Selection of fresh releases for the summer

Patricia McCracken rounds up a diverse range of books to tuck into on nature, the biography of a South African mover and shaker, an old annual favourite on world records, and a fictional dose of suspense.

- Patricia McCracken

Pocket Guide: Birds Of Botswana by Dominic Rollinson (Struik Nature, R270)

The problem with reviewing books is they give you ideas. This one made me want to fly north or, at the very least, jump behind the wheel and drive to Botswana.

From Durban in my beloved Jimny would have been a test of my determination, although certainly not impossible.

Botswana is home to about 600 bird species, and Rollinson’s compact, 407-page guide covers about 360 of the most conspicuous and frequently seen of those species. It also directs you to the most bird-frequented areas in the introduction.

Species are allocated a double page each, with a description and habitat details, plus clearly reproduced, well-coloured photographs.

Tick-listers will particularly appreciate careful comparisons such as between the greater and lesser flamingo. The book itself certainly does live up to its title in neatly fitting into the pocket of a daypack.

Corporate Newsman by Kaizer Nyatsumba (Tafelberg, R350)