A quest is never what you expect it to be.

Elizabeth Madeline Martin spends her days in a retirement home in Cape Town, watching the pigeons and squirrels on the branch of a tree outside her window. Bedridden, her memory fading, she can recall her early childhood spent in a small wood-and-iron house in Blackridge on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. Though she remembers the place in detail – dogs, a mango tree, a stream – she has no idea of where exactly it is. ‘My memory is full of blotches,’ she tells her daughter Julia, ‘like ink left about and knocked over.’

Julia resolves to find the Blackridge house: with her mother lonely and confused, would this, perhaps, bring some measure of closure? A journey begins that traverses family history, forgotten documents, old photographs, and the maps that stake out a country’s troubled past – maps whose boundaries nature remains determined to resist. Kind strangers, willing to assist in the search, lead to unexpected discoveries of ancestors and wars and lullabies. Folded into this quest are the tender conversations between a daughter and a mother who does not have long to live.

Taken as one, The Blackridge House is a meditation on belonging, of the stories we tell of home and family, of the precarious footprint of life.

Epic Land is a celebration in pictures and words of the arresting beauty of the landscapes of Namibia and of the centrality of land in the culture, history, politics and daily lives of its people. The book seeks to uncover the rare essence that marks the landscape of Namibia apart from all others.

Few countries in the world are richer than Namibia in its canvas of natural beauty. The landscape is one of rich and often harsh contrast with many changing moods. A journey through its landscape is infinitely rewarding. Within this book this progression is depicted. The dramatic scenery of remote deserts, mountains, mystical trees and stormy shores are the equal of any.

Through her captivating photographs and absorbing text, Amy Schoeman shares with the reader the strange beauties of her life’s passion. The superb photographs capture the life of the desert, its forms and colours, and the moods of its ever-changing landscapes.

The Global Casino is an introduction to environmental issues which deals both with the workings of the physical environment and the political, economic and social frameworks in which the issues occur. Using examples from all over the world, the book highlights the underlying causes behind environmental problems, the human actions which have made them issues, and the hopes for solutions. It is a book about the human impact on the environment and the ways in which the natural environment impacts human society. The fifth edition has been fully revised and updated throughout, with new case studies, figures, and online resources such as downloadable figures and tables from the text and multiple choice questions for students, accessible at: www.routledge.com/cw/middleton. New topics covered in extended boxed case studies include payment for environmental services, ocean acidification, biofuels in Brazil, waste reduction through industrial symbiosis, and the long-term impact of natural disasters on vulnerable groups. Other approaches and concepts covered for the first time in this new edition include traditional ecological knowledge, environmental justice, the `resource curse', and urban biodiversity. Eighteen chapters on key issues follow three initial chapters which outline the background contexts of the physical and human environments and the concept of sustainable development. Each chapter provides historical context for key issues, outlines why they have arisen, and highlights areas of controversy and uncertainty to appraise how issues can be resolved both technically and in political and economic frameworks. Each chapter also contains an updated critical guide to further reading and websites, as well as discussion points and essay questions. The text can be read in its entirety or individual chapters adopted as standalone reading. The Global Casino is an essential resource for students of the environment, geography, earth sciences and development studies. It provides comprehensive and inspirational coverage of all the major global environmental issues of the day in a style that is clear and critical.

From the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of the atmosphere, the human impact on the environment is significant and undeniable. These forms of global and local environmental change collectively appear to signal the arrival of a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. This is a geological era defined not by natural environmental fluctuations or meteorite impacts, but by collective actions of humanity. Environmental Transformations offers a concise and accessible introduction to the human practices and systems that sustain the Anthropocene. It combines accounts of the carbon cycle, global heat balances, entropy, hydrology, forest ecology and pedology, with theories of demography, war, industrial capitalism, urban development, state theory and behavioural psychology. This book charts the particular role of geography and geographers in studying environmental change and its human drivers. It provides a review of critical theories that can help to uncover the socio-economic and political factors that influence environmental change. It also explores key issues in contemporary environmental studies, such as resource use, water scarcity, climate change, industrial pollution and deforestation. These issues are `mapped' through a series of geographical case studies to illustrate the particular value of geographical notions of space, place and scale, in uncovering the complex nature of environmental change in different socio-economic, political and cultural contexts. Finally, the book considers the different ways in which nations, communities and individuals around the world are adapting to environmental change in the twenty-first century. Particular attention is given throughout to the uneven geographical opportunities that different communities have to adapt to environmental change and to the questions of social justice this situation raises. This book encourages students to engage in the scientific uncertainties that surround the study of environmental change, while also discussing both pessimistic and more optimistic views on the ability of humanity to address the environmental challenges of our current era.

Introduction To Contemporary Geography is a compilation of all the core content required for UNISA students taking GGH1501 and XGH1501.

Situated between the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the Breede River, the Overberg is an important agricultural region and a popular holiday destination for tourists and nature lovers who delight in the beauty of its mountainous landscape, abundant plant species and long sandy beaches.

But this area also has a rich history going back thousands of years, when the indigenous Khoi people originally thrived there, before the first European settlers arrived to leave their own indelible imprint on the culture, architecture and character of the region. This book provides a detailed account of this past by pointing out the many places, buildings, events and personalities that have made the Overberg the diverse and unique place that it is today.

The Overberg has been a home or point of interest for explorers, innovators, artists and writers, for figures as varied as Bartholomew Diaz, Olof Bergh, Hendrik Verwoerd, Gregoire Boonzaier, Audrey Blignault and Breyten Breytenbach. Some of South Africa’s oldest towns, houses and missionary stations can be found here, and its treacherous coastline has been the cause of hundreds of shipwrecks for centuries.

Enlivened by historical and current photographs and informative side panels, this book is a collector’s item.

For many, Africa is regarded as a place of mystery and negative images, where reports of natural disasters and civil strife dominate media attention, with relatively little publicity given to any of the continent's more positive attributes. Africa has at last begun to receive the depth of interest it has long deserved, in the shape of debates about trade, aid and debt, the `Make Poverty History' campaign, and the UK's `Commission on Africa'. But, behind the superficial media facade, Africa is a diverse, complex and dynamic place, with a rich history and a colonial engagement that, although short-lived, was fundamental in determining the long-term future of the continent. At the start of the second decade of the twenty-first century, when the world is engulfed in a major financial crisis, Africa has the dubious distinction of being the world's poorest continent. This book introduces and de-mystifies Africa's diversity and dynamism, and considers how its peoples and environments have interacted through time and space. The background and diversity of Africa's social, cultural, economic, political and environmental systems is examined, as well as key development issues which have affected Africa in the past and are likely to be significant in shaping the future of the continent. These include: the impact of HIV/AIDS; sources of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction; the state and governance; the nature of African economies in a global context and future development trajectories. Africa: Diversity and Development is a refreshing interdisciplinary text which enhances understanding of the background to Africa's current position and clarifies possible future scenarios. It is richly illustrated throughout with diagrams and plates, and contains a wealth of detailed case studies and current data.

This book contains alphabetically listed names of South African cities and towns, as well as most villages and certain settlements and townships where information was available.

More than 900 places are included in what is an informative and educational look at place names, including the year they were established, origins, previous names and alternative names. Also included are interesting historical facts and reasons to visit, as well as contact details (website or phone number).

The book is a wonderful journey through South Africa. Ann Gadd particularly enjoyed researching the smaller villages and places. There is a wide variety of attractions across the places, covering sporting interests, places to eat, historical interest, scenic spots, the longest, the tallest, the coldest and much more. Ann connected with local inhabitants or officials to get their take on the naming of their town or historical interests. All this wonderful (and sometimes whacky) information is condensed to give you a book that sums up the very core of each place.

Information includes:

• Province
• Year established
• Year of municipal / borough status
• Origin of town name
• Previous name
• Preferred name
• Alternative name
• Town theme (type of industry)
• Historic facts (important events or interesting feature of the town)
• Contact details (website or phone)

The best - and most enjoyable - way to find out about whiskies is by drinking them. This truly hands-on handbook takes you on a tasting journey to discover your own personal whisky style, and helps you to expand your horizons so you can find a world of new whiskies to enjoy. Through a series of guided at-home tastings, you'll get familiar with the full spectrum of whisky aromas and flavours on offer - from the smoky tang of Islay peat to the aromatic scent of Japanese oak. Find out how to engage all your senses to navigate the range of malts, grains and blended whiskies and get to grips with different whisky styles. Take a tasting tour of the world's finest makers, including iconic Scottish distilleries and small-scale artisan producers all over the globe. And as you become more whisky-confident, you can break out of your whisky comfort zone. Do you love the honeyed sweetness of a Kentucky Bourbon? If so, why not try a smooth malt that's been aged in ex-Bourbon barrels? Or a creamy, oat-infused Irish craft whiskey? Guides to whisky prices and ages will help you to make smart buys. Discover how to pour, store and serve whiskies and match them with foods. Learn to mix cocktails, from a classic whiskey sour to your own signature creation. With 20 step-by-step whisky tastings, clear infographics and jargon-busting advice - taste your way to whisky wisdom.

Skuif handel oor die evolusie van ons wêreld vanaf die begin van lewe tot in die toekoms. Die boek gee ’n ongelooflike oorsig van elke tydperk in die aarde se tektoniese geskiedenis. Hierdie verstommende visuele voorstelling van die aarde se geologiese geskiedenis beskryf die verskuiwing van landmassas en die ontwikkeling van die kontinente soos ons dit vandag ken.

Met pragtige wêreldkaarte en illustrasies wat die oorsprong van lewe uitbeeld en die aarde se moontlike toekoms vorspel, is Skuif die ideale gids tot ons planeet se geskiedenis. Martin Ince beskryf op toeganklike wyse wat die impak van geologiese veranderinge op die lewe op aarde is.

Car parks: commonplace urban landscapes, little-explored and rarely featured in art and music, yet they shape the aesthetics of our towns and cities. Hotspots for crime, rage and sexual deviancy; a blind spot in which activities go unnoticed. Skateboarding, car stunts, drug dealing, dogging, murder. Gareth E. Rees believes that the retail car park has as much mystery, magic and terror as any mountain, meadow or wood. He's out to prove it by walking the car parks of Britain, journeying across the country from Plymouth to Edinburgh, much to the horror of his family, friends - and, most of all - himself. He finds Sir Francis Drake outside B&Q, standing stones in a retail park, and a dead body beside Sainsbury's. In this darkly satirical work of non-fiction, Gareth E. Rees presents a troubling vision of Brexit Britain through a common space we know far less about than we think.

This book celebrates the Arctic, exploring the natural history that has so inspired generations. Early travellers to the Arctic brought back tales of amazing creatures and of the endurance required of visitors, the Arctic becoming a land of inspiration and imagination. Adventurers test themselves against it. Its wildlife still amazes - when film and television show Earth's natural wonders it is always the polar regions that draw the biggest audiences. But today the Arctic is in retreat. Humanity's relentless exploitation of the Earth's resources in the pursuit of progress has, it seems, altered the climate and threatens the ice and ice-living organisms. It is a cliche that the loss of a species diminishes us, but it is true nonetheless. Even to people who have never seen a Polar Bear its loss will be immeasurable as the bear is iconic, both defining and reflecting the Arctic. This Traveller's Guide is designed to give visitors a handy identification guide to the wildlife they might see as they travel around, including stunning photography and detailed descriptions of each species.

Follow the conflict of the Second World War from 1939 to 1945 in this unique volume, published in association with Imperial War Museums, London, featuring historical maps and photographs from their archives, and fascinating commentary from an expert historian. Over 150 maps tell the story of how this global war was fought. Types of maps featured: * Strategic maps showing theatres of war, frontiers and occupied territories * Maps covering key battles and offensives on major fronts * Planning and operations maps showing defences in detail * Propaganda and educational maps for the armed forces and general public * Maps showing dispositions of Allied and enemy forces * Bomber and V-weapon target maps Descriptions of key historical events accompany the maps, giving an illustrated history of the war from an expert historian. Key topics covered include * 1939: Invasion of Poland * 1940: German invasion of Low Countries & France * 1940: Battle of Britain & German invasion threat * Dec 1941: Pearl Harbor * 1942: Turning points: Midway, Alamein, Stalingrad * 1941-45: Barbarossa and the Eastern Front * The War at Sea * The advances to Jerusalem, Damascus and Baghdad * The War in the Air * 1944: Neptune & Overlord; D-Day & liberation of France

The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book was the biggest-selling puzzle book of 2018. And now it is back, and bigger and better than before! In The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Tour of Britain map your way around Britain in 40 of the OS's best regional maps, with hundreds of puzzles, mind-boggling brainteasers, navigational tests, word games, code-crackers, anagrams and mathematical conundrums to keep you occupied as you go! With maps covering the 8 regions of South-West England, South-East England, the Midlands, East England, North-West England, North-East England, Wales and Scotland, you'll put your knowledge and skills to the test and become a local - as you discover amazing facts about each region's folklore, famous historical events, and how the OS have mapped these areas over the years. With four levels of difficulty that make this fun for all the family, The Ordnance Survey Puzzle Book II is also a celebration of the regional diversity, history and landscapes that make Great Britain so great.

Full colour map of Scotland at 8.7 miles to 1 inch (1:550,000) with clear, detailed road network and administrative areas shown in colour. The map covers the whole of Scotland and part of Northern England conveniently on one side, and is ideal for reference or route planning. The map shows the road network in detail for easy route planning. It is ideal for business users also, with its political colouring of local council areas. Main Features * Fully updated * Administrative areas shown in colour * Clear, detailed road network and road distances * Town and city names, rivers, railway lines and canals clearly shown * 7 city/town centre street plans showing places of interest. * Index to place names * Mileage chart * Car ferry routes * Key in English, French and German

Trace the epic history of World War 2 across the globe with more than 100 maps. Includes a foreword by Peter Snow, broadcaster and historian. In this stunning visual history book, purpose-made maps tell the story of the Second World War from the rise of the Axis powers to the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and beyond. Each map is rich with detail and graphics, helping you to chart the progress of key events of World War II on land, sea, and air, such as the Dunkirk evacuation, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the D-Day landings, and the siege of Stalingrad. As well as purpose-made maps, historical maps from both Allied and Axis countries offer unique insights into the events. There are also timelines to help you follow the story as it unfolds, while narrative overviews explain the social, economic, political, and technical developments at the time. Fascinating, large-scale pictures introduce topics such as the Holocaust, blitzkrieg, kamikaze warfare, and code-breaking. Written by a team of historians headed by Richard Overy as consultant, World War II Map by Map examines how the deadliest conflict in history changed the face of our world. It is perfect for students, general readers, and military history enthusiasts.

If you centre a globe on Kiritimati (Christmas Island), all you see around it is a vast expanse of ocean. Islands of various sizes float in view while glimpses of continents encroach on the fringes, but this is a view dominated by water. The immense stretch of the Pacific Ocean is inhabited by a diverse array of peoples and cultures bound by a common thread: their relationship with the sea. The rich history of the Pacific is explored through specific objects, each one beautifully illustrated, from the earliest human engagement with the Pacific through to the modern day. With entries covering mapping, trade, whaling, flora and fauna, and the myriad vessels used to traverse the ocean, Pacific builds on recent interest in the voyages of James Cook to tell a broader history. This visually stunning publication highlights the importance of an ocean that covers very nearly a third of the surface of the globe, and which has dramatically shaped the world and people around it.

How to Draw a Map is a fascinating meditation on the centuries-old art of map-making, from the first astronomical maps to the sophisticated GPS guides of today. Maps have influenced humanity in many unexpected ways: life, death, sexual reproduction, espionage, war and peace. How to Draw a Map traces the story of mapmaking - cartography - from the first scratchings on the cave wall to the detailed high-tech `navigator'. This is the story of human conceptions, often misconceptions, of our world. It is also a very personal story about a mapmaker's journey through life - the exciting new perspectives and the occasional misadventures. Over the last 5,000 years societies and empires have risen and fallen; most, if not all, attempt to record their own visions of our world. In the 15th century, Europeans developed a global reach with their oceanic ships, exploring outward into the world, revealing new possibilities, peoples and opportunities. Mapmakers recorded this journey, revealing to us a window into past triumphs and disasters. The story continues into our own day when diplomats carve up our globe, presenting what we now see as the `modern' world. In How to Draw a Map, father and son cartographers Alexander and Malcolm Swanston demonstrate the skill, creativity and care involved in the timeless art of creating maps - and what these artefacts reveal about the legion of mapmakers who went before us.

Sally and John McKenna, travel and food writers and authors of IRELAND THE BEST, have selected 100 extraordinary places that epitomise what is truly great about Ireland. This personal and diverse compendium is illustrated with beautiful and evocative images. John and Sally McKenna have drawn on a lifetime of experiences to create this list of the 100 best places in Ireland: reflective, magnificent and human places. Some choices may be surprising but all are exceptional. This book is John and Sally's ultimate collection selected from the hundreds of places that feature in the independent guide to Ireland, IRELAND THE BEST. As well as expert commentary, all 100 places include highly selective recommendations of where to walk, eat and sleep nearby. Beautiful and evocative images capture the essence of each place. From wild glens to ancient buildings, remote islands to vibrant cities, this is John and Sally's list of the places in Ireland that you really should visit in your lifetime.

Full of clear and detailed maps, this beautifully designed world atlas is the perfect companion to discover our planet. Originally published in 1997 and now in its 10th edition, the Essential World Atlas includes all recent border, place name, and flag changes around the world, including the new nation of South Sudan and the annexation of Crimea. A series of 12 global thematic maps on subjects as diverse as Ocean currents and languages give a general introduction to the World today. These are followed by the main atlas which includes over 60 full colour regional maps featuring political and state borders; main population and administrative centres; main lines of communication, ports and airports. In addition to these maps this clear, informative and affordable atlas also includes a fully cross-referenced index-Gazetteer featuring 20,000 places, data profiles of each country, plus a glossary of geographical terms making it the perfect reference tool to distil the mass of information in today's world into the essential facts needed to help understand our ever-changing planet.

David Abulafia begins with the earliest of seafaring societies - the Polynesians of the Pacific, the possessors of intuitive navigational skills, long before the invention of the compass, who by the first century were trading between their far-flung islands. By the seventh century, trading routes stretched from the coasts of Arabia and Africa to southern China and Japan, bringing together the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, linking together half the world through the international spice trade. In the Atlantic, centuries before the little kingdom of Portugal carved out its powerful, seaborne colonial empire, many peoples sought new lands across the sea - the Bretons, the Frisians and, most notably, the Vikings, now known to be the first Europeans to reach North America. As Portuguese supremacy dwindled in the late sixteenth century, the Spanish, the Dutch and then the British each successively ruled the waves. Following merchants, explorers, pirates, cartographers and travellers in their quests for spices, gold, ivory, slaves, lands for settlement and knowledge of what lay beyond, David Abulafia has created an extraordinary narrative of humanity and the oceans. Besides its grand narratives, The Boundless Sea explores the lesser known maritime enterprises of Denmark, Sweden, Oman, Sri Vijaya and many others. And today, as plastic refuse covers thousands of square miles of the waters, and once exotic trading cities and outposts are replaced by vast, mechanized container ports, he asks - what next for our oceans and our world?

Met haar innemende en boeiende vertelstyl teken Dot Serfontein in Systap onder die juk verhale oor die lewens van ’n versameling merkwaardige mense op.

Die leser leer ken ’n groep Noord-Vrystaters wat aan dié wêreld sy sonderlinge geskiedenis en karakter verleen het. Dit is ’n distrik “lankal reeds bewoon deur verantwoordelike, stoere mense wat hulle deur niemand laat voorsê nie”, soos dit in die titelverhaal gestel word.

Van hierdie stoere mense is byvoorbeeld die unieke tant Hannie Wolmarans. Die staaltjies oor haar het vir die skryfster as kind so onwaarskynlik geklink dat hulle in dieselfde klas as sprokies geval het. Daar is byvoorbeeld ook oom Lood, wat selfs in die eienaardige Serfontein-familie, hom kon onderskei as ’n eienaardige mens. Die luimige aard van die vertellings word ook in hierdie bundel deurweef met waardering en deernis, veral vir haar ma Boeta en pa Oupats.