Victoria's wars - the rise of empire

During the period known as the 'Dual Monarchy', from Queen Victoria's accession in 1837 to the death of her husband Albert in 1861, the British Empire almost quintupled in size. Its cities, canals, railways and telegraphs were changing the face of continents. It was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire the world had ever seen. This is the story of that extraordinary quarter century of imperial conquest and the people who made it happen:

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Reviews

‘A great narrative, a powerful story told at an exciting pace that never neglects the colourful details.  It’s a tale of imperial expansion on an epic scale, and despite the many inhuman episodes, Victoria emerges as a most human monarch. *****’ Princess Michael of Kent, Mail on Sunday

‘Saul David, a splendid narrator, interweaves histories of each of the early wars of Victoria’s reign with the Queen’s own experiences… [He] observes similarities between the hubris of the world’s only superpower 150 years ago, and its successor in the 21st Century.  Indeed the Afghan chapters would make salutary reading for George Bush and Tony Blair.’  Max Hastings, Sunday Telegraph

Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879

The Zulu War of 1879 was the most controversial and brutal British imperial conflict of the nineteenth century.  Launched as a pre-emptive strike against the Zulu kingdom of King Cetshwayo – who had no quarrel with the British Empire – the war was supposed to turn a host of disparate colonies into a South African federation.....

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SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH

Reviews

‘Superb, brilliant, magisterial… must now be regarded as the definitive history of the Zulu War.  In scholarship, professionalism and insights it towers above Morris.  David produces here a splendid, judicious, massively researched, highly coloured yet subtle combination of narrative and analysis.    One of the many delights of David’s marvelous book is the way it enables one to gauge the historical accuracy of the movie Zulu.     Frank McLynn, Literary Review

'Must supersede Donald Morris's bestseller The Washing of the Spears.’  Allan Massie, Daily Telegraph

’A squalid story, told by a historian with an advocate's eye for the damning detail’  Michael Kerrigan, Scotsman

’More concerned with dispelling myths than flag-waving. David is brilliant at showing both sides of the combat and the book includes magnificent accounts of the shambles that was Isandlwana and the feat at arms that followed it at Rourke's Drift.'  Shaun Hutson, Independent on Sunday Books of the Year

The Indian Mutiny: 1857

In 1857 the native troops of the Bengal army rose against their colonial masters. The ensuing insurrection was to become the bloodiest in the history of the British Empire. Combining storytelling with detailed research, Saul David narrates a tale both tragic and compelling. He provides new evidence that the true causes of the mutiny were much more complex, and disturbing, than previously assumed.

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Reviews

‘A remarkable work of synthesis: scholarly, well researched, well paced, readable, and comprehensive… The Indian Mutiny is one of history’s great stories, and in David it has found a chronicler whose knowledge and grasp of arcane military matters is matched by his narrative skills.  A fine achievement by a huge new talent.’  William Dalrymple, Sunday Times

‘Saul David has written the 21st Century version with a brilliant display of literary history that escapes the word “definitive” only out of deference to its inexhaustible subject matter.’  Roger Hutchinson, The Scotsman

‘Enthralling… David tells the story of the mutiny’s violent course and final suppression with almost cinematic vividness and sweep.’  John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph

Mutiny at Salerno: An Injustice Exposed

In late September 1943, almost 200 veterans of General Montgomery’s Eighth Army were arrested for refusing repeated orders to join units of the US Fifth Army at the Salerno beachhead in sourthern Italy.  Within six weeks, all but one had been found guilty of mutiny, their sentences ranging from five years’ penal servitude to death.

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Reviews

'An important book'  Military Illustrated

'Mr David has added considerably to the knowledge of the Salerno mutiny.  This book should be read by anyone with an interest in the episode.'  Prof. Peter Rowe, RUSI Journal

'A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting book and the author makes his case well'  Journal of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

'A detailed account... David is right to stress that the mutiny stemmed from the men's reluctance to fight amongst strangers rather than their reluctance to fight at all, and that many of the mutineers preserved a dignified and soldierly attitude throughout the proceedings.'  Richard Holmes, TLS

Churchill’s Sacrifice of the Highland Division: France 1940

On 12 June 1940, more than a week after the last British troops had been evacuated from Dunkirk, the 51st (Highland) Division, Scotland’s pride, was forced to surrender to General Erwin Rommel at St Valéry-en-Caux in Normandy...... 

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Reviews

A well-researched history’  The Times

David proves conclusively that Churchill allowed the Highlanders to be cut off’  Scotland on Sunday

David does full justice to this “forgotten piece” of history’  Military Illustrated

Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency

Described as a ‘man who would prefer a girl and a bottle to politics and a sermon’, George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, later George IV, was a pivotal and highly controversial figure in the Regency period.  Although his scandalous liaisons with prostitutes and duchesses, a ‘secret’ marriage to his true love – the Catholic Mrs Fitzherbert – and a publicly ridiculed (bigamous) marriage to Caroline of Brunswick threatened to eclipse his contributions to British history, Saul David’s engrossing biography shows a....

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Reviews

‘Lively and lucid… David has insight, scholarly understanding and flashes of wit worthy of the Regency satirists themselves.’  Jenny Uglow, TLS

‘David is extremely good at interweaving the different stands of his narrative.  He has an eye for the apt quotation and the telling anecdoate… He is a historian of enormous promise who might one day become the Hibbert of the next generation.’ Amanda Foreman, Sunday Times

‘I do not think there is a better one-volume account of this rogue prince.  The author knows his stuff, weaves his way deftly through the politicking of the era without making it boring, and splendidly brings to life the endless amours of the man with a long succession of mistresses.’  Roy Strong, Country Life

The homicidal earl

The 7th Earl of Cardigan will forever be remembered as the man who led the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava in 1854.  A fatal event for so many, it was to rejuvenate Cardigan’s life.

Hitherto his career had been dogged by public scandal and professional disgrace: a failed marriage to a divorcée, court appearances for adultery, two courts martial, numerous duels

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Reviews

‘Scintillating… Saul David, still only in his thirties, is obviously a rising star.  His marvelously lucid, and sometimes very witty, narrative is based on sound archival research and written with great stylishness and verve.  It is a book almost better than the heroic old reprobate deserves.’  John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph

‘Better than Simon Schama, Saul David has re-cast history as addictive narrative… This dazzling portrait of an unpalatable figure is not to be missed.’ Independent

Military Blunders: The how and why of military failure

‘Hurray, boys, we’ve got them!’ General Custer reportedly told his troops before the Battle of Little Bighorn.  As this shrewd, controversial book shows, military disaster comes in many forms except, in hindsight, the unexpected.  It both vividly describes some of the worst military blunders perpetrated since the birth of Christ and analyzes the psychological and tactical factors at play to show why they happened. 

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Reviews

‘Fascinating and informed… David’s objective snapshots leave no nationality entirely unscathed.’ Ian Bruce, The Herald

‘Just the book for armchair strategists to mull over during the long winter evenings – and a timely reminder that blundering on the battlefield is no preserve of any one nation.’ Sunderland Echo

‘Hilarious and horrifying.  Some of the disasters described by David scale the off beat comic heights of Monty Python… A graphic account of military incompetence from Roman times to the Gulf War.’  Yorkshire Evening Post

‘No holds barred… very, very funny and at other times quite frightening.’ Shropshire Star