Barrier of Spears by R.O. Pearse

Barrier of Spears (Revised 2006 Edition in Illustrated Dust Jacket)

The Classic Account of Drakensberg Mountaineering and Its Climbers, Revised and Edited by James Byrom

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Barrier of Spears: Drama of the Drakensberg
• Author: R.O. Pearse
• Editor: James Byrom
• Publisher: Art Publishers (Pty) Ltd, Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town
• Publication Date: 2006
• ISBN-13: 9781919688473
• ISBN-10: 1919688471
• Edition Details: Revised edition, edited by James Byrom, Art Publishers, 2006. First published in 1973.
• Binding: Publisher's hardcover with pictorial dust jacket, spine lettered Barrier of Spears with the Art Publishers logo.
• Physical Format: Large square format hardcover, heavily illustrated with photographs.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Exterior / Boards: The pictorial dust jacket carries a Drakensberg landscape photograph and is clean and bright, with no obvious tears. The rear panel is dark with a barcode label. There is slight creasing to the protective wrap at the spine. The book is housed in a clear protective wrap over the jacket.
• Interior: The title and copyright pages are clean and unmarked, apart from a tiny speck on the title page. No inscriptions or ownership marks.
• The Dust Jacket: Present. Illustrated with a Drakensberg landscape photograph, clean and bright, with no obvious tears. Protected in a Mylar sleeve.

Synopsis & Historical Value

Barrier of Spears: Drama of the Drakensberg is R.O. Pearse's account of the Drakensberg range, its mountaineering history and the people who explored and climbed it. First published in 1973, it has long been a standard title for anyone interested in the mountains of Natal and Lesotho.

This 2006 Art Publishers edition was revised and edited by James Byrom. It retains the illustrations of the original and is richly illustrated with photography by Malcolm Pearse and others. The revision also updates scientific names and conservation context, reflecting the range's status as a largely World Heritage Site.

A handsome, substantial volume for collectors of Africana, mountaineering literature and the natural and human history of the Drakensberg.

Author Profile: R.O. Pearse

R.O. (Reg O.) Pearse, born in 1900, wrote extensively on the Drakensberg. His other works include Mountain Splendour: Wild Flowers of the Drakensberg (1978), Joseph Baynes, Pioneer (1981-83) and Dragon's Wrath (1986, with James Byrom). His son, Malcolm Pearse, a known Drakensberg climber and photographer, illustrated Barrier of Spears.

James Byrom, who revised the 2006 edition, was a South African newspaper journalist and editor for 43 years.

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