Free book download: Venus Rising by Peter G. Alcock

Venus Rising: South African Astronomical Beliefs, Customs and Observations is a fairly heavy academic read, but if you’re serious about the night sky – especially traditional South African celestial knowledge – then this free download is a must.

From the Venda in the north to the /Xam San (Bushman) in the south, the book covers place names, stories, poetry and riddles as well as other linguistic expressions linked to the heavens. At 398 pages of heavily referenced text it’s unlikely you’ll breeze through it overnight, but there’s a wealth of knowledge here and as a free reference it’s something to return to whenever you’re curious.