Something of themselves : Kipling, Kingsley, Conan Doyle and the Anglo-Boer War / Sarah LeFanu.

9780197536162 (electronic book)

London : Hurst & Company, 2020.

English

1 online resource : illustrations, map.

PR478

820.935868048

In early 1900, the paths of three British writers - Rudyard Kipling, Mary Kingsley & Arthur Conan Doyle - crossed in South Africa, during what has become known as Britain's last imperial war. Each of the three had pressing personal reasons to leave England behind, but they were also motivated by notions of duty, service, patriotism &, in Kipling's case, jingoism. Sarah LeFanu compellingly opens an unexplored chapter of these writers' lives, at a turning point for Britain & its imperial ambitions. Was the South African War, as Kipling claimed, a dress rehearsal for the Armageddon of World War One? Or did it instead foreshadow the anti-colonial guerrilla wars of the later 20th century? Weaving a rich & varied narrative, LeFanu charts the writers' paths in the theatre of war, & explores how this crucial period shaped their cultural legacies, their shifting reputations, & their influence on colonial policy.

In early 1900, the paths of three British writers - Rudyard Kipling, Mary Kingsley & Arthur Conan Doyle - crossed in South Africa, during what has become known as Britain's last imperial war. Each of the three had pressing personal reasons to leave England behind, but they were also motivated by notions of duty, service, patriotism &, in Kipling's case, jingoism. Sarah LeFanu compellingly opens an unexplored chapter of these writers' lives, at a turning point for Britain & its imperial ambitions. Was the South African War, as Kipling claimed, a dress rehearsal for the Armageddon of World War One? Or did it instead foreshadow the anti-colonial guerrilla wars of the later 20th century? Weaving a rich & varied narrative, LeFanu charts the writers' paths in the theatre of war, & explores how this crucial period shaped their cultural legacies, their shifting reputations, & their influence on colonial policy.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Access limited to authorized users.

Description based on online resource; title from home page (viewed on August 26, 2020).

Oxford scholarship online.

Print version: 9780197501443

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