Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Safari Companion
by Richard Estes
An encyclopedic guide to the behavior of Africa’s mammals by a noted scientist.
The Ukimwi Road, From Kenya to Zimbabwe
by Dervla Murphy
An Irish grandmother and award-winning travel writer, Murphy journeys from Kenya to Zimbabwe, including a sojourn in Zambia.
The Scramble for Africa
by Thomas Pakenham
A well-written, meticulously researched history of the Victorian land grab in Africa. The book includes especially good portraits of the egomaniacal personalities who overran the continent.
North of South, An African Journey
by Shiva Naipaul
This is a great book – engaging and unafraid of controversy. It’s a sharp portrait of contemporary East Africa, as well as Zambia, sensitive to issues black, white and brown.
Exploration of Africa, From Cairo to the Cape
by Ann Hugon
This jewel of a book chronicles 19th century exploration of Africa with hundreds of contemporary paintings and prints, brief chapters on the expeditions and a very useful chronology.
Southern Africa Wildlife, A Visitor's Guide
by Mike Unwin
A popular, photographic guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and habitats south of the Zambezi. With 300 color photographs and illuminating text.
Adventuring in Southern Africa
by Allen Bechky
This comprehensive guide to game parks throughout Southern Africa includes an overview of the region, tips on watching wildlife and good descriptive information on each park or nature reserve.
Southern, Central, and East African Mammals
by Chris and Tilde Stuart
A compact guide to 152 mammals.
The Myth of Wild Africa
by Jonathan Adams, Thomas McShane
A no-holds-barred attack on old-style conservation in Africa, provocative and dead-on. The authors explore the fallacy of an untouched continent where animals roam freely in sanctuaries.
Watch My Tracer
by Keith Chisnall
A third-generation Rhodesian tells the story of his upbringing on a farm and his days learning to track and survive in the bush that would assist him during the Rhodesian Civil War as a part of the clandestine operation unit known as the Pachedu.
Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa
by Kenneth Newman
This classic field guide features hundreds of color plates, a comprehensive checklist – and information on habitat and distribution.