The Africa Diaries: An Illustrated Memoir of Life in the Bush [Hardcover]

Dereck Joubert (Author), Beverly Joubert (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

Photographs of zebras, lions, hyenas, and elephants, supplement diary entries of a couple who journeyed to Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1978 to run a tourist lodge and have spent their lives living on the African savannah.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Famed cinematographers Dereck and Beverly Joubert have spent more than 20 years in Botswana studying wildlife and making award-winning films (Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas ). In this new memoir, Dereck gives the reader an intimate look at what it takes to spend months in the field. After managing game lodges in South Africa for a few years, in 1981 the couple was given a chance to join a study of lions in Botswana, and they have never looked back. The text is interspersed with excerpts from their field journals, lending an air of immediacy to the remembrances, such as this observation about what to do when an overly heavy research vehicle keeps bogging down: "Today I cut the doors and roof off this truck with a cutting torch." The text is filled with the hardships and beauty of living in the bush; with the wonder of witnessing the birth of a baby elephant and the horror of the poaching of black rhinos; and with the insights into animal behavior that come from years of observation. This beautifully illustrated book is as close as most of us will ever get to living in the African wilds. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Adventure Press/National Geographic; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 079227962X
• ISBN-13: 978-0792279624
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,186,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > History > Africa > Botswana
  • #44 in Books > Travel > Africa > Botswana

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Complement to the Jouberts' Videos, October 27, 2003

By 

Warren J. Dew (Somerville, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Africa Diaries: An Illustrated Memoir of Life in the Bush (Hardcover)

Derek and Beverly Joubert are probably best known for their National Geographic videotapes on African wildlife, such as "Africa's Stolen River," on the drying of the Savuti river over the course of several years and the resultant effects on the local animal populations, and "Eternal Enemies," on the enmity between lions and hyenas. The text of this book is comprised of excerpts from the Jouberts' personal journals during the period when those videos were made, interspersed with explanatory material. There are also plenty of excellent photographs - both of wildlife and of the Jouberts themselves and their equipment.

For those familiar with their videos, this book provides a more personal look at the Jouberts and what their life was like in the Savuti, as well as providing some tidbits about what happened to some of the subjects of the videos after they were made. For those not familiar with the videos, it may still be an interesting look at what life can be like for dedicated naturalists in the parts of Africa that are not yet completely tamed.

Note that unlike their videos, which focus exclusively on wildlife, this book includes quite a bit of discussion of people - not only the Jouberts and their filmmaking, but also of hunters and of the human political issues that determine the fate of the animals. If you would prefer a book focused more exclusively on wildlife, you might try the Jouberts' earlier book, "Hunting With the Moon."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Book!!!, December 31, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Africa Diaries: An Illustrated Memoir of Life in the Bush (Hardcover)

I LOVED this book. Anyone that likes animals, Africa or adventures will like this book. This book does a great job of expressing what it would be like to live in the wilds of Africa. It also has great photos!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Africa Diaries: An Illustrated Memoir of Life in the Bush, May 14, 2008

By 

Karen Adams "loves2read" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Africa Diaries: An Illustrated Memoir of Life in the Bush (Hardcover)

We just stayed in a African camp (Selinda) managed and owned by the Joubert's. I wish I had read their account of the region before I went to Africa. It was a great synopsis of the highlights of their life in the bush. The pictures they captured illustrate the stories they portray. I recommend it highly.