March Hare – The Autobiography of Elsa Smithers

March Hare: The Autobiography of Elsa Smithers is a fascinating first-hand account of life in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century South Africa, written by a woman whose lifetime intersected with some of the most dramatic events and personalities of the country’s history. Originally published in 1935, this attractive 1939 edition was reissued as part of The Oxford Bookshelf series by Oxford University Press.

Born in 1862 in the South African Republic, Elsa Smithers grew up amid a rapidly changing southern Africa. Her recollections encompass the Sekukuni conflict, the development of the gold and diamond fields, the Anglo-Boer Wars and the extraordinary expansion of the Transvaal during the late nineteenth century.

Elsa Smithers proximity to many prominent personalities gives the autobiography considerable historical and Africana interest. Her recollections include figures such as Paul Kruger, Thomas François Burgers, Cecil John Rhodes, Leander Starr Jameson and H. Rider Haggard, providing a distinctly personal perspective on an era more commonly documented through political and military histories.

Beyond major historical events, March Hare records domestic and social life, travel, personalities and the rapidly changing communities of southern Africa. Elsa Smithers’ lively autobiographical approach makes the book both an important historical source and an engaging account of an extraordinary life.

Condition – Near Fine

Near fine 1939 hardcover in a very good original dust jacket. The cloth boards remain particularly attractive for their age and the contents are clean and well preserved. The original foldout map is present and in excellent condition.