Β

13 Inspiring books to read while visiting South Africa
Are you planning to visiting South Africa and wondering which South African books to read for preparing your trip to the country? Or would you love to take some inspiring books about South Africa to read during your trip to learn more about South Africa? Then this post is for you.
Most people will want to prepare properly for an upcoming visit to any foreign country. Reading travel guides is an excellent resource for preparing the practical side of your journey. Over the years, I’ve read heaps of travel guides for all sorts of trips. A great addition to these travel guides is reading novels to learn more about the country itself and there are some very inspiring books to read while travelling. Some of these books listed below are novels set in South Africa and others are books that provide some history about South Africa.
Best books about South Africa
South Africa is also known as ‘The Rainbow Nation‘, for its multicultural diversity. So what is better than getting to know this Rainbow Nation in all its colour than reading South African stories. These stories will give great insight into South African historyΒ over the years, as well as modern day life.
I like to read these kind of inspiring and best novels about South Africa while travelling in the country, and even moreΒ books that are easy to read. Fast paced page turners with a great story line, nice descriptions of the country and some historical insight, both fiction and non fiction.
I’ve compiled a list of South African books to read thatΒ meet those requirements, books that I’ve read during the times that I’ve travelled through South Africa, books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. I’d love to share these with you and hope you will like reading them as well. Most of these books are available for purchase in book stores in South Africa. Furthermore all of these recommended books about South Africa are available online in most countries.
Inspiring books to read before or while travelling through South Africa
Swahili For The Broken-Hearted – Peter Moore
This is a fun and at times hilarious book to read. After the author gets dumped by his girlfriend he decides to go on a crazy adventure without much preparation from Cape Town to Cairo. It’s a great read to join Peter Moore on his crazy adventure and especially the beginning of the book, when he is still travelling through South Africa.
Click here for the latest price!
Whatever You Do, Don’t Run – Peter Allison
In ‘Whatever You Do, Don’t Run’, Peter Allison tells about his time in Africa when he wasΒ working as a safari guide. It is a compilation of short stories about his life in the African bush, about all the things that can happen, in nature, while on safari, with complaining guests,…He tells it in such a funny and hilarious way you often start laughing out loud. This is a great read for anyone going on a safari. It shows how hard but funny the life of a safari guide in the African bush can be. It’s very easy reading, with lots of interesting facts, and somewhat educational. It’s a great book on South Africa and some other African countries he has worked in, like Botswana.
Click here for the latest price!
When the lion feeds – Wilbur Smith
Wilbur Smith is probably one of the most well known South African novelists writing mainly about historical fiction. He has written about 35 novels and sold 120 million copies worldwide. He is one of those authors that cannot be left off a list of must read South African books. His books are real page turners, with all the necessary ingredients of romance, history, betrayal, murder, adventure and intrigue. Sean has read most of his books, I still have some catching up to do.
‘When The Lion Feeds’ was Smith’s first novel and this story is the beginning of many subsequentΒ books. It describes the lives of twin brothers Sean and Garrick Courtney and their adventures. Interesting fact: Sean is even named after Sean Courtney. When you are interested in the whole series, click on the image below to get all 4 books.
Click here for the latest price!
Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood – Trevor Noah
It is hard to deny thatΒ Trevor Noah is currently one of the most popular South African comedians. He also recently took over from John Stewart the hosting of The Daily Show. In his book he narrates via a collection of stories of growing up as a child of mixed race parents (Swiss dad and Xhosa mother) in South Africa during Apartheid, and he does that in his own unique Trevor Noah style.
Click here for the latest price!
Blood Safari – Deon Meyer
For the lovers of mystery / thriller / detective books, I highly recommend the books of Deon Meyer. He is a South African novelist whose books have been translated in to over 20 languages. His South African novels areΒ highly paced page turners, which grab you until the end, and they are all set in South Africa. The stories give the reader a great insight into modern everyday South African life, interspersed with great descriptions of places and landscapes in South Africa. He writes some of the best books on South Africa, in my humble opinion.
Click here for the latest price!‘Blood Safari’ is great to read when going on a safari in The Kruger National Park. I also added one of his other books, ‘Devil’s Peak’, which is set in Cape Town and starts with the main character of Bennie Griesel.
Both books are set in different locations and start with different protagonists, which appear again later in his sequels.
Devil’s Peak – Deon Meyer
Click here for the latest price!
All of Deon Meyer’s books are good. Check out a list of all his books .
A Beautiful Place To Die – Malla Nunn
I discovered the books of Malla Nunn in a library in Belgium. ‘A Beautiful Place To Die’ was her first published novel and tells the story of detective Emmanuel Cooper. The story is set in 1950’s Apartheid South Africa when new Apartheid rules were being introduced. This book is the first of a series about the detective. TheΒ novel has a fast pace, the landscapes are beautifully written, and the characters complex. I enjoyed reading this book and also read the 2nd, ‘Let The Dead Lie’.
Click here for the latest price!
Silent Predator – Tony Park
Tony Park is an Australian writer who got completely addicted to the African continent after visiting it multiple times. He now resides in Africa six months a year to get the inspiration for his books through the African wildlife, landscapes, countryside and people. I first discovered his books while travelling in South Africa and got completely hooked on his novels. Through his stories, Tony Park takes you on a trip through various countries, while beautifully and very accurately describing the places you will visit and hopefully recognize. I can recommend all his books, but if you want to focus on South Africa, read ‘Silent Predator’. The story is mainly set in South Africa, in a lodge in The Kruger National Park.
Click here for the latest price!If you are interested in his stories of other African countries like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya and Botswana, I highly recommend to check out his other books as well.
Long Walk To Freedom – Nelson Mandela
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” ~ Nelson Mandela
Another very inspiring book to read while travelling South Africa is ‘Long walk to freedom’. No trip to South Africa is complete without having read the autobiography of one of the countries greatest political leaders, Nelson Mandela. The Nobel peace prize winner and ex-president of South Africa describes his early life, his fight against racial oppression and his 27 years of imprisonment. It’s definitely a must read for everyone that’s interested in the history of South Africa, the fall of Apartheid and the vision and life of one of the world’s greatest leaders. I really enjoyed reading this book. And it is one of the better books to read before going to South Africa, since it gives a great insight about the country’s history.
Click here for the latest price!
Zulu – Caryl Ferey
Zulu is a dark thriller set in the aftermath of South Africa’s Apartheid in the Cape Town area. Reading this book gave me goosebumps as it’s a violent story, but it is narrated in an honest, emotional and intelligentΒ way. If you read this book, don’t let it put you off visiting this beautiful country. It’s a story told about something a tourist will never come across but will nevertheless happen in many other countries.
The book has also been turned into a movie by the same name starring Forest Whitaker and Orlando Bloom. Check out more movies about South Africa.
Click here for the latest price!
The Long Way Down – Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman
In ‘The Long Way Down’, actor Ewan McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman take up the challenge to ride from the the top of Scotland all the way to Cape Town on motorbikes. It is an interesting story to follow their adventures through the African continent and their successful arrival in South Africa after a few months navigating some of the most difficult ‘roads’. It was a great opportunity for them to be able to take on this great road trip and to allow readers to enjoy their adventure as much as possible through the book. And on top of that, it will give you some great inspiration while travelling through South Africa.
Click here for the latest price!
Spud – John van de Ruit
‘Spud’ is again one of those funny and hilarious books I highly recommend. This South African novel, which is written in the form of a diary, takes us through the first year adventures of John ‘Spud’ Milton, a 14 year old boy in a South African boarding school. The story is set in the year 1990, the year that Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Β It’s a very amusing, entertaining and enjoyable book to read which should get you laughing out loud at times. The next ‘Spud’ books take you through the rest of the years of his boarding school adventure. Check them out as well.
Click here for the latest price!
1000 Places To See Before You Die –Β Patricia Schultz
And last but not least, a must have for every avid traveller out there, ‘1000 Places To See Before You Die”. I added this book because it can really give you some serious wanderlust. Not only for Africa, but also for the rest of the world, which will then allow you to continue ticking those things off that bucket list.Β This book has been (and still is) one of the worlds best selling travel books.
The above list of books are ones I really enjoyed and would highly recommend reading before or during a trip through South Africa. Most of them are pretty easy reading and will be good for long bus trips, flights and transfers (South Africa is big) or just to wind down the day before going to bed.
Click here for the latest price!
South African travel books
Not only South African novels are interesting to get some background about the country. South African travel books also give cultural understanding in the country or describe a brief history of South Africa. Here are some guides that can be used for the preparation of your trip or to take with you to guide you through South Africa. Click on the book image to get more information about prices and availability or on the link below.
The Rough Guide to South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland: The Rough Guide is great with information about sightseeings, history and cultural facts. As a bonus, they include Lesotho and Swaziland since most travellers tend to briefly pass through one or both countries while visiting South Africa.
The Rough Guide to Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route: A more detailed focus on Cape Town and the surrounding attractions including the Garden Route. Since there is so much to see and do in the Cape area, this guidebook will have all info available.
Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland: For many people still the bible for travel planning. Also the Lonely Planet includes Lesotho and Swaziland.
DK Eyewitness South Africa: A more visual guide with beautiful photos to guide you through South Africa
Which book about South Africa did you really enjoy reading and should be added to our next list of South African must-reads?
Inspired? Pin these to your Pinterest boards:
Love this list; I’ve already read a few of these but I’m going to add some of the others to my list. No trips on the radar yet for South Africa (one day!)
Maybe reading these books will inspire you wanderlust to South Africa one day π
I love reading – would you say I could read them if i’m NOT in South Africa? I kinda wanna add them all to my reading list!
You can definitely read them all even if you are not in South Africa. They are all interesting reads and it will inspire your wanderlust to South Africa π
i love Trevor Noah and I also think this method is a good way of informing yourself before you travel. Most people don’t know much about the place or it’s darker history before getting there and doing for instance an intro or walking tour. I especially think people are lacking in INFORMATION about AFRICA the continent as a whole, and it’s history of violence and colonialism. Thanks for sharing. Noted some!!!
Some fab suggestions here! & yet more to add to my reading pile. Have already heard Trevor Noah’s is fab xx
I went to South Africa last year and loved it. All these books look great, especially ‘Whatever you do, don’t run!’ I hope to read that soon!
Did you take a tour through South Africa? I’d love to hear about your experiences π
‘Whatever You Do, Don’t Run’ is hysterical, especially if you’ve been on safari. As you’re reading, your mind starts envisioning his storytelling with your own personal experiences. I couldn’t stop laughing. Great read!
Another book to add to the list: THIS Is Africa by Mat Dry. Again I couldn’t stop laughing.
i love your list! i haven’t read them, but will surely look for them now at bookstores π indeed, reading about the place where you’re traveling to can be fun and it is extra intriguing if you read them from novels such as this. π
I love these suggestions and just ordered whatever you do, don’t run. Not [planning an Africa trip soon, bvut reading these books will probably change that :).
Thanks π You’ll love this book. I’ve worked as a safari guide and could relate to what he was writing about. I should also read his 2nd book, it’s on my to read list. Let me know if you like it!
This looks like an amazing list of books! I’ve been trying to read more and definitely can use some inspiration. I’ll let you know what I think of these suggestions!
Wow! Thank you for these recommendations. I don’t read as much as i wish to!! But this will be an inspiration to read on my travels. Thanks.
It’s good to hear that I could inspire you to read more during your travels and maybe it will inspire you to visit South Africa one day π
This is such a useful list! I just ordered a copy of ‘Swahili For The Broken-Hearted’. Hope your recommendation turns out useful! Thanks a ton for sharing.
I really enjoyed the book and started reading his other books too. Great read and great humour. Let me know what you think π
I really enjoyed the book and started reading his other books too. Great read and great humour. Let me know what you think π
I started “Cry, the Beloved Country” before my trip and finished it while I was in South Africa. It was 14 years ago, and I still remember reading the last page on the tour bus and just sitting and staring out the window for half an hour collecting my thoughts.
That book is still on my to read list. Now I really need to get it and read it. Thanks for the tip π
I’ve only read three of those…. I am looking forward to reading the others ????
Great list Sabine which I’ve only just now stumbled upon. I’ve managed to read four on the list, even if one of them (Wilbur Smith’s When the Lion Feeds) was more than 30 years ago! Loved both of the books from Moore and Allison, which are great, fun reads. I currently have McGregor & Boorman’s book on the shelves, so that will probably be my next Africa-based read, but the one that interests me the most is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Sounds like exactly the sort of book that I’d like, so thanks for the tip!
I must confess when I looked at the list I thought, you’d have The Power of One on there, which also is a good book (although maybe, quite obvious?). For a trans-Africa story (in same fashion as Swahili for the Broken-Hearted and The Long Way Down), you might also be interested in Paul Theroux’s Dark Star Safari. A very good read.
Thank you so much! Having read four of the list is already a great start with South African literature. Thanks as well for the recommendations. I’ll have a look at The Power of One and Dark Star Safari. The idea was to create a list with books about South Africa that I have read myself, so I could recommend the ones I liked. So in the future I can add additional books to this list.
No, not a great list. As a South African, well, a fair bit of pulp fiction, but there is far better.
This list is based on the books I have read and that I think are inspiring to read while visiting South Africa. There are indeed a lot of other very interesting books about South Africa and they are on my to read list. Which books would you recommend to a visitor, based on what you have read?
I am leaving for South Africa for a month in late Feb, and early March. Some of that time will be as a volunteer at a elephant and rhino sanctuary. How fortuitous that I came across this list. Canβt wait to start enjoying my visit even before I leave home. This is my 78th birthday gift to myself. Sn