Reviews (5)

South Africa (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Excellent travel guide!
Great Guide
I first discovered these books (a series Eyewitness Travel) by accident in a Stockholm bookstore. I had just come from Gothenborg by train and was a bit dazed. The book I bought by accident was in swedish but it still useful because of all the photos, cut away views, museum pictures, and maps and historical details. When I got home I bought a pile on Amazon.com of different places that I was going or had visited - but in english.
Very disapointing
I got this book as a present before i went to south africa. I was excited because I have heard that these books are really good. But after reading through the book, I quickly realizied that it did not give me enough information. I am in South Africa, I see how beautiful it is. I don't need to see pictures, I need maps, (there were only maps for Capetown)information about what i am seeing, costs of addmission, times, ect. There were none, and it became really annoying and unpleasant at many times. These books are good for people who just want to see how other countries/cities look like, but not travel to them. If you want a good travel book, look for the Lonely planet series. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Guidebooks    3. South Africa    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (5)

Find another guide
I used this book before my trip to learn about the history, but I never used it once in South Africa.I found everyone else's Lonely Planet Guide much more helpful.

Easy to read, balanced, and informative
I recently purchased this book for my mother who is going to South Africa for a vacation. The book was so helpful for me two years ago, that I wanted to make sure she had it. (My copy is marked up and the seams are a bit worn!) I like the books's balanced report on the history of South Africa, and the fact that it is neither for rich travelers with no budget, nor is it for poor students.The sections on things to buy and places to go are great, with enough examples to give you choices, but not simply a laundry list of restaurants and stores. It also has good information on things like local languages and cultures. A Beautiful Book about a Beautiful Country
I had the opportunity to visit SA for a month in 1999. I knew going that Iwould have an informed friend to host and guide me, so I did not bring anyguide books with me. However, when I returned home and had 34 rolls of filmto show, I wanted a book to accompany the photos and act like its ownsouvenier. After looking at many titles, I settled on the Insight Guidebecause of its excellent balance of basic information (incl. a well-writtenchapter on the history), color photos (on the order of NationalGeographic), maps, tourist information (what to do; where to go; how toprepare; etc.), and candor about apartheid. I never regretted paying a fewextra dollars more for the book because it stood head and shoulder abovethe competition. It's the book I would have made had I the opportunity.The mulitple authors are well-informed, and though some info might beoutdated, one has to remember-- this is AFRICA! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Republic of South Africa    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

Lonely Planet scores again!
Just like the rest of the Lonely Planet tour guide books - it's awesome!Everything is the same in this book as the others, except it's about South Africa.So, if you liked their other tour guide books, as I do very much, you'll like this one too.Check it out! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Lesotho    5. Republic of South Africa    6. Swaziland    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (5)

A disappointing entry in the Frommer series
I travel extensively and am a fan of Frommer's guides which I generally find to have a nice assortment of options in varying price ranges.The volume on South Africa however, was a great disappointment.If Frommer's were to be believed, you had to pay $200 and up for a decent hotel room.Fortunately I have often traveled in South Africa, enjoyed its reasonably priced accomodations, and knew such prices were nonsense.I stayed in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and other top destinations in season for less than half that much.The guide also overlookeddestinations a bit off the beaten path and proved of so little use to me that I didn't bother to pack it home with me. I strongly suggest the Eyewitness guide instead or just surf the web for tons of great information from the South African Tourism Board.

South Africa Trip
An excellent reference book for anyone visiting Southern Africa. We only found a few minor errors but the recommendations on where to go and what to see were very useful. Don't Leave Home Without It!
We visited South Africa for 20 days in July 2000, driving from Cape Townto Kruger.Before we left we sat down at a large book store and reviewedall their South African travel books.This one looked the best and provedto be very useful, particularly for accomodations.Some of the prices hadchanged but the standards and services were exactly as described.This isa great book for travellers who are above the backpacker/budget level butnot up to "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Reference - Guides (General)    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Republic of South Africa    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (2)

Robert Young Pelton
I've read everything he has out.Loved it!It's current (as books go), funny, serious and a great read!

A must of the armchair traveller....
Not exactly LP, but it tells stories of two places that beenRead more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. People of Color    3. Special Interest - Adventure    4. Travel    5. Travelers    6. Australasia, Oceania & Other Land Areas    7. Chechnya    8. Papua New Guinea    9. Russia    10. Sierra Leone    11. Travel / Adventure    12. Travel writing    13. Warfare & Defence   

Editorial Review

In this 1993 Disney adventure, Reese Witherspoon and Ethan Embry are two young survivors of an African massacre. She is the daughter of a game warden; he is a sulky teen visiting his dad. When poachers do in the adults, the kids hotfoot it across the Kalahari Desert, aided by Witherspoon's young bushman pal (Sarel Bok). They have to cross about 1,000 miles of forbidding territory, all the while chased by nogoodnik Jack Thompson. The kids face down danger, have a few excessively cute escapades, and learn about their capacity for survival--and goodness. The highlights of the film are the lush cinematography and exotic locales of Zimbabwe and Namibia. Though this is a Disney production, it is too violent and intense for young children. It is based on the books Read more

Reviews (52)

A beautiful book
This sequel to A Story Like the Wind returns to the same romanticized Africa, but with less grace than the first.The closer that Van der Post's characters come to the outside world, the more difficulties he has reconciling his artistic goals with his political message.The constantly tense circumstances surrounding the characters as they attempt to escape death on a daily basis means that readers will miss the lighter moments that made the first book work so well.

Not For Pre-Teens

Postmodern American Teenyboppers meet Shaka Zulu
Well, this was about as formulaically politically correct as a movie can get, unfortunately: the female teenage protagonist (played by Witherspoon, whose acting powers have increased dramatically since her stilted acting here) acts masculine and heroic, the male teenage protagonist acts craven and flippant. At one ridiculous point, the girl runs around acting like a commando, a veritable one-gal army, blowing up the bad guys, while the boy hides in a cave sniveling. Later, when the boy tries to assert himself by offering to carry the gal's backpack as they cross a desert, the gal snaps at him, Bella Abzug-style, and walks quickly ahead, leaving him in the dust. Clearly a modern radical feminist thing going on here, and what is most unfortunate is that this movie was made for a young audience and therefore is in keeping with the modern radical feminist propaganda which is brainwashing young women into unnaturally behaving like men. Of course, in the real world, the result for such manly girls, once they become women, is that men do not choose them and they remain alone, and therefore become bitter--ironically and inevitably blaming men, of course. In this movie, the wimpy teenage guy falls for the brassy, masculine gal--but that's why they call them movies. When are these post-modern writers, artists, and other culture-shapers with an agenda going to realize that when they tout modern radical feminism, they are touting something unnatural--men simply do not prefer masculine females. Men want someone to COMPLEMENT them, not COMPETE with them. Men crave FEMININITY in females, not FEMINISM. Wow, is there ever a difference in those two forms of comportment! This poor teenage guy depicted in this movie, at least his character does progress a little bit: by the end of the movie, instead of craven and flippant, he graduates to something akin to a metrosexual-type with a wild-boy haircut, if that is even a step upward. But the plucky gal--she's still the one in charge in this fictitious world of upside-down gender relations.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. General    5. South Africa    6. Travel    7. Fiction / General    8. Modern fiction   

Reviews (4)

Wonderful account of an African Safari
This is an excellent example of what it is like at the game reserve.My wife and I spent 10 days at Malamala, and this book brought back all of the memorable experiences we had in the bush.We spent some time with Jamiewhile we were there and he is a true artist with a camera, as well as anenjoyable dinner companion.

The photos are wonderful and the discriptions are endearing.
My family and I just returned from a photographic safari on the MalaMala game reserve.We purchased the book from the onsite gift store as it represented so many wonderful memories of our adventure in South Africa.Jamie Thom is a wonderful guide and truely has a wonderful gift forphotographing these many amazing animals.We highly recommend thisphotographic work of art to all who love nature.

Almost Like Being There!
This is a breathtakingly beautiful view of the animals of the South African Lowveld. Ms. Lumry and Mr. Thom have captured the unique experience of an African Safari with a stunning collection of photos that make you feel like you could reach out and touch the animals. If you're thinkingabout an African Safari or want to relive the thrill of one you've taken,this is a "must have" book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Photography / Photo Essays    3. Reference - General    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Travel / Africa    7. MalaMala Game Reserve (South Africa)    8. Photography / General    9. Pictorial works    10. South Africa    11. Travel - Foreign    12. Zoology   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Republic of South Africa    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Africa   

Subjects:  1. Apartheid    2. Blacks    3. Documentary photography    4. Exhibitions    5. Goldblatt, David    6. Individual Photographer    7. Photo Essays    8. Photo Techniques    9. Photoessays & Documentaries    10. Photography    11. Race relations    12. Social conditions    13. South Africa    14. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Africa    15. Individual photographers    16. Photographs: collections    17. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    18. Republic of South Africa   

Reviews (5)

Great guide, esp. in comparison to the LP
I lived in SA for about 5 months. We had both the LP and the Rough Guide and although it was nice to have both, I would recommend the Rough Guide if you were just going to choose one book. I found the Rough Guide to be a little more accurate in the prices listed and the organization to be far superior to the LP. The LP was helpful with more general information, but the Rough Guide provided more information on the little, out of the way places. If you plan on using hostels, it is imperative to pick up a Coast to Coast after arriving. It is a compelation of hostels, organized by area, that is put out by the hostels of SA. It also includes hostels in Swaziland, Lesotho, and Mozambique. Most hostels involved with the book have free copies that you can take.

Tells you all you need to know
A well researched book giving all the tips and hints that one needs to know about South Africa. The book doesn't waste your time by making recommendations and then slating them (as other guide books tend to do).

Excellent companion
Accurate and well-researched book. The recommendationsare generally spot on. Nicely written, it's like travelling aroundwith a friend who really knows the place. As someone who lives in South Africa, it's reassuring to know that there are books that are able to talk frankly about the crime situation without getting into a froth of paranoia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Reference - Guides (General)    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Lesotho    7. Republic of South Africa    8. Swaziland    9. Travel & holiday guides    10. Travel / Africa   

Subjects:  1. Republic of South Africa    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Editorial Review

This thick book is worth its weight in water if you're planning to venture to Africa's southern region ... as 30 percent of all visitors to Africa do.Whether you want to hike through South Africa's stunning Drakensberg Mountains or the rolling hills of Malawi, admire Namibia's vast red sand dunes, dive on Mozambique's pristine tropical reefs, experience the majesty of Victoria Falls, or just wander the streets of Cape Town, Read more

Reviews (1)

Lonely Planet Africa: The South: Travel Survival Kit
A must-have if traveling through one of the most exotic parts of the world.Our family's journey took up the Matubu River in Bostwana and back across the wild plains of the Jelowi Game reserve in South Africa.There wasn't a day which went by, where my dear daughters did not consult theguide for local cultural tidbits and useful, if not a bit tiny,georgraphical maps.Other than a few dated portions, namely the prices andhostel locations, we highly recommend this book to first time travellersand returnees.Wonderful pictures, if not small again, and consicedescriptions of the natural history.Once again, well done Lonely Planet! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Africa, Southern    3. Guidebooks    4. Southern Africa    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Lesotho    5. Republic of South Africa    6. Swaziland    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

Uselss for planning a trip
I would give this zero stars if I could.It has no hotel recommendations, is badly organized, no decent map, its hard to find things in it, no distance charts.I am an experienced traveler and accustomed to using guidebooks.I bought this one sight unseen based primarily on its low price and the Fodor's name, but will be returning it and purchasing a guidebook that has useful information and is easy to use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Travel / Africa   

Reviews (2)

Incredible Man
David Livingston was an incredible man. He explored areas of Africa that had been previoulsy ignored by most of Europe. His notes on the regions he explored and the people he encountered are meticulous and fascinating. Prior to his visit to the region of Nyasaland, every year between 5,000-20,000 slaves were being sold to slave traders in the region. Livingston attacked the slave trade head on and was largely responsible for its downfall in that area. While some of his personal notes would be considered ignorant or offensive by modern standards, he was progressive and open minded for his time. He is a great historical figure who is too often ignored.

Bright Light in the Dark Continent
In his book on Nile exploration, Moorehead speaks of Livingstone as possessing "baraka"--the quality of making everything seem better just by his presence.Livingstone's humanity and generosity of spirit illuminate this book.The details of his journey through Southern Africa are interesting and vivid, though not crammed with incident.Modern readers will be interested in Livingstone's observations on race relations in the different colonial settlements of the region.But the highlight of the book for me was the personality of Livingstone himself, his sympathy and insight, his matter-of-fact documentation of danger and hardship, his global perspective.A particularly rewarding read if Speke and Burton have left you with a bad taste in your mouth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Christian mission & evangelism    5. Novels, other prose & writers: 19th century    6. Southern Africa    7. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Southern Africa    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Africa   

Features

• Folded Map

Subjects:  1. General    2. Maps    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Republic of South Africa    7. Travel / General    8. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (3)

Leopards of Londolozi
We were very fortunate to visit Londolozi on several occassions whilst living in South Africa. Lex Hes was a ranger there in the 80's and we had some fantastic game spotting. Lex is extremley professional and very passionate about his work. He is one of the Worlds best wild lifephotographers.I bought my Father Leopards of Londolozi as he also visited on several occassions from the UK. I will have to hope my Father leaves me this book in his Will now that it is out of publication. Lex's passion rubbed off on us and we have spent many many hours watching game and have the most fantastic memories.You can smell the bush when you look at this book it gives me the goose bumps.
Collector's item
We visited Londolozi a number of times in the early 1980-1985 era.Lex Hes was then a ranger at Londolozi. He and his wife were wonderful friends to nature and to Londolozi guests.Lex now has a ranger training school/business in South Africa. I bought the book a while back because we know Lex. Now I'll keep it under wraps knowing it's a collector's item.
The Londolozi Experience-Supurb
I visited Londolozi in May 2001 for 4 days.Incredible experience.I saw this book there. Someone had brought it with him to Londolozi, but was unable to purchase a copy in South Africa.I want this book very much and have Amazon.com looking for one for me.It is a wonderful book.Would it benefit someone who had not been to Londolozi?Yes, very much! Read more

Subjects:  1. Mammals    2. Nature    3. Nature/Ecology    4. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    5. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Africa    6. Republic of South Africa    7. Wild animals    8. South Africa   

Subjects:  1. 1961-    2. Buildings, structures, etc    3. Buildings, structures, etc.    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    5. Documentary Photo Collections    6. Individual Photographer    7. Photo Essays    8. Photography    9. Photojournalism    10. Pictorial works    11. Social conditions    12. South Africa    13. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Africa    14. Architecture    15. Individual photographers    16. Photographic reportage    17. Photography / Photo Essays    18. Republic of South Africa   

Subjects:  1. Photoessays & Documentaries    2. Photography    3. Special Interest - Adventure    4. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    5. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Africa    6. Travel    7. United States - West - General    8. Photographs: collections    9. Republic of South Africa    10. Travel & holiday guides