It is a non-fiction work about the Boer War that took place in South Africa. A curious fact is that the book was finished in September 1900 when the British believed the war was over, however, it continued until 1902.

Conan Doyle wanted to see the war firsthand as a soldier, but the army was opposed to the writer wielding a pen in their ranks, instead they accepted him as a doctor. In 39 chapters he recounts the stories and experiences he obtained from his patients: details of the campaign, descriptions of the fighting, etc.

In The Great Boer War, Doyle attempts to provide the reader with a neutral history, which he succeeds to some extent. However, he seems to be a bit biased when he discusses the causes of the war, one of which, in his opinion, is the disenfranchisement of the miners.

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