Chamberlain's Birds of Africa South of the Sahara (New Edition)

Chamberlain's Birds of Africa - South of the Sahara (New Edition)

by Ian Sinclair;Peter Ryan, ISBN:9781770076235, R375.00

due September

Order Now

Fully revised, Birds of Africa south of the Sahara provides unrivalled coverage of African birds in a single volume, and is the first book to describe and illustrate all of the birds found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert (the Afrotropic Region), including Socotra, Pemba and islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Despite its exceptional coverage, this guide is compact enough to use in the field, and follows the standard field guide format, with texts and range maps appearing opposite the colour plates.

About the Author - Ian Sinclair
Ian Sinclair is renowned in African birding circles for his field knowledge and expertise in identifying the region's many bird species. His vast experience has been gained in expeditions to every corner of Africa, as well as to the Himalayas, Antarctica and Marion island. He has authored or co-authored several successful bird books, including the hugely successful Field Guide to Birds of SA (Stru ...[more about Ian Sinclair]

About the Author - Peter Ryan
Peter Ryan is a senior lecturer at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town, a partner of 'Birding Africa' and a keen birder who has led numerous birding tours in southern Africa. A long-standing member of the SA Rarities Committee, his research interests include the evolutionary ecology of birds and island conservation. He is co-editor of the current r ...[more about Peter Ryan]

Bosveld Ekologie en Bestuur

Bosveld Ekologie en Bestuur

Redakteur: P.T. van der Walt,  ISBN:9781875093946, R219.00

Bestel Nou

Ook beskikbaar in Engels

17 van ons land se voorste boskundiges skryf oor die Bosveld se bewaring en bestuur, die geologie en grond, veld en plante, houtsoorte en ouderdomme van bome, oorlewing en veldgebruik in historiese tye, hedendaagse toerisme en wat dit sou behels om ’n plaas hier te koop.

In die volksmond verwys ‘bos’ na ’n houtagtigheid wat in samestelling, digtheid en hoogte verskil. Dit is ’n plek waar die lewensiklusse van sowat 5 700 plantsoorte bydra tot die polsende ritme en dinamiek van soet-, suur-, gemengde of dorre bosveld. ’n Anderhalf miljoen besoekers put jaarliks enorme plesier uit hierdie kosbare bioskat, maar dit is besig om vinnig te verarm weens die druk van menslike aktiwiteite en wanbestuur. Die benutting daarvan moet dringend met meer sensitiwiteit en kundigheid benader word. Om hierdie ideaal groter momentum te gee, deel 17 van ons land se voorste boskundiges hul kennis op ’n maklik verstaanbare en kleurvolle wyse – wonderlike leesstof vir die bewaarder, boer, student en elke bosliefhebber.
Hierdie bondige kroniek vertel van die Bosveld se bewaring en bestuur, die geologie en die grond, die veld en die plante, van houtsoorte en die ouderdomme van bome, van oorlewing en van veldgebruik in historiese tye, van hedendaagse toerisme en wat dit sou behels om ’n plaas hier te koop.

’n Eiesoortige veldgids vir ons geliefde Bosveld – ’n moet vir elke Bosvelder en Bosveldbesoeker.

Bushveld Ecology and Management

Bushveld Ecology and Management

Editor: P.T.van der Walt, ISBN:9781875093946,
R219.00

Order Now

Also available in Afrikaans

17 of the country’s most prominent bush experts share there knowledge about conservation and management of the Bushveld, its geology and soil, veld and plants, timber and age-old trees, survival and usage of the veld in historical times, modern-day tourism and how one goes about buying a farm here.

In popular parlance, ‘bush’ refers to a woodiness that differs in composition, density and height. It is a place where the life cycles of some 5 700 plant species contribute to the pulsing rhythm and dynamics of sweet, sour, mixed or arid Bushveld. One and a half million visitors find enormous pleasure in this precious biotreasure every year, but it is deteriorating fast as a result of human activities and mismanagement. Its use should be approached with much more sensitivity and proficiency. To give more impetus to this ideal, 17 of the most prominent bush experts of the country share their knowledge in a clear and colourful way – wonderful reading matter for the conservator, farmer, student and every lover of the bush.
This short chronicle tells of the conservation and management of the Bushveld, its geology and soil, its veld and its plants, its timber and age-old trees, of survival and of usage of the veld in historical times, of modern-day tourism and how one goes about buying a farm here.

A special field guide to our beloved Bushveld – a must for every resident and visitor.

Practical Astronomer - DK

DK The Practical Astronomer

by DK, ISBN:9781405356206, R240.00

Order Now

This is a complete beginner's guide to observing the night sky. Understand and enjoy the solar system and beyond with this practical guide to astronomy. Pick up all the basics of sky-watching. Start off by taking a tour around the night sky in simple stages, discovering how it fits together and how it works. Then take a closer look at the objects you can see and learn to train your eye to recognize basic patterns of constellations and how to tell planets apart from other celestial bodies. Plus, there's advice on buying and using kit, from binoculars to telescopes. This title is packed with detailed maps of the night sky and star charts to help any budding astronomer in their quest to find out more about this fascinating subject.

South Africa by Road - A Regional Guide

South Africa by road - a regional guide

ISBN:9781770076990, R250.00

Order Now

South Africa by road: A regional guide is more than a mere travel guide; it is a handbook to the country, giving insight into the many national treasures that line our highways and byways – from vibrant cities to charming country towns and one-horse dorps steeped in history.

About the Author - Willie Olivier
Willie Olivier has travelled extensively throughout southern Africa, by road and on foot. He is the author of many books, including African Adventures Guide Namibia, Overland through Southern Africa, A Guide to Namibian Game Parks, Touring in South Africa and Hiking Trails of South Africa. He is a freelance lecturer in journalism and lives in Windhoek, Namibia. ...[more about Willie Olivier]

About the Author - Denise Slabbert
South African writer and television producer Denise Slabbert has been writing about fabulous and fascinating places for the past 15 years. She travelled the world as editor of Sawubona and then moved on to making documentaries for television. She continues to write about fascinating (and offbeat) places and is a regular contributor to Sawubona, the Mail & Guardian, Longevity, Business in Africa, F ...[more about Denise Slabbert]

About the Author - Pat Hopkins
Pat Hopkins is fascinated by eccentricity and is a major collector of Boerekitsch - South Africa's own form of kitsch that so indelibly scarred the national psyche for fifty years after the 1938 Eeufees Trek. His favourite pieces are an appalling rendition of 'Die Stem' in a painting and a monster copper-coloured plastic lampstand of the Voortrekker Monument growing out of the Drommedaris. He is a ...[more about Pat Hopkins]

About the Author - Jean du Plessis
Photographer Jean du Plessis worked for the Cape Town newspaper Die Burger for 30 years, covering all major South African news and political events, as well as rugby and cricket matches and fashion shoots (some in the Namib Desert). His fascination with Namibia dates back to 1986, since when he has been to Namibia about 50 times, covering well over 200 000 kilometres. He published Desertscapes of ...[more about Jean du Plessis]

Rocks and Minerals of Southern Africa

Rocks and Minerals of Southern Africa

by Bruce Cairncross, ISBN:9781770074439, R100.00

Order Now

This handy pocket guide presents a selection of the most fascinating and important rock and mineral species found in southern Africa. Each entry includes photographs, a description, uses, and detailed occurrence information. Physical characteristics of each mineral are summarized in tinted panels, and handy icons show other important information. The rock section discusses how the three main rock types form. PG Rocks & Minerals of Southern Africa will be invaluable both to amateur geologists and budding collectors.

About the Author - Bruce Cairncross
Professor Bruce Cairncross is chairman of the geology department at the Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg. He has an inherent interest in Southern African mineralogy and geology, and his research efforts are aimed at documenting important geological sites and promoting the preservation of the region's mineralogical heritage. He is the author of four books, The Minerals of South Africa, The ...[more about Bruce Cairncross]

Beautiful Outdoors

Beautiful Outdoors

by Nicola Hadfield, ISBN:9781770077911, R320.00

Order Now

How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence. What wise comment from Benjamin Disraeli. Our deep African skies, abundant sunshine and balmy climate lure us outdoors for much longer than the time devoted to indoor pursuits. Spending time in our own gardens or outdoor areas should be a singularly pleasurable pastime. Nicola Hadfield realises that harmoniously designed spaces do not have ëto be defined by four solid walls, and transforming the nooks and corners of a garden into places of beauty has moved way beyond the practicalí. She has travelled the length and breadth of South Africa to showcase gardens of every description, from the grandest to the tiniest, from classical to contemporary, to inspire you to design your own outdoor space in which to create, to recreate, to rejuvenate, or simply to find peace. A follow-up to Nicola Hadfieldís Beautiful Homes, Nicola Hadfieldís Beautiful Outdoors is filled with gorgeous colour photographs, not just of the main gardens, verandahs and patios, but also the nuances and surprises, as well as some interiors because outside designs are often extensions of the interior, or vice versa!

Hope for Animals and their world

Hope for Animals and Their World

by Jane Goodall, ISBN:9781848311343

Order Now

Editorial Review - Publishers Weekly vol. 256 iss. 22 p. 39 (c) 06/01/2009

With the resurgence of red wolves and California condors, there is good news on the species front, as chronicled in this collection of success stories by renowned chimp researcher Goodall. Section one recounts the revival of six mammal and bird species, including Mongolian miniature horses and Australian wallabies, that became extinct in the wild but are being reintroduced to their natural habitat through captive breeding. Section two describes efforts to bring species back from near extinction, among them Brazil’s golden lion tamarin and the North American whooping crane. Section three details continuing efforts to preserve 11 species, including the giant pandas of China, whose bamboo diet is disappearing, and the Asian vultures of India, whose “disastrous population drop”—from a reported 87 million birds to 27 breeding pairs in 2006—has led to a dramatic rise in disease incubated by putrefying cattle carcasses once scavenged by the carrion-loving birds. Goodall is no Pollyanna about species reclamation—she acknowledges that there have been more losses than gains—but these accounts of conservation success are inspirational. (Sept. 2) 

Take a seat

Take a seat - One man, one tandem and twenty thousand miles of possibilities

by Dominic Gill, ISBN:9781845965853, R195.00

Order Now

When Dominic Gill set out from Alaska on his bicycle, it was to be no ordinary ride. His goal was to reach Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, and he was starting off far from confident and with barely enough food to last a week. But Dominic had a secret weapon: the spare seat. His bicycle was a tandem and he would invite strangers to join him on his long journey. Over 26 months, Dominic covered 18,449 miles down the west coast of the Americas, passed through 15 countries, was looked after by countless strangers, crashed into a banana truck and was attacked by a man with a rusty machete. But Dominic's journey wasn't just an endurance challenge full of derring-do. While sharing his bicycle with 270 strangers who wanted to help him on his way, Dominic discovered a world that differed dramatically from the scare stories and the sensationalist press reports that had shaped his preconceptions about life in the Americas. What started as a physically demanding road trip turned into the inspirational adventure of a lifetime.

Achieving the impossible

Achieving the impossible

by Lewis Gordon Pugh, ISBN:9781868423408, R195.00

Order Now

An inspiring and thrilling memoir of adventure and achievement from an internationally recognised endurance swimmer and ambassador for environmental awareness. In July 2007, Lewis Gordon Pugh became the first person to swim at the North Pole, in temperatures that would kill a normal person, primarily to raise awareness of climate change. Nicknamed 'the human polar bear' for his ability to raise his body's core temperature at will, he has pioneered swims in the world's most hostile waters, redefining what it is possible to achieve in terms of endurance. A maritime lawyer and former member of the SAS, Lewis tells his fantastic story here for the first time. Chapters cover his childhood, growing up with his 'hero' Surgeon Rear Admiral father, his early life in South Africa, his training in the army's elite corps, his inspiration and, of course, plenty of action/adventure stories, chronicling his many nail-biting endurance swims. He also shares his secrets on how to achieve the seemingly impossible. With practical lessons taken from his own life, Lewis explains how recognising one's passions and taking calculated risks is essential for anyone looking to fulfill their goals. The book will also cover his next and most dangerous expedition yet in May 2010. His story is inspiring, entertaining and thrilling in equal measure, and its 38-year-old author is a much needed role model for our times.

Pooley's trees of Eastern South Africa

Pooley's trees of Eastern South Africa

by Richard Boon, ISBN:9780620460194, R310.00

Order Now

This is a fully revised edition of the best selling Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei (1993, 4th Edition). It is a compact guide describing all the larger woody plants of the Eastern Region of South Africa, home to over 63% of all the tree species south of the Limpopo river. The full range covered will extend through KwaZulu-Natal; Eastern Cape, north of the Buffalo River; Lesotho; Eastern Free State; Swaziland and southern Mozambique. Due to its unique and comprehensive nature, the book may also be used as far north as Zambia.
With the invaluable assistance of Elsa Pooley, Richard Boon has been responsible for all improvements, (research, photography, mapping) and updating of this new revised edition which will contain:

1100 species described, and 74 invasive alien species

Family and genus descriptions

Informative text facing the colour plates

Line drawings of the leaves;

Colour distribution maps

A new key and highlighting diagnostic features to aid identification

Ecological and gardening notes

Medicinal and other uses

Scientific, English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa and Thonga names