Reading a book about a place I’m going to visit is always enriching, but in the case of Namibia, it’s particularly helpful. The country’s fascinating, tumultuous history is little known outside the region. And in contrast to the numerous famous books about, say, Kenya or South Africa, literature related to Namibia is relatively obscure.

In preparation for my recent visit to Namibia, I read three contrasting books about the country, its history and its people, two of which were published within the past two years. I so enjoyed these works that I recommend them even to people with no intention of ever visiting Namibia. “Mama Namibia” in particular is an important, beautiful book about a brutal and tragic moment in history that few people know anything about. I found it hard to put down.

Mama Namibia: Based on True Events

by Mari Serebrov