Saint Helena Literature

The following bibliography of literature about St. Helena is comprehensive, with the exception that the very (too?) numerous volumes written exclusively about Napoleon and St. Helena have been excluded.

Some material is available at the Saint Helena Virtual Library and Archive.
To obtain in- and out-of-print books inquire at Miles Apart.
Additional literature sources are in Day's exhaustive bibliography.

Books, Articles, etc. in print (arranged by year of publication)

  1. Cross, A. St. Helena. David & Charles, Newton Abbott. 1980. ISBN: 0715380753
    A good, although now somewhat dated, general account of St. Helena. Also information about Ascension and Tristan.
     
  2. Winchester, S. Outposts. Hodder & Stoughton, London. 1985. ISBN: 0340337729
    (Published in the US as The Sun Never Sets, Prentice Hall, New York. ISBN: 0138758816    )
    Contains chapters about St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha.
     
  3. Young, G. Slow Boats Home. Hutchinson, London. 1985. ISBN: 0091598001
    Contains a chapter about St. Helena with some glaring factual errors.
     
  4. Wooltorton, S.J. A Doctor's Thoughts on St. Helena. Privately published. 1988. ISBN: 0951178229
    An interesting but odd book that combines photos of St. Helena with medical articles from the St. Helena News.
     
  5. Gosse, P. St. Helena 1502-1938. Nelson, Oswestry. 1990. ISBN: 0904614395
    A new edition of Gosse's classic book on St. Helena.
     
  6. Blackburn, J. The Emperor's Last Island: A Journey to St. Helena. Secker & Warburg, London. 1991. ISBN: 0436200309
    A mostly historical account of Napoleon's exile that contains some major errors of fact and gives present day St. Helena short shrift.
     
  7. Mathieson, I. and Carter, L. Exploring St. Helena: A Walker's Guide. Nelson, Oswestry. 1993. ISBN: 0904614492
    A good guide to the excellent walking to be had on St. Helena.
     
  8. Bain, K. St. Helena: The Island, Her People and Their Ship. Wilton 65, York. 1993. ISBN: 0947828176
    The most recent general book about St. Helena by an observer who is sympathetic to the plight of the island.
     
  9. Eriksen, R. St. Helena Lifeline. Mallet & Bell, Coltishall. 1994. ISBN: 0950945331
    The story of the RMS.
     
  10. Ritchie, H. The Last Pink Bits. Hodder and Stoughton, London. 1997. ISBN: 034066682X
    Has chapters on St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan.
     
  11. Day, A.E. St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Clio Press, Oxford. 1997. ISBN: 1851092722
    World Bibliographical Series, volume 107.
    Available as an eBook at netLibrary, but requires payment of an annual fee to view the eBook.
     
  12. Kauffmann, J-P. The Black Room at Longwood: Napoleon's Exile on Saint Helena. Four Walls Eight Windows, New York. 1999. ISBN: 1568581289
    Interweaves Napoleon's exile with observations on present day St. Helena.
     
  13. Ashmole, P. and Ashmole, M. St. Helena and Ascension Island: A Natural History. Anthony Nelson, Oswestry. 2000. ISBN: 0904614611
    Excellent and comprehensive description of the natural history of the two islands.
     
  14. Hansen, B. The Monsters of St. Helena.
    Farrar Straus & Giroux, New York; Saint Martin's Press, London. 2003. ISBN: 0374270198
    A fictional account, interwoven with real events, of the early days of Napoleon's exile and his friendship with Betsy Balcombe.

General Historical Accounts (arranged by year of publication)

  1. Anonymous. A Description of the Island of St. Helena; Containing Observations on its Singular Structure and Formation; and an Account of its Climate, Natural History, and Inhabitants. Phillips, London. 1805.
     
  2. Brooke, T.H. A History of the Island of St. Helena, from its Discovery by the Portuguese to the Year 1806. Black, Parry & Kingsbury, London. 1808.
    A second edition was published in 1824.
     
  3. Wathen, J. Journal of a Voyage, in 1811 and 1812, to Madras and China; Returning by the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena. Black, Parry & Co., London. 1814.
     
  4. Bellasis, G.H. Views of Saint Helena. Tyler, London. 1815.
     
  5. Pocock, W.I. Five Views of the Island of St. Helena, From Drawings Taken on the Spot: to which is Added a Concise Account of the Island. Fuller, London. 1815.
     
  6. Tobin, Captain. Views in St. Helena. Orme, London. 1815.
     
  7. Beatson, A. Tracts Relative to the Island of St. Helena; Written During a Residence of Five Years. Nicol, Booth, London. 1816.
     
  8. Barnes, Capt. J. A Tour Through the Island of St. Helena. Richardson, London. 1817.
     
  9. Wathen, J. A Series of Views Illustrative of the Island of St. Helena. Clay, London. 1821.
     
  10. Kerr, J. Series of Views in the Island of St. Helena. Colnaghi and Co., London. 1822.
     
  11. Lockwood, J. A Guide to St. Helena. St. Helena. 1851.
     
  12. Melliss, G.W. Views of St. Helena; Illustrative of its Scenery and Historical Associations. From Photographs by G.W. Melliss, Esq., Surveyor General of the Island. London. 1857.
     
  13. Fowler, T.E. Views of St. Helena. Privately published. 1863.
     
  14. Melliss, J.C. St. Helena: A Physical, Historical, and Topographical Description of the Island, including its Geology, Fauna, Flora, and Meteorology. Reeve & Co., London. 1875.
     
  15. Grant, B. A Few Notes on St. Helena by Benjamin Grant, Containing some Considerations Concerning its Utility as a Health Resort; the Geology of the Island, by Captain J.R. Oliver, R.A., (published in 1879); and a Variety of Interesting and Statistical Information. Also a Photographic View, by W.H. Marriott. Grant, St. Helena. 1881.
     
  16. Janisch, H.R. Extracts from the St. Helena Records. Grant, St. Helena. 1885.
    A second edition was published in 1908.
     
  17. Jackson, E.L. 1903. St. Helena: The Historic Island. Ward, Lock & Co., London.
     
  18. Aubry, O. St. Helena. Gollancz, London. 1937.
     
  19. Gosse, P. St. Helena 1502-1938. Cassell, London. 1938.
     
  20. Blakeston, O. Isle of St. Helena. Sidgwick & Jackson, London. 1957.
     
  21. Brookes, M.E. St. Helena Story. Heinemann, London. 1960.
     
  22. Taylor, M.S. St. Helena, Ocean Roadhouse. Hale, London. 1969.

National Geographic Articles

  1. Keynes, Q. St. Helena: The forgotten island. National Geographic, vol. 98, p. 265-280. 1950.
     
  2. Stenuit, R. The Sunken Treasure of St. Helena. National Geographic, vol. 154, p. 562-576. 1978.

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