Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa

A thoroughly research and documented book. Interesting even for the novice historical type I was looking for information on the subject. I am working on and this book fit the bill. Well written.

A very good historical account on South Africa. I would have liked at least chapter on the transition to modern states. The biographical account on Cecil Rhodes is really edifying

Well, if not a soap opera then certainly like a real life film noir. Martin Meredith's book really has no good guys. The Boers come off as a bunch of ignorant hicks, the Brits are characterized as arrogant and money grubbing as well as conniving, the tribes come off as given to raiding, kidnapping, and makers of really bad deals. As for individuals there are back-stabbers, shady businessmen, and just plain corrupt adventurers. Now take this and add a cast of characters that include Winston Churchill, H. Rider Haggard, Rudyard Kipling, and Gandhi, in bit appearances and you have the makings of a whale of tale. And, that's what Meredith gives us. Now most of us know there was a Boer War and before that the Jameson Raid but those events are covered in only a handful of pages. The great majority of the book covers all other aspects of the creation of the Union of South Africa. It's all the stuff that leads up to the military part that Meredith details, and yes there is bribery, back-stabbing, crooked business practices, and everything else you would expect in some old black and white film noir movie. Add to this insights to the different personalities and it gets even better. Rhodes, for example, never married, was uncomfortable around women (maybe a misogynist) and his only long term relationship with a woman ended in law suits, attempted blackmail, and forgery. There is no evidence of any sexual relationship. In addition Rhodes thought that everyone had his price and he bribed politicians, newspaper editors, and even clergymen. What a guy! Throw in concentration camps and scorched earth and you've got a heckeva story. One telling fact though is that soon after the Boer War the Brits learned from their success and began plotting a second war for economic gain, this in 1905. Here, however, the target was a little bigger. Yes Churchill was a plotter and yes Kipling wrote anti-German propaganda for American consumption. It seems history does repeat itself. Now the book is long but the chapters are short and usually end with a punch line or promo for the next chapter. For anyone, like me, with tri-focals the print is large and paper and binding is good quality. Five stars for great insight into historical human nature.

I now understand the Apartheid and South Africa situation so much better. This is a really good book that explain the basics of the South African existence from the start of British control to the end of the Boer War.

This is a great read, and does a wonderful job of explaining how South Africa ended up the way it did. It's not the most detailed history of the Boer War, but it's not trying to be. It covers a long stretch of history, and explains the long relationship of the Africans, Boers, British, and the diamond and gold industries. The author provides a fascinating narrative, the pages fly by.

on the boring side

I enjoyed the book and the depth of history through the Boer War. I wish it would have covered the apartheid struggle too.

Great read. It was exactly what I was looking for, the author gave the history of South Africa without getting bogged down in looking at it through the modern day political lens. Most books about colonization spend time denouncing it to show the reader how sorry they are for the sins of the past as if they committed them. This book just gave the facts in a concise way. The author was able to really show the contrast between the British and the Boers.