Sahara

In the parched and seemingly lifeless heart of the Sahara desert, earthworms find enough moisture to survive. Four major mountain ranges interrupt the flow of dunes and gravel plains, and sometimes waterfalls cascade from their peaks. Even the sand amazes: Massive dunes can appear almost overnight and be gone just as quickly. We think we know the Sahara, the largest and most austere desert on Earth—yet it is full of surprises, as Marq de Villiers reveals in his brilliant and evocative biography of the land and its people.

Praise

"A lyrical portrait of a vast, exotic land . . . Wide-ranging, engagingly written."—Michael Upchruch, The Seattle Times

"This is a cool book about one of the world’s hottest places."—National Geographic Adventure

"[Sahara] gives readers a clear understanding of what it's like to live in and to visit the sandy expanses of the world’s greatest desert . . . Few people journey across the Sahara. Reading this book is a good substitute."—The Oregonian

"Surprises abound in [this] informative natural history of the world's most famous desert."—Dallas Morning News

"Part travel memoir, part history lesson and part archeological dig . . . the author's evocative blend of reportage and concise historical overview makes it a fine read for both armchair travelers and those interested in natural history."—Publishers Weekly

About the Author(s)

By Marq de Villiers and Sheila Hirtle

Marq de Villiers, born in South Africa, is the author of several books on exploration, history, politics, and travel, including Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource, which won the prestigious Governor General's Award in Canada, Down the Volga, and Into Africa: A Journey Through the Ancient Empires, written with Sheila Hirtle. De Villiers lives in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia.