Author: Nelson Mandela Type: Biography Published: 1995 Format: PAPER Pages: 640 Cost: $18.00 See Book Details
An unpretentious tale of an extraordinary life, Mandela’s autobiography is essential reading for an understanding of South Africa. His grace and his love for his country shine throughout.
Author: Rian Malan Type: Biography Published: 2000 Format: PAPER Pages: 425 Cost: $16.00 See Book Details
Afrikaner journalist Malan recounts his journey back to his homeland just before the collapse of apartheid. He grapples with the black and white heart of South Africa, drawing on the 300-year history of his family in Africa and legends of the Zulu nation, in this beautifully written and brutally honest story of return.
Author: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas Type: Biography Published: 2007 Format: PAPER Pages: 384 Cost: $18.00 See Book Details
Marshall (Harmless People) returns after 50 years to southwest Africa and the land of her youth in this beautifully observed reprise of her classic account of the Bushmen of the Kalahari.
Author: Peter Godwin, Chris Johns (Photographer) Type: Cultural Portrait Published: 2007 Format: HARD COVER Pages: 176 Cost: $65.00 See Book Details
This lush collection of full-color photographs tackles conservation, development and tradition in southern Africa. It’s a well-illustrated portrait of the region by National Geographic photographer Johns and veteran journalist Godwin.
Author: Jonathan Kingdon Type: Field Guide Published: 2004 Format: PAPER Pages: 272 Cost $29.95 See Book Details
A conveniently compact edition of Kingdon’s celebrated guide that includes information on distribution, ecology and conservation status, with 480 outstanding color illustrations and maps.
Author: Kenneth Newman Type: Field Guide Published: 2010 Format: PAPER Pages: 538 Cost: $26 See Book Details
The eighth edition of the classic field guide, our favorite for Southern Africa, with hundreds of large color plates and revised information on habitats and distribution. Maps, text and illustrations are grouped together for easy reference. This is the book to carry anywhere south of the Zambezi.
Author: Ian Sinclair Type: Field Guide Published: 1990 Format: PAPER Pages: 144 Cost: $15.95 See Book Details
Lightweight and handy for the field, this pocket guide to the 265 most conspicuous birds south of the Zambezi River includes color photographs, brief descriptions and range maps.
Author: Mike Unwin Type: Field Guide Published: 2011 Format: PAPER Pages: 234 Cost: $26.99 See Book Details
A popular photographic guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and habitats south of the Zambezi. With 300 color photographs and illuminating text.”
Author: Jonathan Kingdon Type: Field Guide Published: 2015 Format: PAPER Pages: 544 Cost: $49.50 See Book Details
This stunningly illustrated, comprehensive field guide by a leading authority includes over 500 of Kingdon’s exquisite color paintings. Fully revised and updated with more than 1,100 species.”
Author: Richard Estes Type: Field Guide Published: 1999 Format: PAPER Pages: 459 Cost $30.00 See Book Details
An invaluable encyclopedic guide to Africa’s mammals by a noted scientist, this perennial bestseller includes black-and-white drawings, an overview of each animal group and in-depth information. Written with the typical safari-goer in mind.
Author: “Vincent Carruthers (Editor), Kenneth Newman (Illustrator)” Type: Field Guide Published: 2017 Format: PAPER Pages: 320 Cost: $23.00 See Book Details
With 1,200 color illustrations by a range of experts, this compact field guide includes all the birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fish and plants that a traveler is likely to encounter in southern Africa.
Author: Chris McIntyre Type: Guidebook Published: 2016 Format: PAPER Pages: 576 Cost: $28.99 See Book Details
Safari guide McIntyre’s practical and detailed overview of Zambia, its history, culture, attractions and natural history with color photographs, local maps and excellent travel information. Fourth edition.
Author: Simon Richmond Type: Guidebook Published: 2015 Format: PAPER Pages: 288 Cost: $21.99 See Book Details
Geared for independent travelers, this savvy and comprehensive guide features color photographs and dozens of excellent maps. This seventh edition also covers the garden route in detail.
Author: Thomas Pakenham Type: History Published: 1992 Format: PAPER Pages: 738 Cost: $23.99 See Book Details
Absorbing and meticulously researched, this in-depth history of the Victorian land grab in 19th-century Africa includes excellent portraits of the egomaniacal personalities who overran the continent.”
Author: Allister Sparks Type: History Published: 1996 Format: PAPER Pages: 254 Cost: $31.00 See Book Details
Sparks explores the extraordinary developments that led to multiracial democracy in South Africa, an essential key to understanding the country today.
Author: Alan Paton Type: Literature Published: 2003 Format: PAPER Pages: 317 Cost: $17.00 See Book Details
The deeply moving story of Reverend Kumalo’s quest for justice. First published in 1948, it is a striking, poetic tribute to the power of the individual and a trenchant indictment of apartheid.
Author: J.M. Coetzee Type: Literature Published: 1995 Format: PAPER Pages: 184 Cost: $15.00 See Book Details
Coetzee sets this short, hallucinatory novel, the powerful tale of a troubled boy, in South Africa in the midst of civil war.
Author: Nadine Gordimer Type: Literature Published: 2012 Format: PAPER Pages: 288 Cost: $16.00 See Book Details
With keen attention to character and racial politics, Nobel Prize-winner Gordimer traces the experiences of two families during turbulent, post-Apartheid South Africa.
Author: Alexander McCall Smith Type: Mystery Published: 2009 Format: PAPER Pages: 235 Cost: $15.00 See Book Details
The delightful introduction to Botswana’s formidable female detective, evoking the cultures, customs and texture of Africa.
Author: Gerald Hinde (Photographer) Type: Natural History Published: 2009 Format: PAPER Pages: 143 Cost $20 See Book Details
Award-winning wildlife photographer Gerald Hinde’s stunning photographs celebrate Africa’s lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalos. Brief but informative text introduces each animal but the photographs (rightly) are the main focus. Size: 8 x 8 inches.
Author: Lyall Watson Type: Natural History Published: 2003 Format: PAPER Pages: 261 Cost: $19.95 See Book Details
An evocative account of the myth, lore and nature of elephants in South Africa.
Author: Jonathan Adams, Thomas McShane Type: Natural History Published: 1996 Format: PAPER Pages: 290 Cost: $29.95 See Book Details
The authors, associated with the World Wildlife Fund, demolish the romantic fallacy of an untouched continent where animals roam freely in sanctuaries. It’s a no-holds-barred critique of old-style conservation in Africa.
Author: Hallwag Type: Reference Published: 2015 Format: MAP Pages: 1 Cost: $11.95 See Details
This fold-out overview map of Southern Africa — including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana — is ideal for route planning.
Author: Nelles Type: Reference Published: 2016 Format: MAP Pages: 2 Cost: $13.95 See Details
Scaled at 1:2,500,000, this shaded relief map covers South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern portions of Angola, Zambia and Mozambique.
Author: Shiva Naipaul Type: Travel Narrative Published: 1979 Format: PAPER Pages: 349 Cost $17.00 See Book Details
A sharp portrait of Africa, circa 1979. A brilliant and provocative observer, Naipaul meditates on the various peoples he encounters in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The best, most insightful thing we’ve read about race relations in Africa.
Author: Mark Owens, Delia Owens Type: Travel Narrative Published: 1993 Format: PAPER Pages: 305 Cost: $18.95 See Book Details
The adventures of conservationists Mark and Delia Owens in the Luangwa River Valley of Zambia. They set up camp in the wilderness among the elephants, but are drawn into an ugly struggle with the local people.