"Africa is a land of overwhelming variety and wealth, both culturally and geographically. Whilst now recognised as the cradle of mankind, its formidable deserts, which have a fundamental role in our understanding of this vast and complex continent, remain largely unknown. In this breathtaking book, geographer and photographer Michael Martin reveals the cultural and spiritual heritage of Africa through his extraordinary images of these great, apparently barren stretches of terrain. Travelling through the Sahara, the volcanic deserts of the Rift Valley, through the Kalahari and the Namib, he explores the varied peoples who eke out an existence in these inhospitable regions. The vibrant photographs in The Deserts of Africa reveal that the Western eye has too often overlooked the beauty, majesty and spirituality of these places and their peoples. Michael Martin s book is, simultaneously, a study of the barrenness and abundance of the African deserts.