~ Recommended Reading / Books about Africa ~

"Ivory, Apes and Peacocks" by Alan Root
The adventures of a wildlife film maker - a delighful read! Non-fiction. "Cry of the Kalahari" by Mark and Delia Owens
Seven years in the unexplored Kalahari dessert. Non-fiction. "Born A Crime" by Trevor Noah
Stories of a South African childhood. Biography.

"When the Last Lion Roars" by Sara Evans
The rise and fall of the king of beasts. Non-fiction.

"Heart of a Game Ranger" by Mario Cesare
Stories from a wild life as a game ranger in South Africa. Non-fiction. "My Heart is Africa" by Scott Griffin
A flying doctor adventure in Kenya. Non-fiction.
"Gorillas In The Mist" by Dian Fossey
A memoir of years spent studying the mountain gorillas. Biography.

"Woman in the Mists" by Farley Mowat
The story of Dian Fossey and the mountain gorillas of central Africa. Non-fiction.
"The Last Expedition" by Daniel Liebowitz and Charlie Pearson
Henry Morton Stanley's fatal journey through the Congo. History. "Year Of The Gorilla" by George B. Shaller
Schaller's 2 years of travel and observations fo gorillas in central Africa in the late 50's. Science.

"Great Tuskers of Africa" by Johan Marais and David Hadaway
A celebration in words and pictures of bull elephants, past and present, who have become known as great tuskers. Non-fiction.

"Love, Life and Elephants" by Daphne Sheldrick
The story about her remarkable life in Kenya with her many orphan animals, particularly elephants. Non-fiction.

"The Elephant Whisperer" by Lawrence Anthony
Learning about life, loyalty and freedom from a remarkable herd of elephants in South Africa. Non-fiction.

"Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
The life of the head of the anti-apartheid movement, Nelson Mandela. Autobiography.
"King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild
King Leopard II of Belgium's plunder of the Congo, in effect a holocaust that killed millions, while Leopard shrewdly cultivated his reputation as a great humanitarian. History.

"In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz" by Michela Wrong
A stinging portrait of the Congo's (Zaire) despair under president Mobutu Sese Seko's 32 year dictatorship. Non-fiction.

"Through A Window" by Jane Goodall
Her 30 years with the chimpanzees of Gombe in Tanzania. Non-fiction.

"The Eye of the Elephant" by Mark and Delia Owens
A passionate account of the struggle to save the North Luangwa Valley wilderness of Zambia. Non-fiction.

"Skeletons on the Zahara" by Dean King
The true ordeal of 12 American sailors shipwrecked off the coast of Africa in 1815. History.

"Into Africa" by Martin Dugard
The epic adventures of Stanley and Livingstone and the most famous encounter in exploration history. History.

"The White Nile" by Alan Moorehead
The daring exploration of the Nile River in the second half of the nineteenth century, which was at that time the most mysterious and impenetrable region on earth. History.

"The Dark Romance of Dian Fossey" by Harold TP Hayes
A complex, objective view of the courageous and obsessive woman who studied the mountain gorillas. Biography. "Land of a Thousand Hills" by Rosamon Halsey Carr
A life in Rwanda. Autobiography.

"Cry the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton
Written in 1948 this story addresses the problems of race relations in South Africa. Fiction.

"My Pride and Joy" by George Adamson
George Adamson's adventures over a lifetime with lions in East Africa. Non-fiction.
"Game Ranger on Horseback" by Nick Steele
About the early days of the Zululand Game Reserves and particularly about rhinos and the efforts to protect them. Non-fiction.
"We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families" by Philip Gourevitch
Stories from Rwanda about the genocide. History.

"Dangerous Beauty" by Mark C. Ross
Stories from a safari guide. Non-fiction.

"Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" by Alexandra Fuller
The touching, beautifully told story of an African childhood. Non-fiction.

"The Africa House" by Christina Lamb
The story of an English gentleman and his African dream. Non-fiction.
"Into The River of Life" a biography of Ian Player
Non-fiction.

"Reason for Hope" by Jane Goodall
A poignant memoir of life in Africa and the revolutionary study of Chimpanzees. Non-fiction.

"Jock of the Bushveld" by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick
Written in 1907, this is the classic tale of Jock, the bull terrier dog in South Africa's lowveld. Non-fiction.

"A Lion Called Christian" by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall
The remarkable story of the bond between two friends and a lion, who is later released in Kenya. Non-fiction.

"Dinner With Mugabe" by Heidi Holland
The story of the freedom fighter, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, who became a tyrant. Non-fiction.

"The Shackled Continent" by Robert Guest
Explores why Africa has grown poorer over the last three decades. Non-fiction.

"Facing The Congo" by Jeffrey Tayler
A modern day journey into the heart of darkness. Non-fiction.

"

The Africans" by David Lamb
A journalists account of sub-Saharan Africa. Written in 1983 it is now outdated but still a very interesting read. Political science.

"Africa" by Michael Poliza
A large, stunning coffee table book that's well worth the price, particularly if you've been to Botswana or Namibia. Photography.
GUIDE BOOKS:

"Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa" by Ken Newman
A field guide to birds, this book illustrates and describes fully all the birds recorded from the southern seas and those of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. Reference.

Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania
This guide features 124 color plates, depicting all 1,114 species in the area, including variations by subspecies, age, and sex. It contains over 800 range maps and succinct text that covers identification, voice and distribution. Reference.

"The Safari Companion: A Guide to Watching African Mammals, Carnivores and Primates" by Richard D. Estes
Make room in your suitcase for this one. Reference.

Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa for Ipad and smart phones:
This is an interactive version of the best-selling Sasol Birds of Southern Africa field guide. This application has specific features that will enhance your birding experience. Features: images, distribution maps and text descriptions of over 950 bird species found in the Southern African region; audible calls for over 630 bird species; a “Smart Search” that allows you to easily identify a bird using beak shape, bird size, bird colour and habitat; you can select a region of Southern Africa, so that the lists of birds throughout the program display only the birds in your region; “Bird Compare” to allow you to compare two birds on the same screen (including calls). This can be purchased from the Apple App Store. Reference.

Wildlife of Southern Africa for Ipad and smart phones:
This is an interactive version of the popular Wildlife of Southern Africa field guide. This easy-to-use guide is the perfect companion for a visitor to any part of the region. It features more than 2500 species most likely to be found. There are images of over 1600 species with the rest identified by references to similar species in the text. This can be purchased from the Apple App Store. Reference.

eTrees of Southern Africa for Ipad and smart phones:
This interactive field guide to trees of Southern Africa is an essential guide for visitors with an interest in tree species. It describes over 800 of the more common and accessible tree species found the Southern African region.
This can be purchased from the Apple App Store. Reference. HAPPY READING!