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.
Lonely Planet Southern Africa
by Alan Murphy
This hefty practical guide to the nine nations of southern Africa, including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland (Eswatini), Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho, is ideal for independent travelers on a multi-country tour.
The Last Elephants
by Colin Bell & Don Pinnock
African savanna elephants--among the most magnificent and beloved of our fellow mammals--are an extraordinary, social, and intelligent species. The Last Elephants, an homage to these animals and a clarion call for their preservation, is based upon a shocking finding: savanna elephant populations across Africa are being decimated, with two to three murdered every hour for their ivory. Without action, these elephants soon will vanish from our world. They are a species in imminent danger of extinction, and it is up to us to save them.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
by Alexandra Fuller
A candid coming-of-age memoir set during the Rhodesian Civil War. Fuller's parents moved from England to Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) in the early 1970s.
South Africa, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Isabel Balseiro (Editor), Tobias Hecht (Editor)
This diverse collection of short stories reveals South Africa through the eyes of its writers, including Nadine Gordimer, J.M. Coetzee and Alan Paton.
Killing for Profit
by Julian Rademeyr
A terrifying true story of greed, corruption, depravity and ruthless criminal enterprise . . . On the black markets of Southeast Asia, rhino horn is worth more than gold, cocaine and heroin. This is the chilling story of a two-year-long investigation into a dangerous criminal underworld where merciless syndicates will stop at nothing to attain their prize. It is a tale of greed, folly and corruption, and of an increasingly desperate battle to save the rhino - which has survived for more than 50 million years - from extinction.
Southern Africa Map
by Nelles
Scaled at 1:2,500,000, this shaded relief map covers South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern portions of Angola, Zambia and Mozambique.
Into Africa, The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone
by Martin Dugard
A nicely paced tale of the Scottish explorer and Stanley's headline-grabbing efforts to locate him. Dugard has done his homework well, drawing on a wide variety of sources to paint a lively and nuanced portrait of the two men.
Sleepwalking Land
by David Brookshaw (Translator), Mia Couto
Written by a native Mozambican in Portuguese, this highly-acclaimed novel of turmoil and civil war is rich with magical realism.
The Safari Companion
by Richard Estes
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.
Africa, a Biography of the Continent
by John Reader
With the ease of a practiced journalist, Reader weaves a masterful and lively tale of the continent, from ancient cultures to modern times. Both authoritative and informal, this is a splendid introduction to all of Africa.
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
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.
No Future Without Forgiveness
by Desmond Tutu
Winner of the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, Desmond Tutu writes with insight and compassion in this memoir of his work for reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa.