Rorke’s Drift: A Victorian Epic Author: Michael Glover
Rorke’s Drift: A Victorian Epic (Premium Collectible Hardcover)
A Masterful, Objective Reconstruction of Britain's Most Famous Defensive Stand
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Rorke’s Drift: A Victorian Epic
- Author: Michael Glover
- Publisher: Leo Cooper / Seeley Service, London
- Publication Date: 1975
- ISBN-10: 0850521823
- ISBN-13: 9780850521825
- Edition Details: First UK Hardcover Edition.
- Binding: Original publisher’s premium cloth boards with crisp gilt spine lettering, housed in the original illustrated dust jacket. Now safely preserved in a brand-new, archival-grade clear plastic protective sleeve.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo). Illustrated with strategic battle maps, architectural layouts of the mission station, and historical plate sections.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The full cloth boards are exceptionally flat, square, and structurally tight. The corners are sharp, and the spine ends show virtually zero shelf friction. Gilt stamping remains highly polished.
- Interior: The core text block is robustly bound and clean. Internal pages and map illustrations are bright white, crisp, and completely free of user highlighting, dealer pencil markings, or dog-ears.
- The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition: The original illustrated dust jacket is vibrant and structurally intact. It is completely free of chips, deep edge tears, or sun fading. It shows only microscopic handling wear along the edges, now completely arrested and beautifully showcased by a new clear plastic cover.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Michael Glover’s Rorke’s Drift: A Victorian Epic stands as a definitive, highly respected account of the legendary January 1879 defense during the Anglo-Zulu War. Following the catastrophic British defeat at Isandlwana, a small garrison of just over 140 British soldiers—principally of the 24th Regiment of Foot—successfully held off relentless assaults by over 3,000 disciplined Zulu warriors.
Glover utilizes official dispatches, private letters, and historical records to strip away Victorian myth-making. He delivers a tense, hour-by-hour tactical breakdown of the battle that resulted in the award of eleven Victoria Crosses. This scarce, highly collectible copy is an essential cornerstone for military history collectors and Anglo-Zulu War enthusiasts.
Author Profile: Michael Glover
Michael Glover (1922–1989) was a premier British military historian, author, and army officer. Educated at Oundle and St John's College, Cambridge, he served with distinction during World War II before dedicating his career to writing. Renowned for his deep reliance on archival records and private diaries, his works on the Peninsular War and Victorian military campaigns are celebrated for their clarity and historical accuracy.
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