Discovering Southern Africa by T.V. Bulpin
Discovering Southern Africa (Premium Illustrated First Edition Copy)
The Standard, Globally Acclaimed Travel Masterpiece and Encyclopedic Compendium of Africa South of the Zambezi
The Standard, Globally Acclaimed Travel Masterpiece and Encyclopedic Compendium of Africa South of the Zambezi
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Discovering Southern Africa
- Author: T.V. Bulpin (Thomas Victor Bulpin)
- Publisher: Books Of Africa, Cape Town
- Publication Date: 1970
- ISBN-13: 9780958313056 (Retrospectively indexed / applied across edition lines)
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Impression. Standard Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original full pictorial lithographed paper-covered boards, explicitly designed and issued without a traditional paper dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Massive Thick Octavo (8vo), 255 x 180 mm, 1,069 pages. Packed with full-colour photographic plates, detailed local regional sketch maps, line drawings, and comprehensive historical route itineraries.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Good (G)
- Exterior / Boards: The original printed pictorial boards are overall very good, showing light, standard storage-related shelf rubbing, surface scuffing, and minor bumping/edge wear to the corner tips and spine caps, entirely consistent with a heavily enjoyed antiquarian reference volume. The front graphics remain clear and detailed.
- Interior: The textbook hinges and internal structural binding are excellent, rigid, and completely undamaged. The massive 1,069-page interior block remains entirely intact, clean, clear, and firmly secured.
- Provenance: Exceptionally clean internally, featuring absolutely no previous owner names, holiday gift inscriptions, library stamps, or dealer pencil markings.
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The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)
- Presentation: This classic 1970 edition was published exclusively with heavily illustrated hardcovers and did not feature a paper dust jacket. The book is presented inside a protective clear cellophane wrapper to protect the edges from further wear and preserve its historic shelf appearance.
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in 1970, Discovering Southern Africa is globally regarded as the definitive standard travel guide to Africa south of the Zambezi River, earning a reputation among bibliophiles as one of the greatest geographical handbooks ever written. Thomas Victor Bulpin completely moves away from dry, modern hotel directories, creating a vast, deeply personal narrative roadmap that covers South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini.
First published in 1970, Discovering Southern Africa is globally regarded as the definitive standard travel guide to Africa south of the Zambezi River, earning a reputation among bibliophiles as one of the greatest geographical handbooks ever written. Thomas Victor Bulpin completely moves away from dry, modern hotel directories, creating a vast, deeply personal narrative roadmap that covers South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini.
Crammed with fascinating historical insights, forgotten frontier legends, and humorous local scandals, the text reflects the incomparable knowledge that could only come from decades of meticulous research and firsthand exploration. Bulpin maps out mountain passes, coastal shipwrecks, bushveld ecosystems, and rural towns with a highly readable, diverting style. At over one thousand pages, this monumental out-of-print first impression serves as a reliable geographical record of twentieth-century Africa and remains an indispensable cornerstone item for serious Africana collectors, historians, and road-trip enthusiasts.
Author Profile: T.V. Bulpin
Thomas Victor ("T.V.") Bulpin (1918–1999) was one of South Africa’s most legendary, prolific, and widely read travel authors, historians, and wilderness chroniclers. Over an adventurous career spanning half a century, he wrote nearly thirty bestselling books and more than two thousand articles on African hunting traditions, frontier history, and hidden trails—including classics like Lost Trails on the Lowveld, The Ivory Trail, and Tavern of the Seas. Bulpin was famous for his tireless lifestyle, driving hundreds of thousands of kilometers across rough unpaved roads to interview eccentric outcasts, map hidden landmarks, and collect oral folklore. His incredible legacy balances rigorous archival research with an accessible storytelling charm, ensuring his books remain highly prized, investment-grade classics for nature lovers and book collectors worldwide.
Thomas Victor ("T.V.") Bulpin (1918–1999) was one of South Africa’s most legendary, prolific, and widely read travel authors, historians, and wilderness chroniclers. Over an adventurous career spanning half a century, he wrote nearly thirty bestselling books and more than two thousand articles on African hunting traditions, frontier history, and hidden trails—including classics like Lost Trails on the Lowveld, The Ivory Trail, and Tavern of the Seas. Bulpin was famous for his tireless lifestyle, driving hundreds of thousands of kilometers across rough unpaved roads to interview eccentric outcasts, map hidden landmarks, and collect oral folklore. His incredible legacy balances rigorous archival research with an accessible storytelling charm, ensuring his books remain highly prized, investment-grade classics for nature lovers and book collectors worldwide.
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