Now we know what Frontier Partisans correspondent Breaker Morant’s nickname is REALLY all about. His namesake got the moniker for his skill at breaking rough horses; OUR Breaker is a Breaker of Book Budgets.
All innocent-like, he announced in a recent comment that he’s moving T.V. Bulpin’s Lost Trails of the Transvaal to the top of the TBR pile. Such a title is no less enticing to me than it is to Breaker. Figured I oughta pick that up.
Trouble is, T.V. Bulpin was insanely prolific, producing tales that are cloverleafed right in the x-ring of my interests. I’m not sure why I haven’t already devoted a groaning bookshelf to his work. At Powell’s Books a few months ago, I ran across his biographical novel The White Whirlwind, which is the only book-length treatment of the life of one of the more remarkable Frontier Partisans, Johann Collenbrander. Collenbrander was a Frontier Partisan of the true metal; he was instrumental in Rhodes’ negotiations with King Lobengula of the Matabele.
Johan Colenbrander, Frontier Partisan.
It’s a story I want to sink my teeth into — but I didn’t have the $60 in the wallet to throw down.
There ain’t no cheap editions of Bulpin’s books. I’ve got research books to buy and I’ve sworn to be disciplined in my reading for The Running Iron Report and for Vol. II of Warriors. You see my dilemma.
It may be true, as my truth-telling, straight shooting brother tells me, that I had it coming.
So, if you see me selling off my outfit and losing my scalp like a drunken Snake hand-game gambler at the Green River Rendezvous, you know why — and you know who to blame.
Oh, and I see Amazon lists a copy of “The White Whirlwind” for $10…
Lost Trails Of The Transvaal To the Transvaal, in fact, have come a remarkable collection of human beings, attracted there from the ends of the earth in hope of finding their heart’s desire of freedom or fortune in the wilderness. Through the years they have adventured and explored, argued, intrigued, and fought to secure their ends. Of them all, many prospered and the purposeful trails they blazed have grown into mighty highways. But many more simply played their part in the human drama, and then vanished from the scene entirely; their ambitions and dreams and schemes trampled in the dust; the trails they blazed quite overgrown; their purpose forgotten; their hopes for ever lost.”
The Ivory Trail Bvekenya (Cecil Rutgert Barnard, to give him his real name) is almost a legend in the wilderness and on the great Limpopo river. Here he relives the strange adventures of ivory poaching, blackbirding and outlawry, which made him one of the most colourful of all personalities in Africa. We read of the hunts, fights, escapades and adventures of a man who was an outlaw for twenty years, an adventurer of the wilds who defied the police of three countries and fought a one-man war with complete success against all control and authority. The story of the king of the ivory poachers, as told by himself to T V Bulpin.
Storm Over The Transvaal recounts episodes in the history of the South African Republic from the discovery of gold in the mid 1870’s to the outbreak of the Boer War.
To The Banks Of The Zambezi is a history of Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, from geological times onwards. “In the whole continent of Africa there is not a more picturesque part than the wild garden of trees and aloes and flowering plants that lies between the Limpopo and the Zambezi rivers…”
The White Whirlwind. The biographical narrative of the remarkable life of Johan Colenbrander, one of the most resolute of the frontiersman who lived and fought their way through the wild events around the early years of South Africa and Rhodesia. It is a narrative based on fragments of his diary, his personal letters and writings, and the records and recollections of his family. It is story of the bloodshed and outrage, the intrigue and treachery, the adventure and romance, which went into the making of the history of southern Africa around the turn of the last century. It is a story as well, of the strange characters, the assorted heroes, villains and charlatans, who were attracted to the country by its great natural wealth and contended with one another for a share of fortune. It is a record, but only of those who found this fortune, but those who fell by the way, with no greater attainment than a nameless pile of stones lying forgotten somewhere in the mighty bush.
••••
Coming soon…
•••••
You can get your copy of Warriors of the Wild Lands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans through my favorite trading post — Paulina Springs Books of Sisters, Oregon.
Breaker Morant says
FYI-There are 2 versions of “Lost Trails of the Transvaal”-the later one (1965 Edition) includes several of his works which helps a little bit unless they are abridgements or something.
1)Lost Trails of the Low Veld
2)The Golden Republic
3) Storm Over the Transvaal
4) Lost Trails of the Tranvaal (1956 Edition)
Oddly enough, I think “To the Banks of the Zambezi” is going to be republished next year, but I could not wait.
As far as “Breaking” book budgets turnabout is fair play.-“Cough, Cough, Bartle Bull, Cough Cough.”
Oh, BTW thanks for making me aware of Bartle Bull and…. and….
Bartle Bull did hit the X-Ring. Oh, and then there is Lane, sitting all quiet and innocent in the corner with his “A Story Like the Wind” and “A Far Off Place.”
JimC says
Thanks for the tip on that — I was a bit bewildered by the variety of offerings. Several of them appear to be print-on-demand editions.
Glad the Bull hit the bull, so to speak.
in all seriousness, the exchange of “You’ve gotta read this!” is one of my favorite aspects of our campfire.
Breaker Morant says
We do have philosophical underpinnings for the whole book thing. The wives, may or not buy it, but so be it.
From “The Black Swan”-which you want to look at for Running Iron. however libraries should have it-so it is not a budget breaker.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
“The writer Umberto Eco belongs to that small class of scholars who are encyclopedic, insightful, and nondull. He is the owner of a large personal library (containing thirty thousand books), and separates visitors into two categories: those who react with “Wow! Signore professore dottore Eco, what a library you have! How many of these books have you read?” and the others— a very small minority— who get the point that a private library is not an ego-boosting appendage but a research tool. Read books are far less valuable than unread ones. The library should contain as much of what you do not know as your financial means, mortgage rates, and the currently tight real-estate market allow you to put there. You will accumulate more knowledge and more books as you grow older, and the growing number of unread books on the shelves will look at you menacingly. Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.
Taleb, Nassim Nicholas. The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Fragility” (Incerto) (Kindle Locations 518-519). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
JimC says
Notice how he snuck in YET ANOTHER book recommendation into a rationale for buying more books. Masterful.
deuce says
Eco was a fascinating man.
Breaker Morant says
If the wife doesn’t buy the philosophical argument, try the Patrick McManus route. He was a humor writer for Outdoor Life/Field & Stream or whichever. I long ago lost interest in those 2 magazines and prefer Sports Afield and others in that vein.
Anyway, he told his wife that if you put 2 guns in a closet, they breed like rabbits and make more guns. Mrs. Breaker has long bought that argument for guns.
Another trick that might work is to not post your future purchases all over the internet-LOL.
JimC says
Umm… yes… that.
Bill Valenti says
Whiskey, women or books. Only one of these guaranteed to NOT get you into trouble, so I say mortgage the house, send the kiddies out to work, and load up the library. Though I would say that a nice whiskey is the perfect complement to a great book…
Keith West says
You people on this site are going to drive me to penury with all your recommendations. *Eyes Extra 30% Off coupon from B&N and revises wishlist.*
Breaker Morant says
I am guessing we will run across some Trek Boers in “Lost Trails.” I have cut the trail of some that really trekked and (rubbing hands together and laughing evilly) I get to mention some books. The old Trek Boers were very tough on the game.
1)The Thirstland Trekkers rate a chapter in my current read “Wildlife at War in Angola.” They were in Angola for 100 years (1870’s to 1970’s) I am not done with the chapter, but it has been foreshadowed that they were pretty tough on the wildlife.
I have cut their trail a few other times since I got sucked into the Angola rabbit hole.
2) One of my absolute favorite books is a short little gem by Alexandra Fuller* called “Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfulness.” She mentions in passing a group of Trek Boers who showed up in British East Africa a few years after the Boer War. They took a few years to trek there and her grandfather (or whoever) said that once they showed up the game disappeared in their vicinity.
That is the only time (so far) that I cut their trail.
I really like Fuller’s body of work, but after her “Oh, Poor Me” divorce memoir (“Leaving Before the Rains Come”) I will not buy any more of her books and will get them from the library.
3) “Landgrabbers: The New Fight Over Who Owns the Earth” about various agricultural developments in the tropics has a chapter about modern Afrikaaners who are in demand across Africa for their agricultural skills.
JimC says
Great stuff. I, too, found Fuller’s divorce memoir insufferable. I had some problems with “Scribbling The Cat” too — I had the feeling that she was using the veteran’s attraction to her for her own purposes — but the book was compelling. Not really sure what to make of her.
Matthew says
Yeah, I have too many books as it is. I have double rows on a shelf of books I haven’t read. Plus, books and magazines in a card board box. And the ones I downloaded on my I-pad.
Currently, the book I’m reading on my I-pad is Killer Elite about the Intelligence Support Activity. The Activity is a special intelligence unit that is sent in to provide information of special ops. Modern pathfinders and frontier partisans. I just read about their (and SEALS, Delta, and SAS) missions during the invasion of Afghanistan. The next chapter is about the killing of Bin Laden.
JimC says
There’s an excellent graphic novel series (highly regarded by professionals in the field called The Activity.
Matthew says
I’ve been curious about that series. I’ve also been wanting to read Sheriff of Babylon another comic series by Tom King who was a CIA interrogator in Iraq. Again I have too many books all ready.
JimC says
SOB is very good.
JimC says
Also, the same outfit, known then and there as Centra-Spike, was instrumental in tracking down Escobar in Colombia.
Matthew says
Yes, the chapter on that was interesting.
lane batot says
HA! Breaker-of Talking-Leaves-Wampum-Stash; I have my copies of “A Story Like The Wind” and “A Far Off Place” loaned out to a co-worker as we speak! But with these South African book subjects getting slung about, I must retaliate and shake my head in pity and wonder that none of you guys seem to have read THE CLASSIC OF CLASSICS in the South Africa early settler/hunter days books out there–an absolute, mandatory MUST! And that would be(of course) none other than the beloved(by kuhzillions) “Jock of the Bushveld”–a dog story, true(bull terrier–THE choice of many a Frontier Partisan, for a canine companion), but, oh, so much more! Not only the penultimate true dog tale, but all about hunting, and wilderness survival(in AFRICA, no less!), an early settlement, and trekking with wagons–NOT to be missed! There ARE two movies based on the book–the American made SUCKS, the South African made is excellent, but still no substitute for that lengthy volume! Sorry to taunt the rest of you guys, but, Jim C., don’t worry about yer budget regarding this classic, I got an Xtra copy some time ago that has been a planned Blog Tithe payment in the works, so just be patient…. As for the rest of you, it IS available in multiple formats on Amazon, some of them reasonable. The older, with the INCREDIBLE, EVERY PAGE illustrations in the margins, tends to be exorbitant, but dang, those illustrations are kinda worth it! Just sayin’….. I got my copy from a friend eons ago, who got it shamefully cheapo at a library sale! A frikkin collector’s item now. Don’t hate me because I’m so book wealthy…..
JimC says
Thom Eley mentioned that book this very day on FB.
lane batot says
NO South African section of yer library is complete without it(but then who am I foolin’? Ain’t no library anywhere ever really COMPLETE!!!)
Breaker Morant says
Shuffling off to my daughter’s room for “Jock of the Bushveld.” Yeah, I need to move that farther up in the TBR. Never mind that I was trying to develop a reading plan for the winter and avoid line jumpers.
I have been trying to get her to read it, but no luck so far. The boys are lost causes for reading but the girl reads a lot and she is, somewhat, open to my stuff. She is reading Centennial right now. We try and read some things together-we did a book this summer on the Lippazaners and how they survived WW2. We have read a lot of Orson Scott Card and Narnia.
I told her she had to read something else before she dives into another OSC series.
lane batot says
Be careful now–there are newer edition copies of “Jock Of The Bushveld” that are FRIKKIN” EDITED!!! Yup, this book, written about 1800’s South Africa, DOES contain what are now “politically incorrect” notions, that some stupid do-gooders have gone through and excised–which to me, is like cutting out stuff from the history books for schoolkids that might be considered negative or too harsh or that isn’t properly patriotic(OOPS! Our school history books done did that! There is a great book about THAT, but luckily for you guys, I can’t think of the title just now…..)–so order CAREFULLY, and get the unedited, full version–I have already made that mistake once. Luckily, the cheaper newer edition copies tend to be “complete and unabridged”! Wait a minute–it just came to me “Lies My Teacher Told Me”–EVERYONE in the U. S. A. should read THAT book, for yer REAL history lesson!
Breaker Morant says
This passage from “The Black Swan” caught my eye and some here may appreciate it. He is describing a brainstorming session on risk that gathered a diverse group of thinkers and so forth.
>>>>>>>>>
“My first surprise was to discover that the military people there thought, behaved, and acted like philosophers— far more so than the philosophers we will see splitting hairs in their weekly colloquium in Part Three. They thought out of the box, like traders, except much better and without fear of introspection. An assistant secretary of defense was among us, but had I not known his profession I would have thought he was a practitioner of skeptical empiricism. Even an engineering investigator who had examined the cause of a space shuttle explosion was thoughtful and open-minded. I came out of the meeting realizing that only military people deal with randomness with genuine, introspective intellectual honesty— unlike academics and corporate executives using other people’s money.
……………………………..
When I expressed my amazement to Laurence, another finance person who was sitting next to me, he told me that the military collected more genuine intellects and risk thinkers than most if not all other professions. Defense people wanted to understand the epistemology of risk.”
Taleb, Nassim Nicholas. The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Fragility” (Incerto) (Kindle Locations 2785-2786). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
JimC says
That is excellent. You’re right — this is RIR material.
deuce says
Taleb is one of the better thinkers out there.