Books on the Boer War

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Boer Wars
General Works
Contemporary Works

General Histories of the War

The Great Boer War, Byron Farwell. A very good general history of the Boer War, with a good introduction to Boer history and a clear well written narrative of the war [see more]

The Boer War, 1899-1902 , Gregory Fremont-Barnes. If you want a shorter history of the Boer War then you should consider this book. Fremont-Barnes puts the Boer War firmly into context, with good sections on the background in South Africa, and a good chapter on the war itself. [see more]

Encyclopedia of the Boer War, Martin Marix Evans. This is a very useful A-Z encyclopedia of the Boer War, covering battles, biographies, Afrikaner words, weapons and a miriad of other topics. The major events each get a couple of pages, with good cross references to related topics. [see more]

The Boer War, Martin Marix Evans. This is a good general history of the Boer war, but what makes it stand out is its use of contemporary maps and photographics, and a good selection of modern pictures of blockhouses, battlefields and other items of interest. [see more]

Contemporary Works

A Handbook of the Boer War, Anonymous (1910). The anonymous author of this book served in South Africa for twenty six months during the Boer War, and so was an eye witness to many of the events he describes. Our unknown author provides an accurate account of the war from the British point of view, and was perfectly willing to critise the senior British commanders in South Africa. [see more]

Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War, Deneys Reitz (1929). This is one of the best first person accounts of the Boer War. Deneys Reitz was the son of a prominent Orange Free State politician. He fought in the campaign in Natal, in the guerilla warfare in the western Transvaal and took part in Smut's raid into Cape Colony. After the war he was reconciled to the British, and ended up commanding the 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers on the Western Front. [see more]