that British subjects in the Transvaal were ruled by the non-British Afrikaners and covetous of all that gold, presented the Transvaal an ultimatum consisting of a set of demands, the refusal of which would be considered an act of war. In response, the Transvaal presented its own ultimatum, which the British treated as a casus belli. In October of 1899, the Second Anglo-Boer War broke out, with the Transvaal and the Orange Free State pitted against the British Empire. Unlike 1880, the British public was in it to win it, and it was only a matter of time before the Afrikaners (Boers) were ground down by overwhelming force.
The war consisted of three phases:
• The first phase lasted until January, 1900, and was characterized by missed opportunities on both sides. British generals as incompetent as they were overconfident, possibly more so, faced off against loosely organized and undisciplined armies of citizen soldiers with no prior military training. The British army, long accustomed to over-reliance on soldiers too stubborn to retreat while being cut to pieces, failed to capitalize on the disorganization within Boer units and poor coordination between them. The Boers, on the other hand, failed to capitalize on poor British generalship, although they did manage to march into both Cape Colony and Natal and besiege several of their cities.
• The second phase started with the arrival of Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts (Lord Roberts) as the overall British commander. He removed as many incompetent commanders as he felt comfortable getting away with and went on the offensive. By October, he had relieved all the besieged cities and captured the capitals of both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. With only scattered Boer units in the field, he felt that the war was essentially over, with only mop-up operations left, and announced the annexations of both Boer republics. He did not, however, proclaim victory from the deck of an aircraft carrier with a Mission Accomplished banner hanging behind him, but his proclamations were just as premature as President Bush’s proclamation of victory in Iraq a century later.
• The third and final phase of the war consisted of a two-year insurgency throughout the Transvaal, Orange River Colony (formerly the Orange Free State), Cape Colony and Natal by those scattered units. These units picked up intelligence, supplies and recruits from the Afrikaner populations and intimidated Afrikaner collaborators by burning their farms. In desperation, the British commenced a scorched earth policy of burning farms and food supplies to starve the insurgents and began rounding up Afrikaner civilians, mostly women and children, into concentration camps where disease quickly spread, killing thousands, if not tens of thousands. As news of the suffering of women and children reached England, public outcry prompted reform of the camps such that mortality rates dropped significantly and a public education system for the children was established. Finally, in 1902, acknowledging the bitter end, these units negotiated a peace settlement with the British and laid down their arms.
The insurgency phase caused significantly more human suffering and loss of life than the other two phases of the war but shaped the Afrikaner character and established the insurgent leaders as the voice of the Afrikaners and South Africans in general. In 1906 and 1907, respectively, the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony were granted constitutions and self-rule. In 1910, the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, Natal and Cape Colony were combined into the Union of South Africa. Who were the leaders? Afrikaners. The British had won the war but lost the piece. After a significant investment of blood and treasure to defeat the Boers in a war intended to ensure that Britons dominated Boers and a subsequent infusion of treasure to rebuild the devastated Boer territories, the Boers became the political leaders of all of South Africa.
If this book is any indication, the late Byron Farwell was an outstanding history writer. I had a hard time putting the book down and look forward to reading more of his work.
May 13, 2019
In an age of jingoism
When I was young, I remember that Boer War veterans marching at Remembrance Day. Now it seems a long time ago and the accounts of Baden Powell and Conan Doyle are all that remain in my memory. It was interesting to read what the outcome was i.e. nothing much and South Africa remained Afrikaner.
“A general who is courageous and stupid is a calamity “ Seems to be the undercurrent here as it was in the Great War. The Boers who didn’t have the strict class system and elected their leaders seemed to have missed this pitfall.
A great book
When I was young, I remember that Boer War veterans marching at Remembrance Day. Now it seems a long time ago and the accounts of Baden Powell and Conan Doyle are all that remain in my memory. It was interesting to read what the outcome was i.e. nothing much and South Africa remained Afrikaner.
“A general who is courageous and stupid is a calamity “ Seems to be the undercurrent here as it was in the Great War. The Boers who didn’t have the strict class system and elected their leaders seemed to have missed this pitfall.
A great book
July 12, 2018
Fantastic book on this specific war, along with the political and social economic backgrounds of both England and the SA republics leading up and through the war. An very in-depth read with references from not only previous books written, but also first hand accounts through letters of leaders and the front line soldiers that participated.
Byron Farwell gives a non-partisan account of both sides and was fair in his praises and criticisms.
Byron Farwell gives a non-partisan account of both sides and was fair in his praises and criticisms.
November 28, 2017
A decent history of the Boer War 1899-1902. Describes the political and cultural forces that let to war as well as the major battles (and some minor ones) that were notable. I guess now considered an "old chestnut" for its tacit approval of the eventual Republic of S. Africa (ignoring its apartheid underpinnings), but nonetheless an enjoyable read.
November 9, 2018
Got to love history in South Africa
Having traveled, I always wondered about what is known as the over war. This book provides a great knowledge of the players, especially the British , Dutch and the local farmers, the boers. I've traveled the country, knew the areas, and with this author of helped to know the language of Afrikaans.
Having traveled, I always wondered about what is known as the over war. This book provides a great knowledge of the players, especially the British , Dutch and the local farmers, the boers. I've traveled the country, knew the areas, and with this author of helped to know the language of Afrikaans.
June 19, 2018
Great historical read. Well documented and researched.
Anyone interested in the Boer War, has found the book to read. Fascinating for an American with no good foundation in this conflict.
Anyone interested in the Boer War, has found the book to read. Fascinating for an American with no good foundation in this conflict.
August 1, 2019
Exceptionally assessible writing, and a seemingly well-balanced view of the protagonists.
I was very impressed with this book.
I was very impressed with this book.
August 7, 2023
This might be a good introduction to the Anglo-Boer war for someone who doesn't know about that part of history. My rating is based on my enjoyment of the audiobook and the way the writer managed to give an overview of the happenings and role players in this war without making it a dry history lesson. I did find it to be more pro-british, especially when describing the characteristics and war tactics of the "Boere" vs. the British soldiers and leaders. (I might be more biased as a South African). The way that the book deals with the actions of Britain (Lord Kitchener) towards the end by the burning and destroying of farms, crops, and livestock through the "Scorched Earth" policy and the construction of the concentration camps, leaves a bad taste. It reads as if the blame for these atrocious acts was the Boer's own fault. The insinuation that the Boere would have preferred their wives and children to be "cared" for in concentration camps is just trying to rationalize concentration camps and give it an altruistic colour. It was definitely a sad time in South Africa's history with such a lot of young lives lost (on both sides) and for reasons that were motivated by greed and power.
February 21, 2022
Farwell is good at describing battles, a trait many authors lack. The story he tells is comprehensive and detailed enough without getting into trite trivials. I enjoyed the book for the most part, though, like so many history books, the cover should have the subtitle "English view only". It is towards the end of the book where Farwell shows his true colors. Getting into the subject of english concentration camps, he starts out by claiming that killing women and children is the only way to combat guerilla warfare and that in any way, its the boer's fault since they chose to keep on fighting instead of surrendering. The former is completely untrue, unless you plan to murder the entire population, this type of cruelty is guaranteed to add fuel to fire. The latter is victim blaming of the worst sort. This last part ruined the book for me
January 3, 2023
This was a very interesting book about a people and a conflict I only knew a little about. I'd like to learn more about the Boers, who seemed to have a lot of very respectable values, and share certain core characteristics with me, like strong adherence to reformed religion. It also seems like they had common vices that should be avoided, such as a low regard and practice for education outside the Bible or quarrelsomeness. They were facing England, which in ways reminds me of America in recent decades - imperialistic and no more than culturally Christian. The Boer's faith and fortitude is admirable, and the story of how they prevailed in the end despite their defeat is a fascinating one. The book is well written with many interesting anecdotes along the way. Leaves me wanting to study more about these people and their country.
September 20, 2021
This is so crazy, it reads almost like parody
The Anglo - Boer War is a chapter of history that I was so unfamiliar with I hadn't even known it had happened. I'm not a fan of military histories so I hesitated to try this but I hoped that I could glean some other interesting historical tidbits, and yeah boy did I. For interesting facts that put things into a larger perspective, this book is a gold mine.
My overall impression is the sheer insanity of it all. The tragic, pointless, madness of it all.
The Anglo - Boer War is a chapter of history that I was so unfamiliar with I hadn't even known it had happened. I'm not a fan of military histories so I hesitated to try this but I hoped that I could glean some other interesting historical tidbits, and yeah boy did I. For interesting facts that put things into a larger perspective, this book is a gold mine.
My overall impression is the sheer insanity of it all. The tragic, pointless, madness of it all.
August 10, 2025
Enjoyable Book
Without going into deep detail of the various battles, which would require a longer and different type of book, Byron Farwell covers evert aspect of this War in an understandable and enjoyable manner. He gives the facts and events leading up to and during the war as they stood, without being judgemental or biased. As good a history of the Boer War as any I have read.
Without going into deep detail of the various battles, which would require a longer and different type of book, Byron Farwell covers evert aspect of this War in an understandable and enjoyable manner. He gives the facts and events leading up to and during the war as they stood, without being judgemental or biased. As good a history of the Boer War as any I have read.
July 1, 2021
As someone who went into this with only the barest of knowledge about the Boer War it was enlightening. It was very dry and somewhat overdetailed about who had what guns at what battles. Having read other military history books, this one I can say I'm glad I listened to rather than tried to read due to the abundance of Dutch place and personal names that would have stymied my reading attempt.
April 26, 2018
Everything I wanted to know about the Boer War and a lot more. Never heard of a war that should not have been fought. So many deaths and so many peoples lives ruined. I could not believe the amount so many different countries poured into such an arrogant meaning for this war.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2024
It's just too long, and bogged down with a level of detail I frankly don't get. Do we need to know how many bullets, and how many just about everything else. I learned stuff, but man, talk about labouring the point.
May 12, 2018
Excellent
Easy to read, well referenced and smooth storytelling. Reading on Kindle facilitates quick jumps to Google for characters and photographs.
Easy to read, well referenced and smooth storytelling. Reading on Kindle facilitates quick jumps to Google for characters and photographs.
July 4, 2019
Good
If you are interested in war history or late modern history, You must read this book!!
It is one of most favorite books.
If you are interested in war history or late modern history, You must read this book!!
It is one of most favorite books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews