The Washing of the Spears: A History of the Rise of the Zulu Nation Under Shaka and Its Fall in the Zulu War of 1879

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Summary: Anglo-Zulu reality
Review: After reading this book along with other books pertaining to Anglo-Zulu affairs I found it easy and enjoyable to read. Anyone who would set out to read this book must have

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Summary: Zulu History
Review: Excellent book, lots of information and well written.
Some of the battle descriptions get quite involved and can be a little tedious. Overall, the book is very interesting and gives a very unbiased and encompassing history of the Zulu Nation.
I would recommend the book to anyone interested in the Zulu story.

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Summary: fact vs. fiction
Review: For those who think military history is less gripping than fiction, this book will change your mind.

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Summary: A definitive review of the Zulu nation
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. It is extremely detailed and at the same time very lively to read. The detailed account of the Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift battles were minute by minute accounting of soldiers, zulus, and the battle itself. The author does not judge either side, and after reading you are equally impressed with both the Zulu and English. No other book I have read goes into this much detail and this enjoybale to read.

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Summary: Scholerly & entertaining history of the Zulu War.
Review: If you are seriously interested in the Zulu War then you really must read this account. Morris details (& I really do mean, details) the whole history from the colonisation of Africa to the Boar War. Obviously his emphasis is on the Zulu War & it's protagonists. I enjoyed his descriptive style, his unbiased characterisations & most of all, his rousing battle scenes. The account of the Rorkes Drift engagement is particularly impressive where he relates the events down to a room by room evacuation of the hospital. I found the post battle consequences & considerations well thought out & believeable. The early & mid 19th. century political machinations in South Africa are long & complicated & did bring forth a few yawns. Although I wouldn't personally recommend it, military historian purists could just read the book from the commencement of the war. It's a long, scholerly & entertaining history that's well worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Scholerly & entertaining history of the Zulu War.
Review: If you are seriously interested in the Zulu War then you really must read this account. Morris details (& I really do mean, details) the whole history from the colonisation of Africa to the Boar War. Obviously his emphasis is on the Zulu War & it's protagonists. I enjoyed his descriptive style, his unbiased characterisations & most of all, his rousing battle scenes. The account of the Rorkes Drift engagement is particularly impressive where he relates the events down to a room by room evacuation of the hospital. I found the post battle consequences & considerations well thought out & believeable. The early & mid 19th. century political machinations in South Africa are long & complicated & did bring forth a few yawns. Although I wouldn't personally recommend it, military historian purists could just read the book from the commencement of the war. It's a long, scholerly & entertaining history that's well worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Scholerly & entertaining history of the Zulu War.
Review: If you are seriously interested in the Zulu War then you really must read this account. Morris details (& I really do mean, details) the whole history from the colonisation of Africa to the Boar War. Obviously his emphasis is on the Zulu War & it's protagonists. I enjoyed his descriptive style, his unbiased characterisations & most of all, his rousing battle scenes. The account of the Rorkes Drift engagement is particularly impressive where he relates the events down to a room by room evacuation of the hospital. I found the post battle consequences & considerations well thought out & believeable. The early & mid 19th. century political machinations in South Africa are long & complicated & did bring forth a few yawns. Although I wouldn't personally recommend it, military historian purists could just read the book from the commencement of the war. It's a long, scholerly & entertaining history that's well worth the read.

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Summary: Forget the movie(s)
Review: If you're interest was sparked by the likes of screen adaptations such as "Zulu," "Zulu Dawn" and "Shaka Zulu," you should take the time to read The Washing of the Spears. Morris takes his account from some of the only written records of the era. That, along with Chief Buthelezi's endorsement, gives the book a legitimacy that stands the test of time. I've read the book twice, studied the period in undergrad school and written college papers on the subject - Morris has the least biased and most accurate explanation in my view. ("Shaka Zulu" bordered on fantasy, and "Zulu" played fast and loose with the facts.) It is slow in spots, but one does not read such a book purely for its entertainment value. (Although it often entertains.) This book also goes a long way in explaining why South Africa is vastly different than the rest of that mysterious continent. It is worth your time and effort.

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Summary: Still the best
Review: It is true that this book is outdated. It is also true that the works of Ian Knight, John Laband, and Ian Castle may be more accurate. But for the general reader, or maybe someone who saw the movie Zulu and liked it, I would still recommend this book. It is the first book on the Zulu War that I ever read, and while I have enjoyed all of Mr. Knight's books, I generally refer anyone with an interest in the Zulu War to this one. It fills in the gaps left by Zulu, Zulu Dawn, and Shaka Zulu, and it does it with Ian Knight's attention to detail and James Michener's literary skill.

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Summary: Not recommended for light reading
Review: It's odd that the most definitive work on the "Black Spartans" was written by a retired US naval officer, but nevertheless, it is by far the most compelling and detailed work on the subject I've ever seen. Its depth of detail does not make for easy reading, however, and the middle of the book, between the rise of the Zulus and the British debacle at Isandlwhana is slow going (dare I say boring?). But in all other respects, it is a great piece of scholarship, and well worth the read.