The Boer War

Written by Martin Bossenbroek

Narrated by James Langton

The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) is one of the most intriguing conflicts of modern history. It has been labeled many things: the first media war, a precursor of the First and Second World Wars, the originator of apartheid. The difference in status and resources between the superpower Great Britain and two insignificant Boer republics in southern Africa was enormous. But, against all expectation, it took the British every effort and a huge sum of money to win the war, not least by unleashing a campaign of systematic terror against the civilian population. In The Boer War, winner of the Netherland's 2013 Libris History Prize and shortlisted for the 2013 AKO Literature Prize, the author brings a completely new perspective to this chapter of South African history, critically examining the involvement of the Netherlands in the war. Furthermore, unlike other accounts, Martin Bossenbroek explores the war primarily through the experiences of three men uniquely active during the bloody conflict. They are Willem Leyds, the Dutch lawyer who was to become South African Republic state secretary and eventual European envoy; Winston Churchill, then a British war reporter; and Deneys Reitz, a young Boer commando. The vivid and engaging experiences of these three men enable a more personal and nuanced story of the war to be told, and at the same time offer a fresh approach to a conflict that shaped the nation state of South Africa.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Translator: Yvette Rosenberg
• Release date: Jan 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781501948008

Reviews for The Boer War

[Michael van Rooyen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well written account from a different viewpoint. However the pronunciation by the reader of the Dutch, Afrikaans, German and especially South African place names is pretty dreadful. Some simple research and Googling of the pronunciations would have made for a much better production.

[alexbolding · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well written, modern piece of history writing, beautifully plotted around three main characters (Leyds, Churchill and Reitz) unfortunately all male and European whites, narrating the prelude, heat of battle, and long-drawn misery and aftermath of the war in three parts. The obvious criticism to Bossenbroek’s work would be that the black or non-white voice is seriously underplayed, as usual. He is aware of that and his rather meek defence is that there are hardly any written accounts by blacks except for the one by Sol Plaatje. But even that account receives scant attention in his book. Why not elevating him to be a fourth main character introducing a really spectacular and original view point? Alas. That’s why I give Martin not 5 but 4.5 stars. Because all the praise he otherwise receives is pretty well deserved. He manages to take a different, Dutch, view on the build-up to the war through the eyes of Mr Leyds, a Dutch national who becomes the skilful State Attorney and later State Council for Uncle Paul Kruger. Also the account of the young and boisterous Winston Churchill is remarkable and well styled. The author’s final choice for Reitz, one of the younger vagabond sons of Transvaal Secretary of State Reitz, is also exceptional and provides a very honest and down to earth view on the Boer war as a guerrilla war, after the set-piece battles have been lost to the burgeoning English army.