The 18 Best Books About South Africa

South Africa is one of the world’s most diverse countries. The country is full of unique biomes and plenty of animal and plant life that makes the nation totally worth visiting.

The 18 Best Books About South Africa

And this is to say nothing of the nation’s unique culture that makes it an incredible country.

But what can you do if you can’t afford to pay a visit to South Africa yourself? Are there any other ways to experience what the nation has to offer, and some of its best culture? Luckily, there is!

You’re probably here because you are looking for the very best books about the nation of South Africa, and if so you have come to the perfect place because today we are going to take a look at 18 of the very best books about South Africa.

Soon, you will be able to explore this awesome and vibrant nation without needing to even set foot out of your home!

Read on down below now to get started!

Long Walk To Freedom: The Autobiography Of Nelson Mandela

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela is arguably one of the most important historical figures in contemporary history. The name alone is enough to conjure up images of strength and courage in the minds of those that hear it.

Nelson Mandela helped to fight against some of the worst oppression in South Africa and helped to win massive changes in the nation that helped to make it a far less racist and far more positive nation.

Even many years after his death, Mandela’s work still continues to massively impact the world around us and stands as a testament to justice and revolution.

As such, one of the very best books to come from South Africa is Nelson Mandela’s own autobiography where he tirelessly recounts his life story and his own personal life philosophy.

There is a lot to be gleaned from this book. Not only can it tell you of South Africa’s turbulent history, but also about Mandela’s personal code of ethics, which can in turn influence you to become a better person!

Pros

  • One of the best contemporary autobiographies.
  • Destined to go down as a classic.

Cons

  • An incredibly long book that may prove particularly daunting for some readers.

A Dry White Season

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This book was originally published in 1979, making it one of the older books on this list, but no less relevant today.

The book takes a look at systemic racism and the severe impact it has had and continues to have on the nation of South Africa.

The book follows Ben Du Toit a white school teacher in Johannesburg who finds his code of ethics challenged when he learns about a black man who has been arrested for a crime he never committed.

Unfortunately, when this same man, formerly a janitor at Ben Du Toit’s school, commits suicide, shockwaves are sent through the community and soon Du Toit sets upon investigating the truth of the case himself.

But what will he find? You’ll have to check it out to find out!

Pros

  • Really digs into issues of systemic racism.
  • An established classic.

Cons

  • On the shorter end of the spectrum.

Killing For Profit: Exposing The Illegal Rhino Horn Trade

Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade

Rhinos are one of the most recognizable native species of South Africa, but unless quick and drastic changes are made, then the species will very soon face extinction!

Rhinos are unfortunately hunted by poachers in countless numbers every year because of the believed benefits that rhino horns can offer.

Many believe that rhino horns can be used as an aphrodisiac, and even the material of the rhino horn is sought after as a decorative material, but in order to acquire these horns, it is required to cause the unnecessary slaughter of countless rhinos.

This book explores the existing impact of the continued hunting of rhinos, and what could happen in the future if the sport continues unchecked.

Pros

  • Incredibly affecting.
  • Teaches you a lot about contemporary South Africa.

Cons

  • The content of this book may prove a little too dark for some.

Disgrace: A Novel

Disgrace: A Novel

If you want to learn a little more about the racial complexities of South Africa and the diversity of the nation, then you will need to check out this important book.

Disgrace is a novel about relationships, against the backdrop of South Africa’s complex racial makeup. The book follows David Lurie, a Professor that finds himself drawn into a relationship with a student.

When this draws ire towards him, David heads to rekindle his relationship with his estranged daughter, the last person he has a relationship with.

However, his time with his daughter soon drags him into trouble as violence soon descends around them!

Pros

  • Not only insightful but also deeply engaging.
  • Incredibly readable.

Cons

  • One of the shorter books on this list.

The Story Of An African Farm

The Story of an African Farm (Oxford World's Classics)

Part of the Oxford World’s Classics range of novels, this book is an undeniable classic that need not justify its place on this list! If you haven’t read it before, then you totally owe it to yourself!

This book is not only a great historical fictional document of South Africa and farm life in the nation, but it also dives deep into the female experience in South Africa, as well as other complex themes such as the loss of religion in the nation, and the growing sense of independence that many people began to see at the time. It’s an incredible work delivered with some of the most beautiful prose!

Pros:

  • One of the most revered classics on this list.
  • Discusses numerous important themes.

Cons

  • The book is less focused on the plot.

A History Of South Africa – Fourth Edition

A History of South Africa, Fourth Edition

Sometimes, history books can be incredibly obtuse and can make for slightly difficult reading especially considering just how much many of them try to stuff into their contents.

Luckily, A History Of South Africa is an exception to this rule, because not only is it one of the best ways to learn about South Africa’s complex history, but its information is also delivered in a comprehensive but engaging and easy-to-read manner.

This account of South Africa’s history is incredibly expansive but does not feel overwhelming to read, it’s so easy to digest yet you still feel like you are getting the full story.

It also does not skimp on details from both the black and white experience of South Africa, which makes it even more valuable as a historic record.

Pros

  • Incredibly comprehensive without being overly daunting or stuffed with information.
  • Equally engaging and educational.

Cons

  • Despite its efforts towards brevity, the book is still considerably lengthy.

Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

You might recognize the author of this book, Trevor Noah, from his many appearances on television, and his strong popularity in recent years.

What you may be surprised to learn about the Daily Show host is that he was actually born in South Africa, towards the Twilight years of the Apartheid era of the nation.

In this book, not only will you learn about one of America’s most beloved television hosts, but you will also learn a great deal about South Africa’s Apartheid history, and what it was like to witness its final years.

One of the most affecting parts of the book details Trevor Noah’s early years, in which he spent most of his time confined indoors to keep his existence a secret from those that would seek to punish his parents for being a white and black couple.

It’s incredibly tough reading, but Trevor Noah makes sure to ensure that it never becomes uncomfortable or miserable, thanks to his incredible sense of humor and his wonderful spirit.

We strongly recommend this book if you want something engaging, and insightful, but also incredibly humorous and enjoyable.

Pros

  • Written by one of the world’s leading television stars.
  • Though it discusses difficult topics, the book is never uncomfortable to read.

Cons

  • Some may prefer a more straight-to-the-point approach to the book’s topics.

Things Fall Apart: Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart

When it comes to South African literature, there are few books that are considered quite as essential as Chinua Achebe’s document Things Fall Apart, which explores how traditional values in the nation were quashed with the arrival of invading European forces who sought to colonize the nation’s people.

The story follows Okonkwo, an Igbo warrior who seeks to protect the values of the Igbo people in the face of encroaching colonial values from the British.

This classic book remains just as impactful as the day it was first written, so make sure to give it a try!

Pros

  • The first of a wider trilogy of books.
  • Incredibly impactful.

Cons

  • On the shorter end of the spectrum.

Arrow Of God

Arrow of God

If you find yourself falling right in love with Things Fall Apart, then you will definitely want to check out its follow-up novel Arrow Of God which follows a priest, Ezeulu, who is worshiped by countless people across South Africa.

However, when Ezeulu finds that his authority is being challenged, he very quickly must come to terms with the shifting nature of faith within South Africa, to find out why the nation is losing its once strongly-held faith.

The journey he embarks on is actually full of surprises, and is incredibly engaging, as the novel touches on some very deep subjects.

This is an easy recommendation to make because it was written by Chinua Achebe, one of the most celebrated South African authors of all time.

If you want to better understand the sheer genius of Chinua Achebe, then you can definitely do no better than Arrow Of God and its companion novels of the same trilogy.

Pros

  • Written by Chinua Achebe, one of the most celebrated authors on this list.
  • Surprisingly humorous despite touching on such deep topics.

Cons

  • Some readers have loved the book so much that they found it to be too short!

Biko: The Powerful Biography Of Steve Biko

Biko: The powerful biography of Steve Biko and the struggle of the Black Consciousness Movement

Steve Biko is arguably one of the most influential figures in abolishing the apartheid system that prevailed in South Africa at the time.

However, his name is often unrecognized, so you wouldn’t be blamed for not recognizing his name right here.

Steve Bilko dedicated his life and work to destroying the Apartheid system and was a known African nationalist and African socialist.

If you want to get a better sense of one of the key, but sadly under-reported figures in the fight against Apartheid, then you really can do no better than this book.

The book can occasionally get very harrowing especially when it comes to detailing the beating that Steve Biko experienced as a result of his anti-apartheid beliefs. Beating so severe that they eventually led to his untimely death.

This can make the book occasionally rather difficult for some to read but makes it ultimately incredibly rewarding because there is a lot to be gleaned from it.

Pros

  • Highlights an important but often unknown figure in South Africa’s history.
  • A further insight into the horrors of apartheid.

Cons

  • Potentially a little too dark for some readers, but ultimately essential reading.

Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography

Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography--The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa

Living under apartheid was nothing short of horrifying for many people in South Africa while the system reigned.

The system caused a great deal of suffering for many black people as they were forced to live in squalid ghettos where crime and gang wars were rife and ran rampant frequently.

Many people caught up in the apartheid system developed intense feelings that they were trapped in their situation, leading to a sense of hopelessness.

This makes it all the more impressive that Mark Mathabane, the author of this book, managed to see his way out of the system and attend one of America’s most treasured universities.

This book is one of the best ways to learn about the lived experience of apartheid and tells an incredibly impactful story of the power of family and education even in a world that seems to value neither.

Pros

  • One of the best documentations of life under apartheid.
  • A surprisingly uplifting and triumphant tale.

Cons

  • Some readers may find the book’s content to be a little too dark.

Cry, The Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country

First published in 1948, Cry, The Beloved Country is one of the greatest historical records of the apartheid era in South Africa.

The book was written during the height of apartheid, and this lends it a certain palpable power that allows it to stand as one of the best South African novels of all time.

The story of this classic novel follows Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo as he and his son seek to find justice in a South Africa pocked with racial injustice, and rampant crime.

The book has remarkable prose that is pleasant to read and very quickly leaves a mark on your mind. This is a difficult book to put down as you read and is even more difficult to forget about even years after you have read it.

If you want a book that will keep you rapt, and that will inevitably become a new favorite, then make sure to give this beloved classic your time!

Pros

  • One of the most beloved classics on this list.
  • Has incredibly beautiful prose.

Cons

  • The pace of the book can be occasionally very jarring.

You Can’t Get Lost In Cape Town

You Can't Get Lost in Cape Town (Women Writing Africa)

The impact of race on South Africa can not possibly be understated.

Many young black people across multiple generations in South Africa have found themselves forced to conform to the conventions of white society in order to succeed, and in some cases in order to survive.

This book follows Frieda Shenton who is a young girl born to ‘Colored’ parents.

She is raised, from a young age, to act as though she was white, and this has an impact on her entire life, pretending to be someone she is not and hiding away her true self and her true wants and desires.

When Frieda is invited to attend a highly prestigious school, which takes her to Cape Town, where she learns even more about the impact that racial tensions have had on South Africa.

The story takes place over two distinct periods of time, as it explores Frieda’s younger years as a student in Cape Town and what she experienced and learned while there.

Further on in the story, the book turns to explore Frieda’s adulthood as she returns to Cape Town to find a very different city. It’s truly impactful and very engaging.

Pros

  • Incredibly impactful.
  • Makes great use of time to sell its impact even more effectively.

Cons

  • Some readers wished that this book was slightly longer.

Ways Of Dying

Ways of Dying: A Novel

This book was first published in 1995, but in the many years since, its impact has become more and more clear.

This is a remarkable work of art that has had an indelible impact on the world of South African literature and culture.

Dying is never an easy subject to broach, but this novel approaches the topic in a way that is delicate and beautiful and full of deft grace that makes it easily one of the most beautiful meditations on death in literature.

The story follows Toloki, a professional mourner who attends countless funerals, every day, in order to bring comfort to those suffering from the grief caused by South Africa’s rampant and unchecked crime.

One day, Toloki is reunited with an old figure from his past, and in time, he must come to face his own deeply-buried grief.

This novel paints a truly beautiful picture of South Africa’s enduring culture and people.

Pros

  • Touches on some very deep but universal subjects and themes.
  • Incredibly complex yet easily digestible.

Cons

  • Some readers have noted that the book can be occasionally boring.

A Beautiful Place To Die

A Beautiful Place to Die: An Emmanuel Cooper Mystery (Detective Emmanuel Cooper Book 1)

This book by celebrated screenwriter Malla Nunn takes the popular modern mystery novel format and sets it against the backdrop of 1950s South Africa, a time when apartheid governed the makeup of the city and severely impacted the freedoms of its people.

The story takes place in a small town called Jacob’s Rest which is a small town just on the border of South Africa.

When a police officer is found dead in this small town, soon the racial tensions that already populated the small town flare up to totally new degrees.

As the case is investigated by Detective Emmanuel Cooper, he soon finds that things are ot quite so simple, and if the case is not brought to some kind of order, then the chaos that fills the streets of Jacob’s Rest could blow up massively out of proportion.

It’s an incredibly engaging read that makes the most of the Apartheid era to build up the tension and make the story even more impactful.

At the same time, while it is a fictional tale, it tells you a lot about the real world and the politics that have impacted South Africa and the wider world around it.

Pros

  • A fictional tale with a backdrop of lived history.
  • One of the most engaging and gripping tales on this list.

Cons

  • One part of a series of books. Reading the whole series may take some time.

Down Second Avenue

Down Second Avenue (Penguin Classics)

When it comes to understanding important moments in world history, sometimes it is best to hear directly from the source, from those that have lived through those moments and experienced the raw and palpable emotions.

One of the best accounts of apartheid South Africa, as a result, is Down Second Avenue, easily one of the best historical records of the period.

In this book, author Es’kia Mphahlele describes the experience of apartheid and what it felt like to live under constant segregation and constant vigilance from the local government.

This book was taken, in its publication, as a direct protest against apartheid, and as such, in the years since publication, it has stood as a hugely influential work when it comes to activism in the modern world.

To see for yourself why it is so impactful, why not try reading it yourself?

Pros

  • Has inspired very real change, and continues to do so.
  • Incredibly engaging.

Cons

  • Some readers have commented that the book is very short.

Dancing The Death Drill

Dancing the Death Drill

Fred Khumalo is another of South Africa’s most impactful authors whose works have illuminated what life is like in the nation and the history of its people.

This particular novel explores the story of Pitso Motaung, a mixed-race man who once enlisted in the British army as part of the South African forces during the first World War.

Motaung was stationed aboard the SS Mendi, a ship that sadly crashed and led to the deaths of countless South African soldiers.

Years later, Motaung finds himself living a totally different life under a totally different name.

However Motaung can not hide from the past for long, and with time it soon catches back up to him, and through haunting nightmares, he finds himself kept awake night after night as a result of the horrors he faced aboard the ill-fated ship.

This novel tells a lot about this ill-fated voyage and even more about the South Africans that were situated on it during its voyage, leading to some truly horrifying and saddening revelations about their ultimate fate.

It’s a truly incredible book to read through, though it can be difficult and occasionally harrowing at points.

Pros

  • A very emotional odyssey into the history of South Africa, and the exploitation of South African soldiers during the first World War.
  • Remarkably beautiful with regards to its prose, making it affecting to read.

Cons

  • Some readers feel that the book could be even longer to really sell its final impact at the close of the book.

Moxyland

Moxyland

Let’s close off this list with a modern South African book that shines a more technological and modern lens on South Africa, with a story that follows four distinct people and how they relate to the wider world around them, and what kind of place they have within South Africa.

At first, the four stories seem totally disparate, but as the four protagonists soon come together, the story becomes even more engaging as the characters develop a strong bond with one another while at the same time unraveling a horrifying conspiracy that links all of their lives not only to one another but also to the government at large.

Reading how these tales slowly intertwine with one another is incredibly satisfying, and makes for great reading, as you will have a very tough time putting this book down.

This is one of our easiest recommendations on this list, and we have no hesitation in suggesting this masterwork to you.

As well as being incredibly engaging, Moxyland is also an awesome way to learn a little more about the experience of living in South Africa, and what it is like to live there in the modern world.

Pros

  • Incredibly engaging, and very difficult to put down. Will have you reading for hours at a time.
  • Features a very comfortable length that gives adequate coverage to all four central characters.

Cons

  • Some readers have noted that some of the central characters are easier to empathize with than others.

Buyer’s Guide

Now that we have taken a look at 18 of the best books about South Africa, you are likely feeling much more prepared to learn more about the nation and its culture, but you still need a little bit of extra help to help you to pick the perfect book.

If so, make sure to check out our comprehensive buyer’s guide, as we are going to show you what to focus on when picking the perfect book for you!

Book Length

Of course, one of the most crucial things you can check for when picking the perfect book is the perfect length.

If you are often pressed for time, so can’t dedicate yourself to anything too significant, or you want a book that you can easily travel with, then you will want to opt for a book that is slightly smaller.

However, if you want to really dedicate yourself to a work of South African literature, you may get slightly more out of a longer book.

If you are looking for a book that discusses South African history on a much larger scale, then you may want to opt for a larger book because you can be sure that it won’t miss anything out.

Fiction Or Non-Fiction

As you’ve seen across the length of our list, we have discussed both non-fiction documentation of South Africa’s history, as well as some of the country’s greatest literature that explores fictional situations within the backdrop of South Africa.

One way you can narrow down your choices is to choose between either fiction or non-fiction books from the country.

If you are looking to learn the cold hard facts about the nation, then you will want to look out for non-fiction books from South Africa.

And if you want to enjoy some of the finest literary works from South Africa, then you may want to check out its range of fiction offerings.

Cover Designs And Book Size

One thing you may want to consider when choosing the right book from South Africa is the actual design of the book itself.

You may be planning on building a book collection that is aesthetically pleasing or coherent, and so thus you may want to choose based on the design of the cover.

Some of the entries we’ve discussed on this list have some different cover options, so you can choose the perfect look!

To Wrap Up

South Africa has a rich literary history, and while there are many books from the nation to choose from, these are easily the best of the best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Is The Most Famous Author In South Africa?

Easily one of the most influential authors from South Africa is J. M. Coetzee, who has produced countless fantastic and award-winning works that provide amazing insight into the South African experience.

What Is South African Culture Like?

South Africa has long been one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, and this has helped it to earn the title of the ‘Rainbow Nation’. A massive number of cultures are represented in the nation. 

Are South Africans Touchy?

South Africans are very welcoming to physical contact, and use it as a common way to express affection and warmth. Hugging and patting are very common as a way to build a connection in the nation.  

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Anna Davis