The Historical Overberg
The Historical Overberg

Author: Chris Schoeman

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2017-05-18

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 177609073X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Situated between the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the Breede River, the Overberg is a fertile 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. This area also has a rich history going back thousands of years, when the indigenous Khoi people originally thrived there, and when the first European settlers left their own indelible imprint on the culture, architecture and character of the region. The Overberg has been a home or point of interest for explorers, innovators, artists and writers, for figures as varied as Bartolomeu Dias, Sir David de Villiers Graaff, Uys Krige and Audrey Blignault. 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. The Historical Overberg 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. Enlivened by historical and current photographs and informative panels, this book is a collector’s item.

Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg
Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg

Author: Odette Curtis-Scott

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2020-08-01

Total Pages: 1970

ISBN-13: 1775845818

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Part of the Fynbos biome, Renosterveld is one of the world’s most threatened vegetation types, with just 5% of its original extent remaining. Focusing specifically on the Renosterveld of the Overberg region in the Western Cape, this field guide is the first of its kind to cover this highly endangered ecosystem, characterised by nutrient-rich soil which has been exploited for agriculture. An in-depth introduction sets the scene, defining what Renosterveld is and giving some historical background to the ecology of the area. The plants section follows, featuring over 980 plant species from the common and ‘showy’ to the weird, obscure and often-overlooked. A shorter section of 140 animal species showcases the diversity of creatures found here despite severe habitat loss and fragmentation. Additional features include a glossary with supporting illustrations, guidelines for landowners and farmers, and a comprehensive index. Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg promises to be an enduring record of this unique and severely threatened ecosystem. It will be a vital addition to any nature lover’s bookshelf. Sales points: Comprehensive coverage of Renosterveld species, identification at a glance, full-colour photographs of all species described, expert author team.

The Historical Karoo
The Historical Karoo

Author: Chris Schoeman

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2013-09-30

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1770225706

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

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.

Recovering History through Fact and Fiction
Recovering History through Fact and Fiction

Author: Dallas John Baker

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2018-04-18

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 1527510778

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This edited collection brings together research that focuses on historic figures who have been largely neglected by history or forgotten over time. The question of how to recover, reclaim or retell the histories and stories of those obscured by the passage of time is one of growing public and scholarly interest. The volume includes chapters on a diverse array of topics, including semi-biographical fiction, digital and visual biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs, among others. Apart from the largely forgotten, the book provides fresh perspectives on historical figures whose biographies are distorted by their fame or limited by public perception. The subjects explored here include, among others, a child author, a Finnish grandmother, a cold war émigré, an Elizabethan era playwright, a castaway, a celebrated female artist, and the lauded personalities Mary Shelley, Judy Garland and J.R.R. Tolkien. Altogether, the chapters included in this collection offer a much-needed snapshot of new research on biography and its many variations and hybrids which will be of interest to academics and students of biography and life writing in general.