This vast and unique region, at once awe-inspiring and secretive, will draw you close into its protective mantle; too close for casual inspection by the hurried traveller. The Karoo will share its secrets with you only if you’re prepared to sit quietly to learn its mysteries over a plate of bobotie, a glass of witblits, and a copy of Timeless Karoo. This beautifully illustrated and well-written book encompasses a vast area: the geographical expanse from Niewoudtville in the northwest, eastwards to Hopetown, south to Steytlerville and west to Montagu. Within this region you will encounter six Karoos: the Central, Hantam, Great, Klein, Tankwa and Northern & Upper Karoo, each with its own stockpile of natural and human history, its own complex tapestry and prehistoric rhythms. Each journey into the Karoo yields a fresh view, a different angle and an urge to cut loose, swing off the tar, and pursue an uncharted dirt road into an unknown horizon.

To many people, especially those driving along the N1 national road at high speeds, the Karoo represents nothing more than a monotonous, hot and arid landscape to be passed through as quickly as possible. But in this vast, open region, history is everywhere, if visitors would only look for it. And that is exactly the purpose of this book: to point out all the many places, buildings, objects and associated personalities of historical interest in the Karoo. The Karoo has been the world of travellers, writers, statesmen and scientists, figures as diverse as Olive Schreiner, Rudyard Kipling, Winston Churchill and Dr Chris Barnard. It has also been the scene of serious conflict, of which the many old British blockhouses, forts, grave sites and memorials dating from the Anglo-Boer War are vivid reminders; and it still boasts old examples of vernacular and industrial architecture, and engineering, in the form of corbelled houses, water mills and bridges. The Historical Karoo is ordered according to three main routes that people drive through the area. It provides short histories of the towns along the way, and points out the sites, buildings and other aspects of interest that can be found there. Enlivened by historical and current photographs and informative side panels, this book is a collector’s item.

Microadventures are for everyone – young and old, tall or small, fit or funky. Pull up your socks and get out of your comfort zone. Discover gorgeous views and endless vistas; feel the silence, listen to the wind and greet the sun. Meet the tortoise and the kudu. Connect with nature and your inner adventurer; open your eyes & meet the people – have loads of fun! Prince Albert has a lot to give: Swartberg Mountains, Karoo Space and lots of blue sky; gentle walks and exhilarating descents; dry waterfalls, trails of wonder and a colourful cast of local characters. Heaps of cultural history and a thriving, caring community.

The story of modern cosmology told through a tour of the most extraordinary detectors and telescopes in the world.

The third edition of John Hannigan’s classic undergraduate text has been fully updated and revised to highlight contemporary trends and controversies within global environmental sociology. Environmental Sociology offers a distinctive, balanced treatment of environmental issues, reconciling Hannigan’s much-cited model of the social construction of environmental problems and controversies with an environmental justice perspective that stresses inequality and toxic threats to local communities.

Cecil John Rhodes once said he had only met two creators in South Africa: himself and James Douglas Logan, the Scottish-born founder of Matjiesfontein. Logan immigrated to South Africa in 1877 at the age of nineteen and almost immediately began amassing a fortune through business, politics and his high-profile association with that most favoured of imperial pastimes – cricket. Empire, War & Cricket in South Africa explores in detail how Matjiesfontein was created and how Logan developed this little Karoo town into a renowned health resort, attracting the rich and famous – including South African novelist Olive Schreiner and England cricketer George Lohmann. But, above all, this is the untold story of how James Logan was instrumental in developing the game of cricket in South Africa at a time when the country was heading towards war with the British Empire. In Empire, War & Cricket in South Africa, readers will learn how one of the first international cricket matches between South Africa and England took place at Matjiesfontein; explore the controversial 1901 South African cricket tour to England in the midst of the Anglo-Boer War; read the amazing story of how Logan once had the captain and manager of England’s cricket team arrested as they boarded their ship home; and discover Logan’s close relationship with Rhodes and how their ‘shady dealings’ brought down the premier’s first government. Illustrated throughout with rare photographs and documents, Empire, War & Cricket in South Africa is a unique social and political history of the workings of the British Empire in South Africa during the late nineteenth century; a well-researched and fascinating biography of the man who gave us Matjiesfontein; and an entertaining and at times unbelievable story of cricket’s origins in South Africa.

Lissa awakens in the afterlife and asks How did I get here? The answer is revealed in a tale of trauma, sisterhood, and a struggle for justice . . . Even after her death, Lissa must continue to untangle the mysteries of her life: the traumatic loss of her father, her descent into alcoholism, and her damaging relationships with men. As she recalls the rehab facility where she spent some of her final days, and the assortment of people she met there, Lissa confronts the most urgent question of all: How can she protect her surviving sisters from the things that threaten them now while helplessly watching from another realm? Hear Me is a powerful novel about life and death, addiction and sobriety, racism and the fight for justice—but above all, it is a story of love.