100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

🐉 🔥 Happy Threshing Day! Pre-order the Deluxe Edition of Rebecca Yarros' newest release today! 🔥 🐉

The Cosmography and Geography of Africa

4.38 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 13 ratings, 3 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Cosmography and Geography of Africa by Leo Africanus is a detailed descriptive account of North Africa as it was known in the early 16th century. It explores the landscapes, cultures, and societies of the region, providing insights into the geography, economy, and people. The book is renowned for its blend of historical, geographical, and anthropological observations, offering a unique glimpse into the African continent during this period.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3200
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by historical accounts of Africa through the eyes of a 16th-century traveller. The work provides an intriguing perspective on African cultures, landscapes, and peoples encountered during journeys, blending geographical descriptions with socio-political observations. This book may appeal to you if you have a keen interest in the history of exploration and the blend of myth and reality in early travel narratives.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The first new translation in over 400 years of one of the great works of the Renaissance — an African diplomat's guide to Africa.

In 1518, al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Wazzan, a Moroccan diplomat, was seized by pirates while travelling in the Mediterranean. Brought before Pope Leo X, he was persuaded to convert to Christianity, in the process taking the name Johannes Leo Africanus. Acclaimed in the papal court for his learning, Leo would in time write his masterpiece, The Cosmography and Geography of Africa.

The Cosmography was the first book about Africa, and the first book written by a modern African, to reach print. It would remain central to the European understanding of Africa for over 300 years, with its descriptions of lands, cities and peoples giving a singular vision of the vast continent — its urban bustle and rural desolation, its culture, commerce and warfare, its magical herbs and strange animals.

Yet it is not a mere catalogue of the exotic — Leo also invited his readers to acknowledge the similarity and relevance of these lands to the time and place they knew. For this reason, The Cosmography and Geography of Africa remains significant to our understanding not only of Africa, but of the world and how we perceive it.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241543931

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 March 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Anthony Ossa-Richardson
  • Translated by Richard Oosterhoff

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 199.0mm

Weight: 379g

Pages: 560

About the Author

Leo Africanus (Author) Born al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Wazzan in Granada and raised in Fez, Johannes Leo Africanus was a sixteenth-century diplomat and scholar who, in the court of Pope Leo X, produced the first guide to the geography and culture of North Africa, The Cosmography and Geography of Africa. Anthony Ossa-Richardson (Translator) Antony Ossa-Richardson is Lecturer in Early Modern Literature at University College London. His most recent book is A History of Ambiguity (Princeton, 2019). Richard Oosterhoff (Translator) Richard Oosterhoff is Lecturer in History at the University of Edinburgh, and author of Making Mathematical Culture- University and Print in the Circle of Lef vre d' taples (Oxford, 2018).

More from Travel & Adventure

View all
  • The Salt Path
    The bestselling true story of the couple who lost everything and embarked on a journey not of escape but salvation, soon to be a major motion picture starring Golden Globe winning Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, the couple lose their home and their livelihood. With...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lonely Planet Japan
    #1 Bestselling guidebook to Japan "Classic. Comprehensive. Crucial." - Library Journal Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Japan. Discover popular and off the beaten track experiences from visiting Yoshino for Japan's most famous cherry-blossom-viewing festival to sipping sake at a 300-year-old brewery in Niigata, and exploring the...
    Paperback
    $4100
    Elsewhere:
    $4499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Maintenance: Of Everything
    The first in-depth exploration of maintenance and a powerful argument for its civilisational importance from the author of How Buildings Learn and creator of the Whole Earth Catalog. Maintenance is what keeps everything going. It's what keeps life going. Yet it's also easy to shirk or defer until the thing breaks, the system falters, and everything stops. The apparent paradox...
    Hardback
    $7999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Abroad in Japan
    The hilarious number one bestselling memoir from YouTube sensation Chris Broad, a Brit trying to assimilate into life in Japan as he unravels the wonders and eccentricities of one of the world's most mysterious cultures. When Englishman Chris Broad landed in a rural village in northern Japan, he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. With no knowledge of the...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Cat's Tales
    Once upon a time, the enchanting creature that is the cat infiltrated our lives – and our folklore. Cats have a long association with the supernatural – from being worshipped as gods in ancient Egypt to vilified as witches’ familiars in Europe – and they appear in countless fairy tales throughout history. Every part of the world has its own...
    Hardback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Penguin Lessons
    Now a major film, this is the true story of an unlikely friendship between a flightless bird and a teacher out of his depth. When schoolteacher Tom Michell pulls a penguin from an oil slick off the coast of Uruguay, he has no idea what to do. Back at his apartment, Tom cleans him, but upon returning to the beach,...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Rambling Man
    THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING HILARIOUS NEW BOOK FROM THE NATION'S FAVOURITE COMEDIAN, BILLY CONNOLLY "Being a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I've met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights - and I've rarely come across...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    22% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Lisbon
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Lisbon is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life - neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Experience the city's most scenic tram routes, find the best pastéis de nata and discover the winding backstreets of Alfama; all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Lisbon and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Cozy Bookshops: Colouring Book
    Cozy Bookshops—your ultimate escape into a world of bookish bliss and mindful relaxation in 46 adorable scenes, from the coziest book nooks. Wander labyrinthine bookshelves, sink into soft armchairs by roaring fireplaces, and lose yourself in snug, atmospheric corners. Escape, relax, and unwind with this colouring book for all skill levels and bring your own personality. The possibilities are endless!...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    22% off
    Lonely Planet Pocket Porto
    Lonely Planet's Pocket Porto is your guide to the city's best experiences and local life, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Experience the historic Se cathedral, marvel at the stunning Palacio da Bolsa, and visit peacocks in Jardim do Palacio de Cristal, all with your trusted travel companion. Uncover the best of Porto and make the most of your trip! Inside Lonely Planet's...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Auto Biography
    From one of the world's most popular motor journalists, a highly entertaining, clued-up and panoramic guide to cars. A highly entertaining, clued-up and panoramic guide to cars by Mat Watson, the world's most followed car journalist on social media. Mat Watson knows everything there is to know about cars. In his 25-year career as a motor journalist, he has driven...
    Hardback
    $4600
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Brilliant Maps
    With a foreword by Tim Harford Which nations have North Korean embassies? Which region has the highest number of death metal bands per capita? How many countries have bigger economies than California? Who drives on the 'wrong' side of the road? And where can you find lions in the wild? Revelatory, thought-provoking and fun, Brilliant Maps is a unique atlas...
    Paperback
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.