Red calf binding with gilt banding, decoration and title on the spine. Gilt school crest on the front board.

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A good and now very rare copy of a book portraying the social unrest present at the height of the British Empire. Please view the photographs to see the condition of this volume.

“Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia” by Frederick Courteney Selous is a historical narrative that recounts events in Matabeleland leading up to and during the late 19th-century native insurrection. The book primarily focuses on the author’s personal experiences and observations as he navigates the tumultuous landscape of colonial Rhodesia, highlighting significant themes of colonialism, indigenous resistance, and the complexities of inter-racial relations. The opening of the book establishes the backdrop of the author’s return to Matabeleland after a period in England, filled with expectations of prosperity and stability. However, as he details his journey and the early days on his property in Essexvale, foreboding signs begin to emerge. Selous describes the uneasy coexistence with the indigenous population, alongside hints of rising tensions, superstitions, and rumors of impending rebellion, setting the stage for the violent conflict that follows. The narrative is rich with anecdotal evidence, including the author’s various encounters with local chiefs and the unfolding of the insurrection, providing a gripping look into the sociopolitical dynamics at play during a pivotal time in Southern African history.

Frederick Courteney Selous, DSO (31 December 1851 – 4 January 1917) was a British explorer, army officer, professional hunter, and conservationist, famous for his exploits in Southeast Africa. His real-life adventures inspired Sir Henry Rider Haggard to create the fictional character Allan Quatermain. Selous was a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, Cecil Rhodes and Frederick Russell Burnham. He was pre-eminent within a group of big game hunters that included Abel Chapman and Arthur Henry Neumann. He was the older brother of the ornithologist and writer Edmund Selous.

US President Theodore Roosevelt, his close friend, wrote:

He led a singularly adventurous and fascinating life, with just the right alternations between the wilderness and civilization. He helped spread the borders of his people’s land. He added much to the sum of human knowledge and interest. He closed his life exactly as such a life ought to be closed, by dying in battle for his country while rendering her valiant and effective service. Who could wish a better life or a better death, or desire to leave a more honorable heritage to his family and his nation?