At Alluring Africa, we believe that travel literature has the power to expand individuals’ perspectives and inspire a greater understanding of the world and its complexities. With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of books that we believe are must-reads for all demographics, whether you’re a bibliophile or just bored.
“This compelling story is a “must read” for anyone who loves
nature and the challenges of helping two young leopards get
back to their wild world. Well written, entertaining, and
emotional; to be enjoyed.” – Richard Leakey, Kenyan paleoanthropologist
The authors of Secrets of the Sahara battle the elephant
poachers of Zambia in this “exciting…part adventure story,
part wildlife tale” (The Boston Globe). The Eye of the
Elephant recounts the Owens’ struggle to save these innocent
animals from decimation, a journey not only to supply the
natives with ways of supporting their villages, but also to
cultivate support around the globe for the protection of
elephants. Filled with daring exploits among disgruntled
hunters, arduous labor on the African plains, and vivid
depictions of various wildlife, this remarkable tale is at once
an adventure story, a travelogue, a preservationist call to
action, and a fascinating examination of both human and
animal nature.
This book expands into the neglected history of
Pan African Cross-Border and African traditional
leadership in the Southern African liberation
struggle.
After the death of his beloved, bankrupt gambler of a father, Dan
Lynch follows his university degree in zoology to a run-down safari
camp, where he can work as a trainee guide and, most important, be
near George Sorensen, the owner. George is a wildlife genius, but no
great businessman.
The authors of Secrets of the Sahara battle the elephant
poachers of Zambia in this “exciting…part adventure story, part
wildlife tale” (The Boston Globe). The Eye of the Elephant
recounts the Owens’ struggle to save these innocent animals
from decimation, a journey not only to supply the natives with
ways of supporting their villages, but also to cultivate support
around the globe for the protection of elephants. Filled with
daring exploits among disgruntled hunters, arduous labor on the
African plains, and vivid depictions of various wildlife, this
remarkable tale is at once an adventure story, a travelogue, a
preservationist call to action, and a fascinating examination of
both human and animal nature.
Christina Lamb’s The Africa House is the bestselling
account of an English gentleman and his African dream.
In the extreme south of Madagascar is a place called Berenty,
where Tandroy tribesmen, French lords, mad scientists, and two
or three species of lemurs may be found gathered peacefully
under a tamarind tree. Forty years ago Alison Jolly went to
Berenty to study lemurs, and she has been enthralled by it ever
since. In Lords and Lemurs she tells the story of the place, its
people, and its other animals.
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. It is a
unique blend of Asian and African culture and is well known as
the home of some of the world’s most unusual and most
endangered flora and fauna, from lemurs to giant tortoises.
Although so close to the east coast of Africa, where traces of
human existence go back hundreds of thousands of years,
Madagascar was uninhabited until about two thousand years
ago. How it came to be inhabited by seafaring peoples from
present-day Indonesia is just one of the many fascinating
aspects of this book.
The first novel from Madagascar ever to be translated into
English, Naivo’s magisterial Beyond the Rice Fields delves into the
upheavals of the nation’s past as it confronted Christianity and
modernity, through the twin narratives of a slave and his master’s
daughter.
Amazing photographs of elephants accompany narratives from
researchers, scientists, and conservationists celebrating elephants and
calling for their preservation. 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.
For its size, Kenya probably has the most diverse range of
habitats of any country in Africa, if not the world. Within its
borders there are alpine peaks, montane forests, high plateaux,
savannas, lowland forests, coastal woodlands and wetlands, and
a string of varied lakes in the Great Rift Valley. The range of
wildlife to be found in the region is correspondingly diverse.
Kenya: A Natural History – by Steve Spawls & Glenn Matthews
– explores the wildlife and habitats in great detail and gives a
thorough overview of Kenya’s natural history.
The book is divided into four parts, each of which describes a
different stage of Hemingway’s safari. “Green Hills of Africa” is
known for its vivid descriptions of African wildlife and
landscapes, as well as for its exploration of Hemingway’s
personal philosophy of hunting and the nature of masculinity.
The book also addresses themes such as the relationship
between humans and nature, the allure of adventure and
danger, and the search for meaning in life.
Photographer Carlo Mari has followed these animals for ten years and watched them stampeding relentlessly from one horizon to another in vast unbroken columns. His photographs portray the dynamism and courage of the herds, their rhythms, their conquest of new spaces, and their struggle to live and perpetuate themselves. Set within the context of the whole of African wildlife, these images, accompanied by Harvey Croze’s authoritative text, stretch beyond the migration itself and provide a glimpse into a journey without end, a perpetual circle of passage. A safari through the pages of this memorable book is the next best thing to being there.
Spending 18 months on the Serengeti Plain of eastern Africa, Iwago captures in nearly 300 extraordinary full-color images a world of calm beauty and quick violence, where the daily drama of life and death for over two million animals is played against a spectacular landscape. Sure to win a new round of fans, this classic, best-selling (over 90,000 copies sold!) volume of wildlife photography is now available in a handsomely jacketed new hardcover edition.
A finalist for the National Book Award when it was released in 1972, this vivid portrait of East Africa remains as fresh and revelatory now as on the day it was first published. Peter Matthiessen exquisitely combines nature and travel writing to portray the sights, scenes, and people he observed firsthand in several trips over the course of a dozen years. From the daily lives of wild herdsmen and the drama of predator kills to the field biologists investigating wild creatures and the anthropologists seeking humanity’s origins in the rift valley, The Tree Where Man Was Born is a classic of journalistic observation.
From the rear cover of this 738 page book: “A phenomenal achievement, clear, authoritative and compelling……Thomas Pakenham’s fine book tells the story of this particular gold rush with admirable and judicious poise….Contains some of the best-known episodes of 19th-Century history as well as some of the most mythologized and colorful characters the world has ever seen…..Livingstone and Stanley, Brazza and Rhodes, Kitchener and Gordon, Lugard and Jameson…..Highly readable.” and “Taking the entire continent as his canvas, Pakenham has painted a picture of heroism and horror. He writes both with compassion and with an effective combination of detachment and judgement. A splendid book.”
A real “Boy’s Own” adventure – but Barefoot over the Serengeti is factual, not fiction. It is a unique and evocative tale of childhood adventure in a world that very few Europeans have experienced. In July 2015 David travelled his last safari accompanied by his family and hundreds of African and European friends.
“Waters of the Sanjan is fiction based on fact, woven around the life of a known (Masai) warrior who lived at the turn of the century. It is an historical novel and the events portrayed were not unusual in the life of a warrior of those times. The customs and traditions are accurate; the places where events took place are real places and to date still go by the same name the Waters of the Sanjan, translated literally, Inkariak–oo-Sanjan, means “The Waters of Sweehearts”, and in fact is a place that lies to the North of the famous treeless undulating savannah known the world over as The Serengeti, and to the Masai as Sirinket.”
A photo-book on Tanzania, covering areas such as the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, the Mahale mountains, the coastline, the townships and the villages. Each section is introduced by Dr Ng’ Maryo, a Tanzanian academic.
The concise, user-friendly text is packed with full-color photographs, maps, and climate charts to enable visitors to make the very most of the time available. This book is produced in a geographical format with itineraries and excursions for independent travelers. The book contains panels that highlight the best that the country has to offer. The color coding makes it very easy to reference. Written with the first-time visitor in mind by authors who have an intimate knowledge of the country. Globetrotter guides recommend worthwhile sights and places of interest to visit; offer advice on where to stay, eat and shop; and suggest enjoyable excursions from major centers.