South Africa, 8th (Footprint - Travel Guides) (ISBN 1904777678)

Makes you want to visit South Africa!:
I have to say that I had no real desire to visit South Africa until I got this book and now it's on my travel list of possible destinations along with Hawaii, Antarctic, Canada, Alaska, Italy, Spain, France, etc. The book is beautifully written, researched, and explained well by the co-authors Francisca Kellett and Lizzie Williams. On the cover, Michael Palin CBE said "Great traveling companions, constantly entertaining and they know what they're talking about." Anyway, the colored photos of nature and culture in this book are first rate. I used the pages about apartheid to teach my students about it in literature class. South African writers like Doris Lessing CH, Nadine Gordimer (Nobel prizewinner 1991) and J.M Coetzee (Nobel Prizewinner) are all wonderful to read but Lessing wasn't mentioned. I wished they had mentioned Rhodesia but this book is tour guide and not a history book but it does delve in the dark history of apartheid. It does give you warnings about how to be careful when you are visiting South Africa. I still would love to visit South Africa and desire one day to go and see not only the natural beauty, enjoy the beaches that look incredible, and see wildlife in it's natural environment.