The New Zealand Wars - A Brief History

M E D I A R E L E A S E
10 July 2014

The New Zealand Wars
A Brief History

Matthew Wright

The legacy of the New Zealand Wars is all around us, but for the most part we are ignorant of how it has shaped our society – and the remnants the conflict left on the landscape.

While the far--flung places where our soldiers fought in the World Wars are rightly commemorated and cared for, most of the New Zealand War sites have been neglected.

‘Today, many of the battle sites are half--forgotten, but we can still find them,’ says historian Matthew Wright.

‘We can stand where battles were fought — in a few cases, even within some of our towns and cities.’ From the first shots in the Bay of Islands (with its bullet--marked Christ Church in Russell) to the closing manoeuvres in the King Country, Wright sets out to clarify and characterise the conflicts that raged from 1845 to 1872.

The New Zealand Wars brings to life this history in full colour, with the help of plentiful photos and maps.

Readers of all ages will be able not only to understand this key part of our history, but also connect with the battle sites that remain – for the most part – hard to find.

The author:
Matthew Wright is a prolific writer and historian who is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University College, London. His most recent work is the Bateman Illustrated History of New Zealand. He lives in Wellington.

Release Date: 29 July 2014 | ISBN: 978-1-877514-68-5 | RRP $29.99
Paperback, 210 x 160 mm, 88 pages, full colour

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